Jonathan's Corner

Wanna Play Some Chess?

2007-02-01T21:35:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy a good chess game online. You can play me by clicking on the links below:

ChessManiac.com

RedHotPawn.com

Looking forward to the match!

Ah, Creative Innocence...

2007-02-01T21:13:00.000-07:00

This is a story that I started when I was younger - some time in middle school, I think. Anyway, it's a giggle. I didn't fix typos or anything. Hopefully it'll make you smile.

(Observe the graphical stylings of Lotus Works circa 386 MHz)

Maximum Capacity

Maximum Capacity Maximum Capacity

Maximum Capacity

Written and Illustrated by:

(Don't ask me where the illustrations are...)

J. E. Fashbaugh

"Good morning sir."

"Good morning to you too, Murphy, how's it goin' ?" greeted Chief Sesko jollily.

"Got anything for me to do out on those dangerous streets?" Sarcasm being Tuck's specialty.

"Sorry, Murphy. you'll have to wait for an emergency call. ", Quimbly answered.

"OOo yeah, that's the way I like 'em, nice'n fresh", Tuck said.

Tuck strolled down the hall, giving an occasional high-five. He walked into the briefing room and took his seat next to Officer Joseph McKenzie. Tuck set his hat on the table. The chief entered and began his morning speech. "Be careful out there." were always his final words of the briefing.

Tuck Murphy was a young who had been on the Chicago Police Departement for two years. He was a happy bachelor that lived all alone in his three bedroom apartment. He went to church every Sunday and was a member of the YMCA. Tuck had found an amazing woman; a beautiful, brunette Chicago girl he had met at the acadamy. Her name fit her wonderful face, Tera. He was going to go out with her on Friday.

He was eating lunch when a piercing, high pitched noise sounded from under his coat. He picked up his sandwich and drink and went to his car. He radioed headquarters. A robbery in progress at the Firstbank on Fourth avenue and McGregor street.

As Tuck arrived he had to duck behind the car so he wouldn't get his head blown off! His car was showered by machine gun fire. As the guy with the uzi was reloading, Tuck leaped onto the car and cocked his pump action shotgun and shouted, "FREEZE SCUM!!!!" The assailant pulled out a concealed handgun. Tuck had no choice. In a split-second decision he blasted him with a burst of shotgun bullets that flew out of the shotgun shell. The man was thrown backward by the shot and crashed through one of the bank's windows. Glass fell to the ground, shattering. Tuck threw the door to the bank open, "Freeze"! Two men turn and began to shoot at Tuck. He leaped behind an automatic teller. The machine was consumed by bullets. The screen exploded and sparks flew everywhere. Stray bullets smashed the window behind the teller. Tuck screeched in agonizing pain.! His hands were being torn by the glass falling on him. "That's it", he said to himself. He jumped up, pieces of glass flew off his trench coat. With two bursts of shotgun fire the two men that had fired at Tuck were now squirming on the floor. Tuck seemed to have miss placed their knee caps. "OOPS!", Tuck said sarcastically. "Now does anybody else want to sit in a Wheel chair for the rest of their lives," he questioned in furious tone of voice. Suddenly a man with a robotic arm came out of the huge safe.

He stared with the combination of what looked like a camera lense and a human eye. "Good day, officer. My name is Strauss. Perhaps you've-... no perhaps you haven't. Well, sorry about the bank, but I've got bills to pay. Tootalu!", he pulled a cylindrical tube from his arm and through it at the floor. A thick cloud of smoke rose from the small puddle of liquid. A voice spoke, "Destiny beckons us together and you shall die." When the smoke cleared there was no trace of him or his men.

5 minutes later two squad cars arrived at the scene Tuck's hands were bandaged and the cut on his face were stitched. He then returned to the station.

"Murphy, how on Earth do you always manage to get into this crap! There's A simple bank robbery and you somehow find a way to turn it into World War 3!"

"But Chief, I'm dealing with a freaking criminal master mind here. He said something about a robotic army this guy is physco and....", Tuck said trying to explain but he was interrupted by Chief Quimbly.

"I don't want to here your blasted excuses officer Murphy! Shooting off the perpetrator's knee cap is inexcusable. I've warned you about this before. This happens every time but this is the last. Murphy your my friend and I hate to do this but it's my duty as Chief of police. I'm sorry Murphy your fired. You may turn in your badge, uniform, the keys to the squad car, and your gun and belt to the front desk. Anything else can be returned in the morning. Your now an ordinary citizen," he said with a touch of pityful regret. He then called for officer Mckenzie, "Mckenzie, escort this civilian home."

"But Chief this isn't a civilian it's-, " Mckenzie blurted in confusion.

He was interrupted by Chief Quimbly's shouting, "That's an order! On the double! Move it, Move it!" Mckenzie took Tuck by the arm. Tuck dropped his things off at the front desk and they then headed for the squad car.

"Tuck what's going on ?," Mckenzie asked distressed by what was taking place. Tuck didn't answer.

Silence prevailed over the interior of the car. On the way to Tucks apartment complex, it had been a stressful five minutes since anyone had said a word. Tuck decided to tell Mckenzie what was happening, he owed him that much. "I was fired."

