One Reason Young Dogs Die Suddenly

Dear Readers,

Many of you are writing and asking about my dog Jake who died recently.

I didn't write a single article about losing Jake, instead I wrote about losing him in a RANDOM SHOTS blog. Like a few other things that I've wrote on here, it was more for me than for you my readers.

I can't tell you how much losing him meant to me. I was in absolute shock for days, and honestly I really think I still may be in a sort of state of disbelief that it actually took place.

Maybe it was because it was too simple, too sudden, too easy, too oh well Jake's dead. I can't tell you how much it means to me that my readers are writing and asking why, what happened, and what have I found out?

Like you, I can really only guess. My wife and I don't have a lot of money. We live on my retirement. Contrary to what some might think, this blog does not bring in a dime yet. I run advertisements for things that I like or admire, like say the Wounded Warriors Program or the different Cattle Breeds or the American Quarter Horse Association, but they are not paying a dime for those ads. It's just my choice to put them on here for free.

Bottom line, we don't have a lot of money to be spending on things we simply can't afford -- a trait that I would wish our state and federal government officials would learn -- so subsequently, I didn't want to spend money on a Vet to come out here on a ranch visit or take Jake in for an autopsy called a necropsy to find out why he died.

It is about the worst thing that can happen to any dog owner. And honestly, I would not wish it on anyone!

When I came home and was told that Jake was dead, especially when he was source an athlete, completely healthy dog, is something I never thought would happen.

After seeing him, I immediately went out to start digging him a grave. The whole time, I was in complete shock. And yes, I have seen men die and not shed a tear - but I cried like a baby that day.

What could have done it? A heart attack? A stroke? He was so young, only a little over 4 years old, how could this happen?

Since then, like I said before, I've gotten a lot of e-mail from you my readers suggesting all sorts of things from choking to snake bites to just exhaustion, and more.

Since then, I've talked to many people about it. I've asked a number of folks who I know know animals - and they can only wonder as much as I do. And yes, I've talked to my Vet about it.

Some of you have sent me articles on dogs dying suddenly, and all I can only say is thank you for your concern. Your concern has meant a lot to me.

I did get a few articles relating to "stomach torsion" that comes about from "bloat". This wasn't the first time that I heard of torsion in dogs. Years ago, an old friend who was a professional dog trainer told me about torsion. I didn't really understand it. I really didn't know how bad it could be.


Since Jake's death, I've read a lot about it lately. Come to find out, this is a serious issue in the dog world. So serious that its the second leading cause of death for large dogs. And yes, Jake was a large dog at over 70 pounds.

In one article send to me, it talked about torsion as a result of "bloat" being basically a condition where a lot of gas or fluid gets trapped in the dogs stomach. This really isn't all that different from what might happen to you and I when we drank too much on a full stomach.

But in dogs, especially large dogs in particular, this is a serious problem. The reason is that their stomach isn't as well set in the body cavity as ours is. Up until reading that article, I really didn't know that a dogs stomach is kind of just hanging loose - and when it becomes over-engorged with fluid or gas -  it can twist around.

It's called torsion

For you horse type folks who are reading this right now, yes, this is very similar to the kind of torsion that takes place in severe cases of colic when various parts of the horse's gastrointestinal tract twist. And as you already know, when colic goes from a slight case of colic to the twisting of either the horse's small intestine or part of the colon - then the result is blockage of the blood supply. That means that it is a painful condition causing rapid deterioration and requiring emergency surgery if you can afford it. Either way, it is a real medical emergency.

When torsion occurs in dogs, like in horses, the result is a medical emergency. The blood supply to many vital organs gets cut off when this happens, and the dog goes into shock.

Death will result if surgery is not performed. A symptom that this is happening is that the dog will be throwing up clear liquid or attempting to throw up. Next to Jake, there was evidence that he had thrown up just before dying.

According to the article sent to me, "one tragic aspect of this condition is that onset can happen rapidly, and so you may become aware of it when its too late."

Since becoming educated on this issue could mean the difference between death and several extra years of life for your dog, and since we can't be with our dogs 24 hours a day 7 days a week, there are a few things that we can do to reduce the risk of it happening?  .

It appears that almost everything we have to do to help our dogs has to do with how we feed our dogs. Here are a few things we can do:

•Break up your dogs feedings. The less food a dog takes in when it eats the lower the risk. A dog that eats just once a day has a higher risk than a dog that has its meals split into two or three portions a day.

•Watch out for dry food. Dogs that eat all dry food have a higher risk. Consider feeding canned food, or mixing dry and canned together. When you do this substitute a can of moist dog food for a cup of dry food. This helps because dry food tends to expand when liquefied in the stomach adding stress to the stomach.

Many years ago, that friend who was a professional dog trainer and had her own kennel. She used to feed all of the dogs in her care wet food. She would fill their feed pans with dry food and add water. She would then allow the dry food to soak up the water before feeding them.

