DOG WALKING REVIEW - Rover’s Run

Tara's Intro
We don’t usually review dog-walking services but Rover’s Run is such a wonderful little business, and my wife is so in love with Dora, that I felt I better mention it. It’s sad but true that animals, especially dogs, can be driven mad from boredom and being cooped up inside a small apartment or house. So it makes sense that dog-walking businesses have grown in popularity over the years. They give your animal a chance to stretch their legs while you’re cooped up in your small cubicle.

And every once in awhile a business comes along that so excells in what it does everyone who comes in contact with it is given a little more faith in humanity. One such business is Rover’s Run. Now before you think this is a plug for Dora’s business let me tell you that she isn’t accepting any more clients for the forseeable future. You see Dora isn’t in it to become wealthy, she simply wants to make a living at what she loves, and Dora loves animals. Often referred to by her clients as the “dog whisperer”, she developes a trust and relationship with your animal that will make you kind of jealous. A gesture, a look, it’s all she needs to have even the most rebellious dog whimpering at her feet. And Dora actually reduced her rates a few months ago when business was booming! When was the last time you heard of that? Dora is cut from a different mold than the rest of us. She doesn’t own a television, she ignores the news, and she revels is all the good things in life. Her moto is live for today because it’s not how long you live, but how well you live.

Well, here’s hoping she lives even half as well as the dogs in her care. Tip ‘o the hat Dora, you get 10 out of 10 thumb-stars!

www.roversrun.com

MUSIC REVIEW - Dancing Queen (ABBA)

abba1976

Does anyone else have trouble with Abba’s song Dancing Queen? While I like the melody, and I like the beat, the lyrics worry me. Why have they written a song about a 17-year-old going out to a disco. Isn’t she too young to be going to bars? Is ABBA promoting underage drinking or even possibly sex with minors? If one studies the lyrics closely you can find all sorts of troubling references:

“You can jive” I believe this is an African American code world for sex!
“Look for a King” Does this not promote elitism? What’s wrong with a simple, common boy?
“Anybody could be that guy.” So is she a slut?
“Leave them burning” Good God, is this song promoting smoking as well?!

As you can see this song is fraught with problematic references. Give them the benefit of the doubt some of you will say but I prefer to err on the side of caution and suggest that you do not let your children listen to this song. In fact I would recommend boycotting Abba’s music altogether until they make a formal statement on where they stand on underage drinking.

Some people may think this review is thirty-two years too late but I say vigilance over our children has no time limit!

You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen
Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine
You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen



WACKY PRODUCTS


Okay, I don't want to be negative, but this seems like the most ridiculous product I've ever seen. If you were moving at any speed the rain would pour through that mesh at the front, or is that plastic too so your vision would just be completely obscured? You'd also get soaked anyway from the shoulders down. And would bikers really want to draw attention to themselves like that? "I'm sorry officer, I didn't mean to run into him, it was just the damnedest thing I've ever seen!"

I really hope the inventor of this didn't sink their life savings into it.

The ARLDN reviewer gives this product a two thumb-star rating. It would have been one but I like the name, "The Cockpit Umbrella."

Cockpit Umbrella

The Hands Free Cockpit Umbrella. at Hammacher Schlemmer

THE INDEPENDENT MOVIE REVIEW 

Despite being in a fowl mood, I actually quite liked this video. It follows the story of two people who live in a "chicken cage" for one week to earn $2,500 each. I was a little leery of the "animal rights" aspect to this documentary but the video maker only put in enough to be interesting while the rest of the video focussed on the couple in the cage and the media. This is a bizarre little documentary that made me laugh out loud a couple of times and was pretty darn interesting to boot.

At only $3.95 for a download from the video maker's site I give this perky little independent doc a nine thumb-star rating.

Cagedsmall