"What did ya say ?," Mckenzie asked not hearing Tuck because Tuck was either talking under his breath or because Mckenzie didn't want to hear what Murphy had to say.

"I said, `I was fired!'?"

"Hey, man chill I was just asking, O.K.!" Mckenzie said ofended by the way , his good friend, Tuck had treated him.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I'm being fired when I was just doing my job. Besides their drugees. They're to busy killing off brain cells to care about their knee caps ", Tuck murphy said in great frustration. They reached Tuck's apartment.

"Well, it'll work out." Mckenzie suggested.

"I sure hope so.", Tuck said, nervous of the situation's outcome. He went into his apartment and plumped himself down on his soft, courderoy, purple couch. He picked up the reciever of his phone and picked up Tera's photograph. His fingeres caressed her face a tear trickled down his cheak. Maybe, just maybe Tera could fill the gap in his life left by his job.

"Hello", Tera answered almost questioning the phone.

"Hi", Tuck replied, "it's Tuck. Tuck's voice was wavering. Emotional was the only way to describe the man acting as a child. It wasn't all his falt he had just had the worst day a person could possibly have.

"What's wrong?," Tera asked with great urgency.

"I lost my job.," Tuck said, ashamed of himself.

"That's terrible. Quimbly was your friend, why on earth would he fire you?," Tera question to find the sense in fireing whom she considered the best police man San Diego.

"Quimbly thought that I was overacting for simple assignments. So he fired me. He'd warned me.....I blew it. I guess I had it coming.

(Quimbly...sounds a lot like Quimby, as in Inspector Gadget's Chief Quimby....HAha!)

Chimes rang out a happy song as Tuck walked through the doorway of his father's hardware store. His mother and father had been seperated since he was ten and his father, with the experience of carpentry, opened the store to support himself and pay the alamoney. Tuck greeted his father with love and they hugged as if they hadn't seen each other for years. Tuck told his father about his job. His Dad was a little disgusted but showed compassion and understanding. The chimes rang out again. "Good morning Bob! How are you on this fine summer day?", and elderly man asked.

"I feel like a million bucks! Buisness is booming too.", Tuck's father said cheerily to what sounded like to be a regular customer. "What can I get for you?"

"I'm adding on a new addition to my house. I'll need afew supplies and materials for the job. I can find everything, thank you.

As the old man, renovater putted around the store, tossing this and that into his shopping basket without the disgression of price or brand name, Tuck and his father talked some more. His father related his girlfiend and Tuck drifted into thought about Tera. For awhile there was silence then ,"Excuse me sonny", the renovater said as he butted in on Tucks day dreaming and slammed two full blue shopping bashets on the counter, "Will ya watch these for me Bob? I gotta get the plumbing and electrical supplies." he said giggling with excitement and then he had a thought that seemed to some how inspire him with an idea of ultimate shopping opportunities. "Say...Do you sell lumber here?"

"No."

"What kind of store is this?!" he blurrted excitedly, his bubble of opportunity bursted, "You can't have a HARDWARE store without lumber! I mean; Come ON!" and on and on he gripe at Mr.Murphy. Tuck waved at his father. Mr.Murphy caught sight of this.

"Good-bye son. Have a good day."

"Bob are you listening to me? Costumers like me should be important to you." Tuck hurried out before it got ugly. Tuck walked down the sunny downtown streets smiling.

"The schmuk just came outta da shop boss. Whata ya want me ta do? You wants I should kill 'em?" Tuck was being watched by a bumbling idiot of a gangster fellow. Sitting a beat-up old Ford, he watched Tuck for two days. He related evrything to his "Boss". He watched Tuck eat, sleep, and grocery shop. What the fool known as Bubba didn't know was that Tuck had noticed.

Tuck was once again going to his friendly neighborhood Little Store to get milk and a pack of Camels, he had been trying to quit for several years now, but to no avail. The day had been uneventfull

as ever, and on days like these, Tuck enjoyed lying around the house, smoking his camels and watching anything that came on channel 13.

He entered the store and the bells hung above the doorway rang out a familiar jingle. He walked over to the fridges and pick out a carton of one percent milk. As he turned around he saw a man in a pinstriped suit that looked strangely familiar to him. "Where have I seen that character before?" he asked himself. Tuck grabbed the eggs and a couple other things. He bought a butaine lighter and the ciggarettes he promised himself he wouldn't buy and then proceeded to leave. As he exited he noticed the man drop the can of soup he had been interogating and began to follow Tuck out. "We'll see what this is about", Tuck thought.

Tuck got into his oldsmobile and drove rather quickly out of the parking lot. His tires squeeled, just barely griping the pavement as Tuck rounded the corner. The mysterious Ford ensued in much of the same manor. Both vehicles had long since broken the speed limit now.

Tuck led the on a chase that even the Dukes of Hazard couldn't hope to live up to. Tuck brought the goons to an old junkyard that had been abandon years ago. They were looking for trouble from the first day they had started to follow him and now Tuck was going to help them find it. Tuck screached his car to a stop and resumed the race on foot as he sprinted into the yard of trashed cars and scrap metal.