•Feed using raised bowls. There is a bit of controversy about this one, but feeding using raised bowls may help reduce the risk. This is because some dogs gulp down air when they eat, and its believed by some that bowls raised off the floor cut down on the amount of air gulped in. This in turn cuts the risk of bloat happening. Raised pet bowls are available for sale on the Internet.

In Jake's case, my wife had him set up with raised bowls but he was a slow eater.

•Watch out for diarrhea. If a dog has chronic diarrhea, it may increase the risk. Make sure to get diarrhea treated.

•Never exercise right after feeding. Let the dogs stomach "settle" for an hour or two before going out for exercise.

•Avoid feeding immediately after exercise. After a long walk, a dog probably wants to drink lots of water. Doing that and then eating can be a fatal recipe.

I don't know if this is why Jake died. I can only wonder. But before he died, I had no idea what a serious problem torsion is in dogs, especially big dogs.

I was shocked to learn that this more often happens to dogs in their prime. And yes, Jake was in his prime. He was only a little over 4 years old.

Although dogs of any age can get it, I found out that most victims of torsion are aged between 4 and 7 years of age. I also found out that males have a higher risk than female dogs do.

All in all, again I want to say that I don't know why my boy Jake died. It could have been an aneurysm. I know that dog have aneurysms, just like people do. And yes, It could have been a stroke, or it could have been a heart attack. I do know he wasn't snake bit - because I've seen snake bit dogs before and he had no sign of being bit.

Last year, I lost my horse Murphy when he twisted his guts because he had coliced. I don't know if I lost my dog for the same reason. And yes, like you, I know real well that we can't prevent every bad event from happening to our animals - but after reading a little, I really believe that we can at least take a few small responsible steps to help them beat the risk of torsion.

Besides, I really believe that most of the readers of this blog are good folks who like me will feel a little better knowing that we did the right thing to our animals.

And by the way, thanks again for the emails.

Tom Correa

MSNBC Host Ridicules Ann Romney's MS Therapy

One writer put it better than I can when he said, "In what could possibly be this campaign season’s most sickening example of a gross liberal media pundit exuding ignorant garbage, Lawrence O’Donnell, host of MSNBC’s The Last Word, ridiculed Ann Romney’s method of using the equestrian sport of dressage as a type of therapy for her case of the degenerative disease, Multiple Sclerosis."

Every time I start to think that liberals can't get any lower, they surpass themselves and slip deeper and deeper into the gutter. This time, MSNBC Host Lawrence O’Donnell decided to ridicule Ann Romney's choice MS therapy.

There is no logic when it comes to the liberal media's love for Obama, but why make their bias so obvious, so blatant, and so classless as to stoop to new lows in attacking the presumptive Republican presidential nominee and his family.

On MSNBC's The Last Word Monday, host Lawrence O'Donnell decided to ridicule Ann Romney by mocking her use of therapeutic riding. She uses therapeutic horseback riding, just like millions of other Americans do, to combat physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. In her case, she used horseback riding to combat her MS (Multiple Sclerosis).

The MSNBC host made no mention that earlier this month, on a three-day campaign stop in Florida, Ann Romney visited a Therapeutic Horse Riding Facility where she told patients that she was unable to walk at one point because her Multiple Sclerosis symptoms were so severe.

"But," Ann Romney said on her visit to the facility, "the excitement of getting on a horse helped" her build her strength and caused her symptoms to ease.

I understand what a liberal dunce like Lawrence O'Donnell is doing. He's trying to paint the Romney's as rich country club types completely out of touch with everyday Americans.

All he has succeeded in doing is show his ignorance and sheer stupidity by knocking down - someone with MS who uses a form of therapeutic riding.

I used to volunteer at a facility that put on therapeutic riding for handicapped children. Granted, it wasn't dressage - but it was therapeutic horseback riding and those kids loved it.

As for the sport of dressage, while O'Donnell tried to make it sound like it was only a sport for the wealthy in America - I can tell you that I've seen first hand a few make-shift dressage arenas where blue-collar folks try their hand at that very hard, very disciplined sport.

And yes, whether he likes it or not, it is a very common technique for helping various types of disabilities, and is one of the few that tends to work for many problems that lack effective treatment.

Therapeutic Riding is a major event and is an absolutely fundamental component of the Special Olympics. But then again, maybe O'Donnell only wealthy kids participate in the Special Olympics. Heck, maybe the idiot thinks that the Therapeutic riding at the Special Olympics is as big a joke as he apparently thinks it is.

I read where in Maryland, over 100 riders participated in the Special Olympics Therapeutic Riding event earlier in June.

As one person said, "Dressage is not for rich people." It is for everyone who wants to move to another level of horsemanship. It is a sport, but it is also used to address illnesses or conditions where other treatments may have failed.

Someone, anyone, should tell O'Donnell to hold his ridicule of the Special Olympics for their therapeutic riding program.

Most of the Special Olympians come from lower income families. Most participants are just honest people who enjoy a very popular sport. And yes, horses make a big difference in their recovery.

