A Dog's Enduring Love: Part Two

Angell Animal Medical Center 

I want to share some positive information with you for a change about Pit Bull dogs.  This is another example of   how much a dog can love you :Brave Pit Bull Saves Woman From Train

I had just semi- recovered from watching the Hachi:  A Dog's Tale.  When I first saw the article, I thought, oh, no, I can't go through this emotional roller coaster again- but I caved and read the story.

Precious Lilly, is an 8 year old Pit Bull,  adopted as a service dog for Christine Spain.  Her son, police officer David Lanteigne,  adopted her  from Boston Dog Rescue.  Lillly was brought home to look after Christine, an alcoholic.  

Christine had passed out on train tracks with a train bearing down on her.  Lilly wasted no time in throwing herself in front of the train, pulling Christine to safety.

When the conductor tried to stop, he was unable.  He had thought he had hit Christine, but later discovered she was pulled off the tracks.  Sadly, Lilly was dragged along with train, and had suffered severe pelvic injuries, and one of her legs had to be amputated.

I think Christine owes Lilly.  More than just giving her love and affection, she needs to give up drinking for good.    After all, had Christine not been drinking, this terrible accident wouldn't have happened.

I understand this is easier said, than done.  If this is not enough motivation for this woman, I can't think of anything else that will be.

What this dog has done is just remarkable.  For once, we have some good news about the Pit Bull dog.

I have come in contact with a couple of Pit Bull dogs.  They were both friendly and calm.  I realize they can be treacherous, but I believe their training and breeding play a huge part in their temperament.

Dogs are no different than humans.  If abused, they will grow to be abusers.  With love and training, a Pit Bull is capable of undying devotion.

Along with Hatchiko, war dogs , and our pets';  man's best friend demonstrates his undying love for his master.

It is no mistake she ended up being treated at Angell Animal Medical Center.

There is no question she is Christine's guardian angel.

The Haircut- Vidal Sassoon London

The sixties were fun times.  So many changes were evolving.  Women were liberated by the birth control pill,; students were protesting , the Viet Nam war was raging.

Hemlines shrunk,  hair rollers' were passe.  No wonder it was called the swinging sixties.

Enter Vidal Sassoon.  His name was on every fashionista's lips.  This hip, new trendsetter had every woman's attention when he lopped off  hair and introduced the 5 point cut.  From The Archives, Remembering Vidal Sassoon

We said goodbye to the "flipped" and  "page boy" styles.

Grace Coddington models the Five-Point cut
Photo: David Montgomery/Getty Images

I was about to turn 21.  The year was 1972.  My sister was a flight attendant for National Airlines.  My best friend, my mother, and I were booked on her flight out of Miami to London.  On boarding the plane, we upgraded to first class.

Can it get any better?

Mom was a pass rider. We were anxious about her getting "bumped" and missing the flight.  The doors were just about to close on the plane when she boarded.  We all breathed a sigh of relief!

I was wearing my hair in a "shag" - the hot hair cut of the day.   Since London was the mecca of the fashion world back in the day.

 Vidal Sassoon had opened his salon in 1954, in a trendy section of London.  He was the first hairdresser to earn the title of hair stylist.   Fashion conscious women were eager to try out his wash and wear hair cuts.

It was no surprise that after landing at Heathrow Airport,  I couldn't wait to book an appointment at his salon.

There is no way I would go to London without having my hair cut at Vidal Sassoon.

This was going to give me bragging rights.  It was the one thing I had to do, now that I was going to turn 21.

The following day, I arrived early.  My friend accompanied me, asking if I was sure I wanted to do this.  My  mind was made up and I was excited about the change.

I had no idea of what style I was going to get.  Of course, I did not get booked with Vidal himself, but one of his many stylists'.

A trendy redhead with fair skin introduced herself as "Herta."  Fingering through my abundant head of hair, she asked;

 "Have you thought about going a bit shorter?"

The decision was made, and my shoulder-length layered style was history.  I looked at my locks on the floor, as she carefully snipped away. I felt my heart beating as  I closed my eyes tightly, afraid to look in the mirror.

When I finally got the courage, I  opened them, delightfully surprised with the new me.

I walked out of the salon with a chin length bob,  and a sculpted neckline.  I loved the style!