The pinstripe clad man stepped out of the passenger seat. Out of the drivers side came a crazy eyed blackman with a baseball bat. The back seats yeilded two ordinary looking men. On the right an all American looking blondy with shoulder length hair and bugleboy attiare. The man on the the left was one of the brotherhood of Harley Davidson. He was a cross-eyed, ruffian with firey red hair on his lumpy head and from neck to toe he was covered with leather. The only thing this rag tag band of hoodlums had in common were gloves. Each had at least one glove covered hand. All four slammed the car doors, armed themselves, and began their search.

Tuck had hid in one of the many shells of a car. He waited in the old, blue Buick and before long he heard somone comeing. He kick the slightly open door into the gut of the seekers. Tuck rolled out of the car and faced his opponent. In front of him sprawled on the ground was a bloody nosed teenager. He was of oriental descent of some kind. "What the Hell is going on? And what are you doing here?" the boy rightfuly questioned.

"I'm sorry, I, I, well" Tuck sputtered, "I Thought you were someone else."

"Who!?" the young man asked.

"I don't know.", Tuck said explaining nonsense. The boy made a confused face. " Just get outta here!"

"Hey, YOUR the one on MY turf. You leave.", The kid reasoned.

Tuck flashed back to his years as a young teen in the streets of Mineapolis. He was a member of a small gang of amateur punks. He got hot headed when anyone tread on his gang's block. Tuck was brought back to the present in mid-sentence. "Look kid, I understand your situation but these people are -", he was interuppted by a loud explosion followed by the shattering of the rear window of the Buick.

Tuck's head whirled in the direction of the blast. The blond man stood like casualy clothed hunter ready to execute his prey.

In a British voice he taunted, "Are you going to make this easy or are you going to-".

Tuck interuppted this time yelling, "Run!" The kid ran through a whole in the rubble and Tuck followed. The passage ended on the other side of the pile. As Tuck exited a cloud of buckshot blasted the cardoor he had just passsed. He again instructed, "Run!" Tuck climbed above the tunnels exit and pounced on the man as he came out.

The Junkyard Kid, who had not heeded warning, nearly got his head blown off by the accidental shot.

Do Only the Cuddly Count?

2007-01-29T20:25:00.000-07:00

Give this story a boost on the web - Digg It!

For years, animals have been under protection by law, with the exception of most reptiles. Recently, more state and federal regulations have been imposed in order to help thwart the extinction of the creatures. However, conservation efforts should not be viewed as the sole responsibility of the government. While the government's money and organization lends itself well to the protection of reptiles, it lacks the enthusiasm and personal interest that will ensure reptilian protection for the future. Ironically, I believe that the same enthusiasm responsible for turning pet reptiles into an industry that endangered the existence of these animals, to be the same enthusiasm that can save them. Some efforts are already underway, but more are needed to see that we never "...look back and wonder how we could have been so shortsighted as to allow such great (animals) to slip out of our lives" (de Vosjoli "Basic Care of Uromastyx" 5). Of all the wonderful things that humankind has accomplished, saving reptiles from extinction could be one of the most rewarding achievements. Many reptiles face the stresses of the average endangered specie as well as additional problems unique to reptiles. More so than in the past, conservation for reptiles through education, research, increased regulation, and captive breeding, must become an integral part of our society's existing, natural conservation efforts.

Human fear of the unknown is the greatest of all reptile adversities. The general populous does not understand reptiles. There would be no need for conservation, "if everyone had a high level of regard..." for reptiles (Ingrasci). People have prejudices against reptiles, assuming that they are slimy, deadly, and evil. Of course, there are poisonous snakes, and all snakes have mouths that can bite, but then again, so do rabbits. People simply need to be educated before they will care about reptiles and especially before they see the need to prevent their extinction. According to the World Resources Institute,

"In the past decade, at least 34 species or unique populations of plants and vertebrates have become extinct in the United States while awaiting federal protection. Worldwide, over 700 extinctions of vertebrates, invertebrates, and vascular plants have been recorded since 1600" (Species Extinctions: Causes and Consequences).

Although I do not know how many of those were reptiles, we can be sure that reptiles have felt the stresses that those unfortunate animals did. Edward Murray makes the analogy of extinction as being similar to a bridge and its parts. Picturing an old, rusty bridge held together by iron bolts, he asks, "what difference it would make if one of the bolts were removed? Would (we) still be willing to travel across? How about two bolts? Three?" (Murray). There would come a point when the bridge would become obviously unsafe. The same conclusion can be drawn of our ecosystems. Metaphorically speaking, reptiles are very important iron bolts. With such educational efforts, eventually, people will see that reptiles directly affect our lives and must be avidly protected.

Most everyone knows that snakes eat mice or rats. Without snakes, rodents would be without one of their biggest predators, and their populations would balloon. Some farmers are glad to have snakes around to keep the rats and field mice out of their crops. Rodents can also carry disease, and without snakes, diseased mice would spread that disease. In May of 1993, there was an outbreak of a disease called Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome or HPS. Research conducted by Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico found that "deer mice and pack rats occurred in greater numbers in the year of the HPS outbreak than in any year before or after" (Gibbons and Gibbons 61). According to Whit Gibbons and his wife, Anne, in their book Ecoviews, "In some areas of the Southwest, rodent numbers are held in check by the larger hawks, rattlesnakes, and bullsnakes...Eliminate snakes...increase the number of mice and rats" (62). According to Bill Hopkins of the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, reptiles may provide another benefit to humans. Increased study of reptiles in their natural habitat "could yield valuable information on cumulative exposure to toxins" because of their sometimes-extraordinary longevity (Hopkins qtd. in "Reptile Time"). Of course, not everyone will become a reptile fanatic when they learn about them, but they can become more informed. They can make better decisions concerning land development, or even more practically, swerve around, instead of toward, a snake that is crossing the road while they are driving. That may sound silly, but everyday decisions affect reptiles just as much as a law being passed.