Therapeutic Riding, or Therapeutic Horseback Riding, is also known as Equine-assisted Activity or Equine Adaptive Riding.  It is used to teach riding skills to people with disabilities. Therapeutic riding is beneficial for children and adults who present with any of a wide range of cognitive, physical, and emotional conditions.

Most Therapeutic Riding Facilities are non-profit organizations. Most use certified instructors, licensed therapists, volunteers and specially-trained horses. Most offer high-quality horseback riding programs geared to help heal children and adults with a wide range of physical, mental, and emotional challenges.

Horses have been used as a treatment for rehabilitating a range of physical, mental, and emotional disabilities.

Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH), which was formerly the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA), is a non-profit organization based in Denver, Colorado that promotes the benefits of therapeutic horseback riding and other equine-assisted activities and therapies for people with physical, emotional and learning disabilities.

PATH certified instructors use the horse as an instructional tool to teach riding skills and reach individualized goals and objectives. Conditions served include: cerebral palsy, spina bifida, neuromuscular disorders, post-traumatic brain injury, autism, ADHD, and cognitive disorders.

Riders see an overall improvement in their quality of life. They experience improved self-confidence, strength, balance, coordination, attention span, the use of language, and even social skills.

For me, after working so much traveling around the country working, when my back was getting worse and my head needed a rest, I bought a horse. I remembered that great saying by Sir Winston Churchill, "there is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man."

My horse Murphy saved my life in many ways. And no, I'm not the only one who has found that sort of relief. therapeutic horseback riding is used to help our wounded troops, our wounded warriors coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan improve their balance, coordination, and hone other valuable physical skills.

And yes, it helps with the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It calms, it reassures, it motivates and gives hope. It is better than most medications.

I read where one person on the web asked "shouldn't an MSNBC anchor either know of the medical and psychological benefits of therapeutic riding or have someone on his staff investigate it before mocking a presidential candidate's wife for claiming it helped her overcome her serious illness?"

Well, we would think so wouldn't we! But he didn't. Instead he attacked a lady who has done him no personal harm, all to appease his liberal masters.

To ridicule Ann Romney or anyone with MS, for any reason, is classless enough, but then to do it to someone who is making an effort to get well by doing a form of therapy  - and go out of your way to attack and ridicule her all because of the type of therapy she picked - well, Lawrence O'Donnell can be proud that he is about as classless as they come!

Lawrence O'Donnell is about as worthless an individual as I've seen in my life. Like most liberals, he apparently doesn't care how he prostitutes himself - all so he can support Obama and the Democrat Party.

It seems that he sells himself pretty cheap!

Story by Tom Correa

Why No Purple Hearts for Fort Hood Victims?

Why not?

When it comes to combat action, anyone who has been there can tell you that combat action takes all sorts of forms.

On the morning of November 5th, 2009, a combat situation took place when a Muslim insurgent, a terrorist, a jihadist, our enemy, opened fire in a vicious attack specifically designed as an ambush to kill as many U.S. soldiers as possible at Fort Hood.

Muslim jihadists are usually motivated with the ultimate aim of spreading Islam worldwide.  Jihadists use international Islamic terrorism, guerrilla warfare, and terrorist attacks - all in the name of their prophet Muhammad and Allah.

The Jihadist insurgent at Fort Hood was supposedly one of their own.

At approximately 1:34 pm local time, Nidal Malik Hasan, a U.S. Army Major who served as a Psychiatrist entered the Soldier Readiness Processing Center where he worked, a place where personnel receive routine medical treatment immediately prior to and on return from deployment.

He was armed with the FN Five-seven pistol, which he had fitted with two Lasermax laser sights: one red, and one green. He was also armed with a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum revolver, but was not used.

According to eyewitnesses, Nidal Malik Hasan, the U.S. Army Major who turned Muslim Terrorist, had taken a seat at an empty table and bowed his head for several seconds before suddenly standing up and yelling "Allahu Akbar!" while he opened fire.

Witnesses said Hasan initially "sprayed bullets at soldiers in a fan like motion" before taking aim at individual soldiers. Eyewitness Sgt. Michael Davis said, "The rate of fire was pretty much constant shooting. When I initially heard it it sounded like an M16."

A shooting victim being transported to a waiting ambulance Army reserve Captain John Gaffaney attempted to stop Hasan by charging him, but was mortally wounded before he could reach him.

Civilian physician assistant Michael Cahill also tried to charge Hasan with a chair, but was shot and killed. Army reserve Specialist Logan Burnette tried to stop Hasan by throwing a folding table at him, but he was shot in the left hip, fell down, and crawled to a nearby cubicle.

His intent was to target U.S. Soldiers!

According to testimony from witnesses, Nidal Malik Hasan, the U.S. Army Major who turned Muslim Terrorist, passed up several opportunities to shoot civilians - but instead purposely targeting soldiers in uniform.

At one point, Hasan reportedly approached a group of five civilians hiding under a desk. He looked at them, swept the dot of his pistol's laser sight over one of the men's faces - then turned away without firing.

Base civilian police Sergeant Kimberly Munley, who had rushed to the scene in her patrol car, encountered Hasan in the area outside the Soldier Readiness Processing Center. Major Hasan fired at Munley, who returned fire using her 9mm M9 pistol.