Vidal set the trend for young women in the day.  Being the smart and talented businesses man that he was, Vidal understood fashion- leading him to create his own line of jeans and ready-to-wear line.

When I heard of his passing it saddened me.  I thought of my amazing trip to London- sporting a Vidal Sassoon cut-  celebrating my birthday on top of the London Hilton.

Turning 21 at the end of the swinging sixties is one of my fondest memories.

The haircut today represents Mod England.  Vidal has a place in history- I will forever remember him and that memorable summer.

Credit Issues Can Cost You Your Job

Outrageous.   We've all heard about employers' checking credit scores and social media sites to research their employees' credit scores and find out more about their lifestyles.  I hadn't heard of anyone actually being fired for having credit issues before I read this: A Petition on Change.org.

It is happening.  According to Change.org, Latoya Harton, an accountant, was fired from her job because her debt-to-credit ratio was too high.  Unbelievable.  Latoya is trying to pay off student loan debt.  This is out and out discrimination.  It must be stopped.

According to Latoya, 60% of employers now check employees credit reports, namely TransUnion credit. This company sells credit reports to employers'.  According to Change.org; TransUnion's Chair sits on Obama's job panel.

This is an outrage!

Citizens cannot sit sit still with this any longer;  witness Occupy and other emerging citizens' groups springing up around the country.

This leaves me asking, what's next?  Are employers' going to put camera's in our bedrooms' and bug our telephone calls?

It all makes me very nervous.  Remember Nazi Germany?  This regime started innocently enough.  You were a good German if you joined the party, and look what happened with that mentality.

This is no different.  Our country is in danger of becoming socialist.  We are now being discriminated against  because of our personal income and how we manage money.  Excuse me, but Donald Trump and other Entrepreneurs' couldn't have gotten where they're at if they were being scrutinized by companies checking out their credit.

Just like conducting any other analysis, we need to stop and reflect where this could have started.  Yes, our economy is in trouble, people out of work, and businesses are closing left and right.  The paranoia has now extended to citizens' private lives, which should have nothing to do with this issue.

We have to contact our local legislators and let them know that we do not approve!  It has to start at the grass roots level and work its way up to Washington and big business has to hear our voice.

I urge you to go to this petition and be heard.

 Let businesses know you are not okay with this privacy invasion.

Cuba Remembered

Havana vintage taxi's Boston Globe ( boston.com)

I have a picture of my parents' hanging in my hallway.  It is a classic.  Taken in the 1940's, in Havana, Cuba.

Havana was the place to be see and be seen in that era.  My mother and dad are seated at the bar at a club named "Sloppy Joe's."  Seated next to them a tour guide, with his hair greased back and parted in the middle in the middle.

I love to look at this picture and dream.  Dream about the fashions of the era, and what Cuba would be like to visit.  This article caught my eye and provided some excitement. After 50 years of restrictions, Cubans Hope to Travel Freely.

Amazing.  Back in the late 1950's my dad had just completed building an aluminum extrusion company in Havana.  It was in operation two days, and was shut down by the government.  Dad lost that plant, and with it, many of his dreams.

This is welcomed news.  It wasn't only dad that was effected, but millions of Cuban nationals that had to flee their country for the promise of new beginnings in the United States.  I lived the Cuban drama growing up in Miami.  I witnessed the acculturation of the Cuban population, having to start their lives over again, and leave everything behind.

While there are still restrictions on travel for doctors', scientists' and military personnel.  The Marxist regime is now opening real estate transactions and sales, and some private enterprise.  All in all, this looks very promising .

Perhaps Raul Castro will have a more liberal outlook with regard to relaxing much of Cuba's restrictions on free enterprise and offer more flexibility for its' citizens.

Families were broken when grandfathers' and grandmothers' reluctantly saw their offspring leave Cuba, knowing it might be many years' before they would see them again.

A couple I know went to Cuba for their honeymoon.  They had to jump through hoops to get visas' in the underground market because of previous travel restrictions.  Frankly, I hope Mr. Castro realizes that bringing free enterprise into his country can only bring more stabilization to his people, and will work in his favor to retain the doctors' and scientists' in residence.

For  me, I am hoping I will be able to visit Havana.  I want to go by the building that once was "Sloppy Joe's" to reflect on the good times my parents' had in Havana.

While I'm not packing my suitcase just yet, the thought of taking the trip is still very exciting.