There are some people that think that reptiles are very interesting. Unwittingly, they are part of the reason why some reptiles are in danger. They represent the demand for reptiles. They are reptile enthusiasts. Reptiles are part of a new trend in the pet industry. While reptiles have been kept in captivity for some time, in recent years, the reptile industry has grown dramatically. In his article, "The Call of the Wild Pets", Marc Santora says, "Animals with a taste for the jugular are big sellers" (Santora). He supposes that the reasons may be that people are even more stressed out these days and "at the end of the day they want to see something be torn apart" (Santora), or perhaps they "long for a bit of the wild in their concrete jungle" (Santora). For whatever reason, now, there are more reptile specimens needed to serve society's demand for a "wild" pet. Our problem lies in how this appetite in the pet industry is satisfied.

Logically, it is impossible to save an animal from extinction without research. Scientists have to extensively study the habits and habitat of an animal before they can fully understand what is stressing its livelihood. This presents a problem when dealing with reptiles because they are generally so secretive. If ever there was one snake that embodied the dilemma of endangerment by Americans, it is the Eastern Indigo snake. Dean Alessandrini, an indigo snake breeder and writer explains that "...it is difficult to proceed with many recovery efforts because of the lack of reliable surveying methods (i.e., when we find suitable habitat, we do not have effective ways to monitor populations, if they exist)" (75). Biologists Rebecca Smith, Mike Legare, and Dave Breiniger have conducted three years of research into the wild lives of indigo snakes with
donations from the Bailey Wildlife Foundation and Dynamac Corporation Environmental Services. They are using radio transmitters to track Eastern Indigo snakes through their habitat (Alessandrini 73). Their research has uncovered a list of problems:

Years of overcollection for the pet trade
Extermination by humans and their pets
Rattlesnake roundups and snake hunters
Suppression of natural fires that thin out habitat
Road mortalities
Habitat destruction and fragmentation (Alessandrini 72, 73).

This list is nearly identical to the list of threats that face almost every endangered reptile. Through research, it becomes evident that all of the issues that threaten reptiles are rooted in the human drive to expand territory.

Land development threatens all wildlife. There just doesn't seem to be enough land around as far as Americans are concerned, and all too often animals end up paying the price for the demand for more shopping malls and apartment complexes. Recently, a lawsuit between the Bureau of Land Management and four environmental groups was settled in an agreement that will protect reptile habitat in the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (Stein). "Specially-built buggies" (Stein) will be used to look for oil in the area of the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, and "more than 1,100 sampling locations" will be moved to less intrusive areas (Stein). Under the agreement, biologists will monitor the work (Stein). These legal efforts by groups such as the Colorado Environmental Coalition help to enforce already established laws as well as to establish areas of protection. Some might argue that people are more important than animals where land is concerned. This makes sense for the most part, but when it comes to truly endangered species of reptiles, they deserve special consideration and protection must be granted to them.

It is vital that we act now to protect these animals. According to Alessandrini, "Forty years ago, indigos were extremely common in the southeastern United States" (71). Now, wild populations are alarmingly meager. Therefore, it is evident that even the most common reptile is at risk if the above threats aren't curbed. Fortunately, some states are realizing this and placing protective laws on reptiles, such as the corn snake, which as of now is "not considered threatened in nature" (Love and Love 10). For numerous species of reptiles, it is too late for preventive measures.

In an effort to halt the dwindling numbers in species such as the Eastern Indigo snake, organizations, such as the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have placed regulations on the capture and keeping of endangered reptile species. Listed as "threatened" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Eastern Indigo snake, "...cannot be sold, traded or bartered for in 'interstate commerce' without a federal permit" (Alessandrini 77). This is also true of endangered species of monitor (Bartlett and Bartlett 7), and all species of boa constrictor (De Vosjoli, Klingenberg, and Ronne 4).

The boa constrictor is an icon in the reptile industry. Although not native to the United States, its natural range does extend upward to Mexico. Taking this into consideration, American herpetoculturists have to be aware that, "All pythons and boas, including boa constrictors, are considered vulnerable by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species" (de Vosjoli, "The Boa Constrictor Manual" 4). Boa enthusiasts should know that they have the option of buying captive-bred animals.

Captive breeding is an industry that is only beginning to increase in size, but it could prove to boost the American economy. In the least, it could be "monetarily worthwhile" for some people to breed reptiles, according to Richard and Patricia Bartlett, especially when dealing with "expensive species that are not easily imported from the wild" (7).