Munley's hand was hit by shrapnel when one of Hasan's bullets struck a nearby rain gutter, and then two bullets struck Munley - the first bullet hit her thigh, and the second hit her knee. As she began to fall from the first bullet, the second bullet struck her femur, severely shattering it and knocking her to the ground.

Hasan then calmly walked up to Munley and kicked her pistol out of reach.

As the shooting continued outside, nurses and medics entered the building, secured the doors with a belt and rushed to help the wounded.

According to the responding nurses, the blood loss inside the building was so heavy they were unable to maintain balance, and had difficulty reaching the wounded to help them.

In the area outside the building, Nidal Malik Hasan, was not done yet. He continued his attack by shooting at fleeing soldiers. The enemy was certainly there that day.

Civilian police Sergeant Mark Todd arrived and shouted commands at Hasan to surrender.

Todd later said, "Then he turned and fired a couple of rounds at me. I didn't hear him say a word, he just turned and fired."

The two exchanged fire, and Hasan fell after being hit by five shots from Todd - who then went to Hasan and kicked his pistol out of his hand and away from the maniac. As Hasan became unconscious, Todd placed him in handcuffs.

Hasan wanted to commit Mass Destruction!

An investigator later testified that 146 spent shell casings were recovered inside the building. Another 68 casings were collected outside, for a total of 214 rounds were fired by either the attacker or the responding police officers.

A medic who treated Major Hasan's wounds said that Hasan's pockets were full of pistol magazines.

When the shooting ended, he was still carrying 177 rounds of unfired ammunition in his pockets, contained in both 20- and 30-round magazines.

As a result of enemy action that day, which lasted about 10 minutes, 30 people wounded and 13 killed. All in all, 12 soldiers and one civilian. Eleven died at the scene, and two died later in a hospital.

Initially, three soldiers were believed to have been involved in the terrorist attack. Two soldiers were actually detained, but who were subsequently released.

The Fort Hood website posted a notice indicating that the terrorist attack was indeed -  not a drill.

Immediately after the shooting, the base and surrounding areas were locked down by military police and U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) until around 7 pm local time. In addition, Texas Rangers, Texas DPS troopers, deputies from the Bell County Sheriff's Office, and FBI agents from Austin and Waco were dispatched.

Later, President Obama was briefed on what took place and immediately put their political machine into gear to play down the Muslim terrorist attack and depict it as a simple workplace shooting incident. I still don't understand why the Obama White House made such a concerted effort to play down the role that Hasan's Muslim faith played in his decision to kill American soldiers?

It's as if Obama just refused to acknowledge that this was an act of Islamic terrorism.

Fact is, by his own admission, Army Major Nidal Hasan waged "jihad" against American soldiers that day. So whether the Obama administration wants to call a spade a spade or not, fact is that it was a Muslim terrorist attack on our military.

The jihadist attack at Fort Hood is no different than the thwarted Muslim terrorist attack on Fort Dix. The 2008 terrorist plot to attack Fort Dix was stopped and led to the arrest and conviction of  "The Ft. Dix Six" which was a homegrown Muslim terror cell of immigrants here from Jordan, Turkey and Yugoslavia.

Fact is, Nidal Hasan's jihadist attack resulted in the first massacre of American troops on U.S. soil by Muslims in the War on Terrorism.

Fox News program "The Enemy Within" interviews Survivors.

Survivors of the Fort Hood massacre say they expected Army Major Nidal Hasan, to "come in and finish the job," according to exclusive interviews to broadcast on "Fox Files: The Enemy Within."

"I saw the muzzle of the weapon pointed at me about six feet away," Pvt. George Stratton III told Fox News in his first TV interview since the November 5th, 2009, Muslim terrorist attack that killed 13 and injured more than 43 others.

Private Stratton, who had just turned 18 years of age at the time of the attack, said the Readiness Center was turned into a battlefield bathed in blood as the wounded crawled to the exit doors to trying to save themselves.

"As soon as I got out the first set of doors, I got up to my knees, pushed the other door open and kneed my way out, and I got up to my feet," he said.

Stratton, who needed his family’s permission to enlist at the age of 17, thought he might be safe until he heard a soldier cry out that the shooter was following the wounded.

"He's coming around the corner with the gun, he's shooting and killing people," Stratton said. "I just sat there - felt helpless - felt hopeless waiting for this person to come in and finish the job."

Staff Sgt. Shawn Manning was shot six times, with one bullet narrowly missing his heart.

Manning said, he had sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States against all enemies Foreign and Domestic. Manning paused as he described the shooter.

"Domestic enemy, I mean, that’s what this was," Manning said. "He might have wore the uniform, but he wasn't a soldier. He didn't act like a soldier. He tried to kill soldiers. I mean, he was an enemy - plain and simple."

When it came to Hasan, Manning said, there was a double standard. Hasan wrote emails to radical American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki - seeking advice on reconciling his Muslim faith with serving in the Army.