For many species, the demand for animals as pets and for their skins far exceeds the supply that can safely be taken from the wild. In these situations, captive breeding or ranching can benefit the wild populations of the animals. Some animal rights activists might oppose ranching animals for their skins, but truly this is no different than raising cattle for their meat. As for the pet trade, captive breeding can benefit both wild animals and the enthusiast. In The Boa Constrictor Manual, the authors recommend a captive bred specimen whenever possible because they are, "...less likely to harbor disease than imported species" (15), so buying a captive specimen can be a better choice for a healthy, scaly pet. Buying captive bred reptiles also puts poachers, who would try to sell live, illegally obtained animals into the pet trade, out of business.

Poaching poses a hidden danger to reptiles. Simply put, poaching is the illegal collection of species from the wild. While legal collection sometimes puts a stress on wild populations too, poaching is worse because it is completely uncontrolled and excessive by nature. People rarely think of reptiles when they think of poaching, but worldwide, the wild populations of snake and lizards are being depleted. America is increasingly feeling the effects of poaching, which can literally decimate an area's reptile population overnight.

Figures show that in Arizona, "for every person caught (poaching), five escape detection" (Wilkinson). The Big Bend National Forest has been subject to poaching. In one incident, many were arrested and convicted, and, oddly, the group consisted of police officers, judges, and preachers (Wilkinson). There is a lot of illegal money to be made in the sale of lizards, snakes, and turtles, both protected and not, because "The demand is there, the suppliers are there, but all too often the law enforcement is not" (DeLaCruz qtd. in Wilkinson). For years, United States Customs had to monitor incoming shipments of snakes and snake-hide products. Now they are paying increased attention to what is leaving the country. The investigation in the Big Bend National Forest poaching ring found reptiles from the national preserve as far away as Europe.

The laws against poaching and illegal sale of reptiles are tough on criminals. A raid on the home of a Bedford County, Pennsylvania home found "scores of turtles, many of which were rare or endangered, and dozens of other reptiles and amphibians, from rattlesnakes to an American alligator" (Blankenship 26). Andrew Shiels, a unit leader with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, who was part of the raid said, "There was not a square in of that basement that did not have animals in it" (Shiels qtd. in Blankenship 26). In Pennsylvania it is illegal to sell endangered species, as well as any reptile or amphibian taken from the wild except for snapping turtles (Blankenship 26). Josh Tokosh pleaded guilty to charges and was fined $5000 and was sentenced to 1 and a half years of probation (Blankenship 26). Fines such as these are not uncommon. As in Pennsylvania, "many states zealously guard certain types of snakes...even the most common-looking snake" (Cooper 57, 58) with criminal penalties and fines. Laura Geigle discovered that, many times, you have to do the research yourself because even the officials aren't always certain about the laws protecting reptiles. She was eyeing a California Kingsnake in a California pet shop, but was unsure if she could buy it since it was a "native" species. The California Department of Fish and Game officer that she spoke to had no clear answer for her (Geigle). Not wanting to pay the $5000 fine for keeping a restricted species, she looked into the laws for herself (Geigle).

New laws enacted would not have to be completely restrictive. Some species are quite hardy and adaptive. Philippe de Vosjoli, a leading expert in reptile zoology does not support the prohibition of chameleon importation. While some regulation of collection and exportation is warranted, he believes, "this species is basically 'weedy', and is unlikely to be threatened by forest destruction and moderate collecting pressure" (de Vosjoli and Ferguson 9). This is one part of the solution he sees in reptile conservation for chameleons. He also supports "chameleon farms", or "large-scale managed breeding" (de Vosjoli and Ferguson 9) of chameleons, which he says, "...would satiate much of the consumer market for chameleons..." (de Vosjoli and Ferguson 9). I believe that the same farming efforts could work for other species as well.

While some wild specimens are legally obtained, buying captive-bred animals sends a message that capturing wild specimens isn't always necessary in the first place. In the case of Mountain Kingsnakes in California, according to an article in Reptiles, "Currently, there are enough keepers captive-producing this species in the United States that there should not be a need to harvest wild animals" (Staub, Merker, and Merker 59). With regulations in place, and with the help of some ambitious and responsible reptile enthusiasts, reptiles can have a chance to live peacefully in the wild, without being stolen from their habitat, and to multiply back to their original populations.

With all that humankind is capable of, I believe it is within our ability to protect reptiles from further endangerment. I think it is quite common for young people to wonder what kind of planet their children will inherit. Unfortunately, that fearful planet may metamorphosis long before the young people in our world have kids. If actions aren't taken soon, many reptiles will disappear from existence in our lifetime (Species Extinctions: Causes and Consequences). Through education, research, increased regulation, and captive breeding, humans must come to the aid of these creatures that face the stresses of the average endangered specie as well as additional problems unique to reptiles. We acknowledge the conservation needs of bears, owls, and even small rodents. Now, we have to ask ourselves, "Do only the cuddly count?"

Works Cited

Alessandrini, Dean. "The Great American Serpent: Notes on the Legal Protection, Captive Husbandry and Propagation of the Eastern Indigo Snake." Reptiles April 2002: 70-83.

Blankenship, Karl. "Poaching and the Illegal Sale of Reptiles and Amphibians." 26 Dec. 2000. 10 Oct. 2002. <http://www.fish.state.pa.us/pa_exec/fish_boat/mayju99/poaching.htm>.

Bartlett, R. D., and P. Bartlett. Monitors, Tegus, and Related Lizards: a Complete Owner's Manual. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, Inc., 1996.

Cooper, Paulette. 277 Secrets Your Snake and Lizard Wants You to Know: Unusual and Useful Information for Snake Owners and Snake Lovers. Berkley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1999.

De Vosjoli, Philippe. Basic Care of Uromastyx. Santee, CA: Advanced Vivarium Systems, Inc., 1992.

De Vosjoli, Philippe, Roger Klingenberg, and Jeff Ronne. The Boa Constrictor Manual. Santee, CA: Advanced Vivarium Systems, Inc., 1998.

Geigle, Laura. "Ignorance is No Excuse." Reptiles Oct. 2002: 6.

Gibbons, Whit and Anne R. Gibbons. Ecoviews: Snakes, Snails, and Environmental Tales. Tuscaloosa, AL: The University of Alabama Press, 1998.

Ingrasci, Matthew. "Conservation." The Kingsnake Enthusiast's Site. 1998. 7 Nov. 2002. <http://www.kingsnake.com/mtnking/conserv.html>.

Love, Bill and Kathy Love. The Corn Snake Manual. Santee, CA: Advanced Vivarium Systems, Inc., 2000.

Murray, Edward. "The Consequences of Extinction." Access Excellence. 1991. Woodrow Wilson Biology Institute. 25 Nov. 2002.
< http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEPC/WWC/1991/extinction.html>.

"Reptile Time." Science. 290: 1679- Science Magazine. 1 Dec. 2000. American Association for the Advancement of Science. 10 Oct. 2002.
<http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/290/5497/1679a?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=reptile&searchid=1034267415410_7722 &stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=10&fdate=10/1/1995&tdate=10/31/2002>.

Santora, Marc. "The Call of the Wild Pets: City Relishes 'Mean' Fish." New York Times. 9 July 2002. 15 October 2002.

Seward, Mark. Chat About Gilas and Beaded Lizards. 23 Feb. 1999. Kingsnake.com. 10 Oct. 2002.
<http://www.kingsnake.com/chat/seward.html>.

"Species Extinctions: Causes and Consequences". World Resource Institute. 2002. 25 Nov. 2002.
<http://www.wri.org/wri/biodiv/extinct.html>.

Staub, Rick, Gerold Merker, and Cindy Merker. "Red, White and Black: Get All You Need to Know About the Natural History and Captive Husbandry of the California Mountain Kingsnake." Reptiles January 2002: 44-59.

Stein, Theo. "Agreement settles conflict over Canyons: Search for oil and gas can begin." The Denver Post. 24 Sept. 2002. 15 October 2002.

Wilkinson, Todd. "Reptile Rustlers: stealing of reptiles for illegal sale from national parks and preserves." National Parks 70.11-12 (Nov.-Dec. 1996): 36-39.

A Weak Arguement

2006-12-26T21:07:00.000-07:00

Tonight on the Hugh Hewitt show, I heard about this article published by The Wall Street Journal.

Aside from Mr. Rago's attempt to compensate for immaturity by using vocabulary (or a thesaurus), the problems with his article begin with his third sentence:

"The invention of the Web log, we are told, is as transformative as Gutenberg's press, and has shoved journalism into a reformation, perhaps a revolution."

--we are told

I would start by citing who holds the opposing opinion? Was it Hugh Hewitt? Well, it was an editorial, so perhaps Mr. Rago felt that wasn't necessary, but I take that as a sign of lacking seriousness.

The bottom line is that Joe Rago doesn't think that every blog out there needs to exist. I would tell Mr. Rago that you can't argue anything out of existence. All you can do is belittle it, and Mr. Rago's belittling opinion was poorly formulated. How can you graduate from Dartmouth and fail to compose a strong thesis in an article that is to be published by The Wall Street Journal!?

Jonathan's Response to So-Called 'New Atheists'

2006-12-16T20:30:00.000-07:00

You have to listen to this radio piece by National Public Radio. It really got me fired up when I first listened to it, but I was in my car, so I couldn't blog about it in the heat of the moment.

Listening to it again, Sam Harris still gets me flustered. NPR says that he "wields logic like a knife", yet his sweeping generalizations would shame any highschool debate student. He says that belief in a higher power is dividing people, and then uses as an example, a person's belief that God has allowed Islamic extremists to fly planes into the World Trade Center because of gay marriage. He uses extremists and fundamentalists to make his points in an attempt to woo these "moderates", but his beliefs go against any belief in a higher power. Setting aside my belief in God, I still have to say that his arguement is riddled with logical holes.

It's funny. Every atheist that I've ever encountered is incredibly passionate about their belief in nothing. I think that the passion in their arguement stems from a nagging doubt. If you're an atheist reading this, I may have just offended you and well, I'm sorry you feel that way. More on that later.

Someone who truly doesn't believe in God would be dispassionate about religious debates. Gary Wolf, interviewed in this NPR piece would seem to agree that these New Atheists are vehement to say the least. Brooke Gladstone says that according to Wolf, the "polemics (I had to look that one up) of New Atheism can be just as nasty as the fundamentalists'." Wolf says (and I'm paraphrasing here, but I think correctly) that fundamentalists and New Atheists almost sound alike in the ferver of their arguements.