Believe it or not, this fact was known to the FBI - but they did nothing about it.

And yes, Manning has a point here when he says, "You could lose your security clearance in the Army for having bad credit and be kicked out of the Army. But you can't lose your security clearance for talking to a member of Al Qaeda, through e-mail. I mean, it doesn't make any sense."

The Awards!

On November 5, 2010, one year later, 52 individuals received awards for their actions in the shooting.

The Soldier's Medal was awarded to 10 soldiers, one of which was Captain John Gaffaney, who died attempting to charge the shooter.

The Soldier's Medal is an award of the United States Army.  Per Army Regulation 600-8-22, the criteria for the Soldier's Medal are as follows: "The Soldier's Medal is awarded to any person of the Armed Forces of the United States or of a friendly foreign nation who, while serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States, distinguished himself or herself by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy."

Granted that the Soldier's Medal is a honor to receive, it is held to be equal to or greater than the level which would have justified an award of the Distinguished Flying Cross had the act occurred in combat.

Any American service member who is eligible for retirement pay will receive an increase of 10 percent in retirement pay, if the level of valor was equal to that which would earn the Distinguished Service Cross.

The Soldier's Medal is the highest honor a soldier can receive for an act of valor in a non-combat situation. 
 
But friends, this was a combat action no different than if it took place in Afghanistan or Iraq or wherever else our troops are in harm's way. This was an enemy attack.
 
This is no different than when Sgt. Hasan Akbar, of the 101st Airborne Division, attacked Army Captain Christopher Seifert and Air Force Major Gregory Stone, as well as wounding 14 fellow soldiers in March 2003 in Kuwait at the beginning of the war in Iraq.
 
That attack occurred at Camp Pennsylvania, Kuwait, a rear base camp. There, Sgt Akbar threw four hand grenades into three tents during the early morning when the majority of troops were sleeping - and then opened fired on his fellow soldiers with his rifle during the ensuing chaos.
 
The situation in Fort Hood is no different in circumstance, just location.
 
Thankfully, the Secretary of the Army Award for Valor was awarded to police officers Kimberly Munley and Mark Todd, for the roles they played in stopping the shooter.

On May 23, 2011, the Army Award for Valor was also posthumously awarded to civilian physician assistant Michael Cahill, who died attempting to charge Major Hasan with a chair.

So why no Purple Hearts?

Why haven't the Soldiers wounded or killed in that terrorist attack received Purple Hearts?

The Purple Heart differs from all other U.S. military decorations in that an individual is not "recommended" for the decoration. It is strictly based on whether he or she is entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria.

Per United States Army regulation 600-8-22: the Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services after April 5, 1917, has been wounded or killed.

Current active duty personnel are awarded the Purple Heart upon recommendation from their chain of command, stating the injury that was received, and the action in which the service member was wounded.

The award authority for the Purple Heart is normally at the level of an Army Brigade, Marine Corps Division, Air Force Wing, or Navy Task Force.

While the award of the Purple Heart is considered automatic for all wounds received in combat, each award presentation must still be reviewed to ensure that the wounds received were as a result of enemy action.

Despite calls from some members of Congress, none of the wounded or murdered soldiers from the 2009 terrorist attack at Fort Hood - the action in which the service member was wounded or killed - have been awarded the Purple Heart.

In my opinion, this should be corrected. It needs to be made right!


Story by Tom Correa

Random Shots - Molester Beaten to Death, IRS to use Million for Obamacare, SF Bicyclist Charged with Manslaughter, USS Enterprise, and More!

FIRST SHOT!

Molester Beaten to Death by Texas Dad Identified, Disturbing New Details Released

On a previous Random Shots, we talked about a Texas man who killed a pedophile who was trying to molest his daughter. We didn't have much in the way of particulars other than that the incident took place.

Now the man who was beaten to death by a Texas dad for trying to molest his 5-year-old daughter has been identified by authorities.

Previous news reports had identified the girl as a 4-year-old, but her age was corrected by Lavaca County authorities in a press release Friday, obtained by the Victoria Advocate.

Lavaca County Sheriff Micah Harmon said that the father killed Jesus Mora Flores, age 47, from Gonzales, Texas.

The sheriff said Flores was not in the U.S. illegally and was in possession of a green card also known as a permanent resident card. Investigators have been working with Mexican Consulate officials to locate his family, the news release revealed.

Lavaca County Sheriff Micah Harmon. (Source: co.lavaca.tx.us)

Harmon previously indicated that it is not likely that the 23-year-old father, who has not been identified to protect his daughter, will face any criminal charges. It seems even less likely in light of some new details that have been released.

On June 9th, the killing occurred in Mt. Olive, Texas, near a barn where some horses were being kept. The adults were shoeing a horse while the little girl and her brother went to feed chickens, KPRC in Houston reports.

The two kids’ grandfather later said the boy returned and told him that his sister had been taken away by a man (Flores) who apparently dragged her behind some bushes on the property. Immediately the Texas dad went out looking for her, calling her name. KPRC reportedly spoke with the family.