Why don't I try a bit of Sam Harris' debate style here. I don't like Pokemon, but if I heard some people talking about Pokemon cards, games, and movies, I wouldn't become irrate or frustrated. My pulse wouldn't quicken by a single beat. I might sit there and listen to see what these folks were carrying on about, but in the end, I would get board and move on. Sam Harris doesn't seem bored in the least, and neither have any of the atheists that I've ever spoken with.

I'll admit: there are probably very few Pokemon proselytizers, but I didn't say that my arguement would be fully logical.

Sam Harris contended that there's nothing mean or intolerant about trying to stifle Christians anyone who believes in a higher power because in his words, he believes that we are under a "delusion."

The piece gets down-right laughable (but in a good way) as it goes on. Harris' call to moderates in the beginning of the piece is to moderates to stop tolerating the delusions of religion in the name of civility, but as the show continues, we hear from Ellen Johnson, president of American Atheists, who is offended by the phrase "There are no atheists in foxholes". So now religious people have to be careful not to step on the toes of atheists...well no surprise there. That's old news, and yet here NPR is giving this air time. We've been hearing of courtroom drama surrounding prayer in schools, the name of God in our pledge of allegiance, the name of God on our money, and most recently in my recollection, prayer commencing government meetings. But this phrase is "demeaning" and offensive to atheists because it implies that they may some day, in a moment of hardship, start believing in God. That outrages atheists...?

"Jonathan, you know, deep in your heart, you like Pokemon, and you'll play with Pokemon cards some day, I know it."

I'd feel so violated.

Harris says that his contacts in journalism and in Hollywood experience, "a profound sense of relief" when they are "given permission" to express their doubts where religion is concerned. Is that like the rush you get when you find out that it's okay with the members of a group that you're around to tell a joke based on prejudice or outright racism? I don't know about you, but I'll always be offended by racist jokes (although I am ashamed to admit that I can remember times when I didn't stand against such joking).

Actually, I think that this point as made by Harris is pretty sly. For years now, the media has paid but token respect to social conservatives, and the editorials that get any attention are ones laced with thinly veiled disdain for Christians. It's not surprising that journalists of that sort would entertain Harris' ideas. If Harris had his way, he's saying he'd like to see the media biased against religion of all sorts. Thanks Sam, but I would like to hear the news reported objectively for what it is, whether I like what I'm hearing or not.

I can hear Harris doing a traffic report now. Well Jan, traffic was moving along nicely until this mini-van with a Jesus fish got onto the interstate. How can you blame people for slowing down to gawk at that kind of idiocy!?

So bottom line, yes, I was angry when I heard Sam Harris' comments, and I think that Ellen Johnson is ridiculous, but the bottom line is I don't think that they should be silenced. That's where I'm more American than they are. The constitution guarantees me the right to speak my mind, and more importantly, it guarantees me the right to pursue happiness. I'm happy being a Christian, Sam. Deal with it.

Nonny Gets What She Deserves

2006-12-14T22:02:00.000-07:00


I admit it. I'm cruel.

My Cell Phone Pics

2006-10-27T12:44:00.000-06:00

If you'd like to see some pics I have taken with my phone, you can check them out on my T-Mobile Album.

Jonny's Got a Brand New Bag

2006-10-27T06:27:00.000-06:00

God's done a really cool thing in my life. I've been looking for a change in my job- not so much because I hate what I'm doing for a living, but because I've constantly felt overwhelmed. In fact, I love my job and I love the company that I work for, Page 1 Solutions. Internet marketing is so fascinating to me. I'm actually passionate about it.

In the Spring of this year, my company sent me along with our senior salesman and the president of our company to San Diego for the annual American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry convention. I enjoyed the trip and was actually holding my own on the expo floor, selling our services.

I talked with Dan, our president and Bill, our sales director, and we all agreed that I would make a good salesman for our company, but that the job would be quite a ways out because there was no need for another salesman on the team.

Months went by and my stress reached critical mass. I decided that it might be time to leave Page 1 and began to look for another job. I spoke with my supervisor and Dan, and they agreed that it was time to hire some more help, so we hired two more account managers. Since then, things have become less stressful for me, if for no other reason than the fact that I know that help is on the way (it takes several months for a new account manager to get up to speed). I decided to stay at Page 1.

One very important part of this story is God. While looking for another job, I came across an office manager position at a church. I fell in love with the idea of working full time and ministry and really had my heart set on the idea. Still, I put the entire situation in God's hands. This was huge for me. In the past, I had never been able to trust him so completely. I didn't get the office manager position, and it didn't crush me. I could feel God's hand on my shoulder saying that it was going to be okay.

This week, our other sales person left the company, and I was selected to replace him. Go God! I'm going to stay in the account manager role for the next two months to continue training the new account managers along with my replacement, but in January I'm going to start selling full time. I'm so excited, I can barely stand it.

The best part of this story is what God has done for Amanda and I in terms of our relationship with Him. Through the entire journey, we put our faith in Him. There were ups and downs; it was definitely trying. But we never lost our joy in knowing that God was in control. Now we're closer to God than we've ever been, and I could have said that two weeks ago before the sales job ever came available. God is so good. If you don't understand what it means to have a relationship with God, check out this article on my other website.