Soon, he heard the sound of his little girl’s screams and rushed to find her. When he did, he says Flores was molesting his daughter.

The dad yanked him off of her and repeatedly struck him in the head and neck with his fists, ultimately killing him. Flores, an acquaintance of the father, had been hired to help tend to some of the family’s horses.

But it is now clear that the father walked into a even more horrifying scene than previously known.

"When emergency medical personnel arrived, Jesus Mora Flores‘ pants and underwear were down and the man’s genitals were exposed," Harmon was quoted saying in the press release, as reported by the Victoria Advocate.

There has been no evidence that has conflicted with the father’s account of the events, Harmon said. The dad was reportedly very remorseful and told investigators he did not intend to kill Flores. Further, the sheriff said the father and his family have cooperated with authorities.

"Despite all the other factors involved, this is still a homicide investigation," Harmon explained.

Now the Texas dad’s fate is in the hands of a grand jury who will hear his case and decide whether he will face any charges.

"Sheriff Harmon made the right decision in not arresting the father at the time of the incident," Lavaca County District Attorney Heather McMinn said.

Harmon said, in his eight years as sheriff, he has only investigated six homicides. The autopsy on Flores won’t be done for several weeks, the Advocate reports.

"This case has been very traumatizing on the child, her father and his entire family," he added.

One less scumbag is a good thing for the world, but it's a shame that it has to come at such a heavy cost to those involved. I can only hope and pray that time wipes the little girl's mind clean of this horrible act.

SECOND SHOT!


IRS to Use $881 Million Taxpayer Dollars to Implement ObamaCare

The Internal Revenue Service, the IRS, has stated that it is expecting to use $881 Million in Taxpayer Dollars to put into place the first four years of ObamaCare.

That includes more than $500 Million that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) diverted to the agency. This is according to a new federal audit.

The new Government Accountability Office audit calls ObamaCare a "significant effort for IRS," CNS reported on Friday.

The IRS "implementation costs" are expected to total $881 Million from fiscal years 2010 to 2013, it says.

The $881 Million cost only covers work through 2013. However, the IRS has implementation work planned through 2018, so the total cost could be much much higher.

Of the $881 Million, $521 Million will come from the HHS Health Insurance Reform Implementation Fund (HIRIF), which Republicans criticize as being nothing but a "slush fund." The remaining $360 Million is to come from IRS's 2013 budget request, expected to be awarded through the Congressional budget process.

Health Insurance Reform Implementation Fund received $1 Billion from Congress to implement the health care overhaul. The GAO has said that transferring of $521 Million from that to the IRS is legal.

As of the end of fiscal year 2011, IRS had received $187 Million of the HHS money, according to the audit. The remaining $332 Million is expected to come by the end of this fiscal year.

As of April 27, however, about $135 Million of that amount had been awarded.

So if ObamaCare is struck down by the Supreme Court, all of this hidden Taxpayer Dollars will be wasted.

I know people don't like it when I call Democrats a bunch of Jackasses, but this really is what you get from liberal Congressmen and women who say crap like "We have to pass it into law before we can find out what's in it."

I'd wager they wouldn't be so fast to act like that again if they thought the law they didn't want to read called for Congressional salary cuts!

THIRD SHOT!

Republican Fear of Liberal Millionaires Spurs Romney Donations


With all of the news about Obama running around the country attending Million Dollar Hollywood fundraisers, lobbyist, special interest groups, and such, Republicans are now trying to play catch up.

Yes, Obama actually raised $15 Million from big money Hollywood liberals on a single weekend in May. That was more money than Romney brought in for the entire quarter at that point. I read where Obama has almost ten to fifteen times the money that  

This sort of news has finally put fear in Republicans across the nation. And now, as a result of the word getting out that Obama has raised more than ten times the money that Romney has - Republicans are now pouring money into the effort to elect Mitt Romney and congressional Republican candidates. 

And don't think our dollars aren't being used toward the fight to unseat Obama, because it is. In fact, we are waging a coast-to-coast attack right now -  taking aim at swing states and President Obama.

It's a fight for air time because the Democrats have Hollywood money, environmentalist money, lobbyist money, Teachers and SEIU and Big Labor and Auto Workers Union money. And yes, they have money coming in from all sorts of fringe groups both in America and over-seas. I've read where all sorts of money was raised for Obama in 2008 from wealthy Socialist in Europe and Foreign Oil to make sure we don't drill here.

It's pretty hard to fight all that cash!

With the money Republicans are getting in, the National Republican Congressional Committee has started advertising in districts from California to Massachusetts to protect our House majority.

"What we've said from Day One is we’re going on the offensive across the country against House Democrats," committee spokesman Paul Lindsay said Thursday.

He also acknowledged that efforts to defeat Democratic Congressional candidates are inevitably connected to the President.

"It's clear House Democrats are going to have to deal with the toxicity of President Obama’s agenda," Lindsay said.

The reserved ads - from the NRCC’s independent expenditure arm - could go into as many as 25 Congressional districts and either target vulnerable Democrats, or help Republican incumbents in tough challenges.