A Blog for Every Bumper Sticker

2006-09-14T20:02:00.000-06:00

It occurred to me that there must be a blog for every bumper sticker. Democrats, Republicans, Conservatives, Liberals, Environmentalists, and the followers of "Git `Er Done"...and a mix of everything in between...Well, here's the back of my Internetmobile:

Real Men Love Jesus

My Boss is a Jewish Marketer

<><

He Knows Your Secrets, and He Loves You Anyway

Another Beautiful Lunch at Lil' Ricci's

2006-04-15T13:19:00.000-06:00

If only I could blog the delicious smell! The best denver pizza
restaurant there is.

GivenLife.com On First Page of Google for 'Getting Rid of Worry'

2006-04-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo! Out of about 16,600,000 pages on the Internet, Google has placed Given Life Ministries' site at number 3 for "getting rid of worry"! Take a moment to thank god for His favor in blessing Given Life. This is so awesome. Last month, it looks like at least 10 people read the message about worry. If even one of those people was freed from worry because of that message, it was worth posting.

A Colorado Sunset

2006-03-25T21:25:00.000-07:00

This was a striking sunset with deep hues. Hope you appreciate it as much as I did.

Yup, I'm Diggin' the Mac

2006-03-18T10:19:00.000-07:00

Plus, mine came with a built in camera. Sweet.

Jonathan Fashbaugh

I used to be a staunch PC advocate, but now I see that both computer
flavors have their decided advantages over the other. If you're an
end user, and you're not a developer of any sort, then a Mac may be a
better buy, especially if you have no computer experience whatsoever.

Pics of My Office

2006-03-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

I'm quite fond of my working nook. Especially of my twp fish tanks.

Photo from The New Mac

2006-03-14T06:53:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo! New Mac at the Fashbaugh house! I guess you could call me a "Mac" daddy.

Salads at Lil Rici's

2006-03-11T11:55:00.000-07:00

mmmm...

I don't dare move

2006-02-19T10:04:00.000-07:00

Oh, what a sweet boy! I had the best day with him. He's such a happy baby!

A Beautiful Colorado Sunrise

2006-02-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

Wow, God sure has been creative lately!

Click the image for a desktop wallpaper.

Given Life Now Featured on Answers.com

2006-01-29T10:50:00.000-07:00

The daily prayer section of Given Life is now featured in Answers.com's blog section. Hopefully that will grow the readership and availability of GivenLife.com! I suppose it's pretty good for the Fashbaugh name too, even though it's not linking to Fashbaugh.com.

Caleb Zakai Fashbaugh

2006-01-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

Oh he's the cutest. New pictures coming this afternoon on Caleb's pages.

Song Writing

2006-01-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

I added a couple new song lyrics to my Author page. Check them out if you're a poetry fan. I hope to make some really rough recordings to post soon so that you can hear the guitar part. Enjoy! (or don't. You know, whatever.)

Father and Son as Drawn by Mom

2006-01-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Oh boy, is that cute or what?

Poor Amanda...

2006-01-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

She was very ill today. I stayed home and took care of her. She's still
not feeling 100%.

Jonathan Fashbaugh

Breathing The New Air of God

2006-01-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

I watched The Abyss the other day. It occured to me that the scene where Bud Brinkman is taking in the liquid air in the deep sea diving suit, is a great spiritual illustration.

You see, when we have sin hidden in our hearts, it can feel very scary to let that sin out. When the occasion arises to confess our sin, we feel like freaking out because it's literally unnatural to open ourselves up like that, exposing our sin. Inside, we feel like Bud Brinkman, flailing about because he thinks that he's drowning in a pink liquid.

In reality, if we just trust God, we find that we're better off without the sin in our hearts, and we begin breathing in his forgiveness that allows us to live freely, or in Bud Brinkman's case, liquid air that allows him to dive more than 20,000 yards into a undersea canyon.

By the way, to those that haven't seen the Abyss, I apologize because this will likely make no sense whatsoever.

A Colorado Sunset

2006-01-06T22:07:00.000-07:00

When I came home today, I was really struck by the sunset view in my parking lot. Thought I would share. Click on any of the images below for a larger image that you can use as a desktop wallpaper.

Enjoy!

Jonathan's Corner

Wanna Play Some Chess?

Ah, Creative Innocence...

Do Only the Cuddly Count?

A Weak Arguement

Jonathan's Response to So-Called 'New Atheists'

Nonny Gets What She Deserves

My Cell Phone Pics

Jonny's Got a Brand New Bag

A Blog for Every Bumper Sticker

Real Men Love JesusMy Boss is a Jewish Marketer<><He Knows Your Secrets, and He Loves You Anyway

Another Beautiful Lunch at Lil' Ricci's

GivenLife.com On First Page of Google for 'Getting Rid of Worry'

A Colorado Sunset

Yup, I'm Diggin' the Mac

Pics of My Office

Photo from The New Mac

Salads at Lil Rici's

I don't dare move

A Beautiful Colorado Sunrise

Given Life Now Featured on Answers.com

Caleb Zakai Fashbaugh

Song Writing

Father and Son as Drawn by Mom

Poor Amanda...

Breathing The New Air of God

A Colorado Sunset

Real Men Love Jesus

My Boss is a Jewish Marketer

<><

He Knows Your Secrets, and He Loves You Anyway