The committee could shift the spending among the district or change amounts - just as House Democrats could with the $32 Million in reserved ads they announced earlier this year. And yes, in case you're wondering, they do have a lot more money now!


FOURTH SHOT!

Cyclist Chris Bucchere faces Manslaughter after Killing Pedestrian in San Francisco

For anyone who has tried to get through the streets of San Francisco knows how tough it can be. It is a mess, and yes, driving in just about any other city in America including New Yolk City is easier than dealing with the craziness in San Francisco.

Now add bicycles, lots and lots of bicycles, and you get absolute mayhem.

They run red lights, they slap and beat on your vehicle, they cut you off, flip you off, and I've actually had a bicyclist call me all sorts of thing before kicking my truck and zipping off in front of traffic. Yes, they think they own San Francisco.

As I said, anyone who has been there knows, they run red lights because they feel the traffic laws don't pertain to them. I have personally witnessed pedestrians being knocked down without so much as taking a moment out to see how they were doing.

Well on March 29th, 2012, Chris Bucchere, age 36, ran a red traffic light and plowed into 71-year-old Sutchi Hui in a crosswalk with his bicycle. On April 2nd, 2012, Sutchi Hui died because of the injuries he got from being plowed into.

Now San Francisco prosecutors said they would file felony vehicular manslaughter charges against a bicyclist who hit and killed Sutchi Hui who was a pedestrian.

The case has become what some are calling a flash point over the debate regarding bicyclists' in the city by the bay. The manslaughter charges, unusually stiff for what the liberal left is calling just a "bicycle accident" are long overdue. 

An arrest warrant was issued for Chris Bucchere, who will be arraigned early next week, said San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon, adding that the manslaughter charges are unusual for an incident that would usually be treated as a misdemeanor.


"I'm hoping this case serves to raise awareness that rules of the road apply to everyone," Gascon said in a news conference Thursday.

For people who have had to drive in San Francisco for one reason or another, it is common knowledge that the bicyclists there have a lot of clout with the city. So for this to actually be happening is pretty amazing!

FIFTH SHOT!

California Can Expect Blackouts This Summer When San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant Go Offline

Southern California utility officials are warning that blackouts in the region are almost a certainty this summer as a result of the sidelined San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant.

The plant is likely to remain sidelined until at least the end of August while inspectors probe excessive wear in tubing that carries radioactive water, the plant's operator said Thursday.

The officials say that if a heat wave hits while the twin-reactor Nuclear Plant is offline, rotating blackouts are very much a possibility.

Utilities have been scrambling to find replacement power as a precaution, including restarting two retired natural gas-fired plants in Orange County.

Southern California Edison said in a statement that the company plans by the end of July to submit a plan to Federal regulators to restart the Unit 2 reactor, where damage to tubes in its steam generators has been less severe than in its twin, Unit 3.

A proposal to restart either reactor must be approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and that review could take weeks - or months - OK, maybe even longer since it is an election year and the Environmentalist lobby has a great deal of politically clout with the Obama administration.

Southern California Edison spokeswoman Jennifer Manfre said it's likely the plant between San Diego and Los Angeles will remain shuttered at least through August.

The trouble began to unfold in January, when the Unit 3 reactor was shut down as a precaution after a tube break. Traces of radiation escaped at the time, but officials said there was no danger to workers or neighbors. Unit 2 had been taken offline earlier that month for maintenance, but inspectors later found unexpected wear on hundreds of tubes in both units.

Gradual wear is common in such tubing, but the rate of erosion in some tubes at San Onofre alarmed officials since the generators are relatively new. The company has said 1,300 tubes will be taken out of service, although the number is well within the margin to allow the generators to keep operating.

The company has found that the tube wear is being caused by vibration and friction with adjacent tubes and bracing, but inspectors have yet to say why that's happening or how they will fix it.

Southern California Edison initially targeted a June restart for at least one of the twin reactors. A tentative plan called for restarting and running the seaside reactors at lower power, at least for several months, because engineers believe that will ease vibration that could be eroding tubes.

The NRC has said there is no timetable to restart the reactors, which were replaced in 2009 and 2010 in a $670 million overhaul.

About 7.4 Million Californians live within 50 miles of San Onofre, which can power 1.4 Million homes.

Presure from anti-Nuclear environmentalist groups have been putting pressure on Congress, as well as Sacramento and the surrounding communities. The environmentalist want San Onofre to shut down permanently.

The Irvine City Council urged the NRC to thoroughly review safety conditions at the plant before it is considered for re-licensing in 2022.

The plant is owned by SCE, San Diego Gas & Electric and the city of Riverside. The Unit 1 reactor operated from 1968 to 1992, when it was shut down and dismantled.

Back in the early '90s, I had the opportunity to work at San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant when I was still doing inspection work. I can say without hesitation that Southern California Edison is a good company and really does have the safety of the public and its employees as the company's top concern.

SIXTH SHOT!
 
Dallas County expands spraying for West Nile Virus
 
Out of Dallas, Texas, comes a report that says that you can expect to see trucks spraying for West Nile virus on a regular basis in North Texas.

Mosquitoes carrying West Nile have already been found in Plano, Denton, and Dallas County. And in fact, Denton County already has a confirmed human case of West Nile.

Mark Funderburk is a pest control expert and says he's dealing with the mosquitoes already. "There's a lot of water around and the environment is really good for mosquitoes", he said.

"We're getting calls about it but we're not spraying yet so we won't be doing that until we really get calls for that", Funderburk said.

Mosquitoes infected with West Nile can cause encephalitis making a person feel like they have the flu. In some cases it can be fatal.

The mild winter and regular rainfall has led to an early mosquito season. Normally, the threat of West Nile shows up in middle of summer.

In March, David Jefferson with Tarrant County Public Health told CW 33 "human cases which fortunately has been very low the last few years usually show up toward the end of the summer, August, September.”

In Dallas County, spraying started last week and will continue through Tuesday morning of this week if the weather holds up. South Dallas and portions of Oak Lawn are the target areas.

In the meantime, there are ways to protect yourself - such as avoiding being outside in the evenings are late at night when mosquitoes are most active, getting rid of standing water even small amounts, wearing the proper clothing like long sleeve shirts, and use a  mosquito repellent.

But if you must be outside, Funderburk said "the best thing that I tell them to do is use mosquito repellent. That's the most effective way to keep mosquitoes off you as a person."

I recommend that an insect repellent containing DEET should be used. Use it on exposed skin surfaces when mosquitoes are around. DEET is the most effective and best studied insect repellent on the market - and with a remarkable safety profile after 40 years of worldwide use, you can feel safe using it.

There are low absorption formulations of DEET that are available. It is preferable to use a DEET concentration of not more than 35%.

When applying DEET, care must be taken to avoid allowing the repellent to contact the eyes or mouth.

Remember that preventing West Nile Virus is a two step process - mosquito reduction and personal protection.

As for your horses, I would not drag my feet and immediately contact my Veterinarian about West Nile Virus vaccinations for my animals.

LAST SHOT!

70th Anniversary of Battle of Midway

The Battle of Midway took place on June 4th, 1942. That battle cost America many lives.

Two years before D-Day in 1944, the Battle of Midway's heroic drama was critical in that the outcome would turn the tide of World War II in the Pacific. Victory was a must, and it came at a heavy cost.

Seventy years later, among the places where commemoration ceremonies took place. One special place was in the Arabian Gulf aboard the USS Enterprise.

On June 4th, 2012, Sailors and Marines aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN -65) again showed their metal by participate in a memorial ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Midway.

 

  

It is a special sort of anniversary for the crew of the USS Enterprise. The previous USS Enterprise (CV-6) played a key role in the Battle of Midway.

The Battle of Midway began on the morning of 4 June 1942, when four enemy Japanese carriers, unaware of the presence of U.S. naval forces, launched attacks on Midway Island.

Just three hours after the first bomb fell on Midway, planes from the U.S. carriers attacked. Enterprise launched her aircraft for what would be a failed attack using torpedo bombers. But soon after that, dive bombers from the Enterprise attacked and sank the enemy Japanese carriers Kaga and Akagi.

Later in the afternoon, a mixed squadron of Enterprise and Yorktown bombers destroyed Hiryu. Aircraft from Yorktown also sank the Soryu.

During the Battle of Midway, the Yorktown and Hammann were the only American ships sunk. Task Force 16 and 17 lost a total of 113 planes, 61 of them in combat, during the battle.

Japanese losses were much larger: four carriers, one cruiser, and 272 carrier aircraft. Despite losses to her aircraft squadrons, Enterprise came through undamaged and returned to Pearl Harbor on 13 June 1942.

She would see a lot more action before the end of the war. She was bombed and actually had a Kamikaze dive into her deck, but she survived.

After World War II, Enterprise was one of many ships used to shuttle troops home. In 1947, she was decommissioned. 

In November 1961, her name was revived with the commissioning of USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

Upon commissioning, various artifacts and mementos, including porthole from the previous Enterprise was kept aboard. Like her predecessor of World War II fame, she is nicknamed the "Big E".

At 1,123 feet, she is the longest naval vessel in the world. Her 93,284 long tons displacement ranks her as the 11th heaviest Super-Carrier, after the 10 carriers of the USS Nimitz class.

She has the distinction of being the only ship of her class, and the USS Enterprise is the second oldest commissioned vessel in the United States Navy -  after the wooden-hulled three-masted frigate USS Constitution.

The USS Enterprise has a crew of some 4,600 people. She is right now deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts, and of course support missions such as close air-ground support for troops on the ground as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

She is scheduled for decommissioning in 2014. Until then, we can rest easy knowing that she is still on guard.

Yes, I agree with those who say that today her Sailors and Marines continue to set the standard for excellence aboard a legend that began more than two centuries ago with the first Enterprise.

I pray her crew is blessed with Fair Winds and Following Seas! 

Story by Tom Correa