Choose Well Sisters

If you’ve done biology at an advanced level or if you are an avid reader of National Geographic, or just like watching nature documentaries, you will no doubt know that there are many strange and wonderful things to be found in nature. Some of these anomalies include mammals that can lay eggs, gay dolphins and penguins, frogs, fish and shrimp that switch genders in one lifetime, male seahorses that give birth and flying snakes. But you will never find the female of any species spending her valuable time competing for the affections of the male. It is always the male who fights for the right to mate with the female. The female then selects which male she will allow the privilege of passing on his genes. In the natural world, the strong, smart, skilled and healthy males get to sire offspring, the runts get to piss off.

Nature has some wierd and wonderful things but you will never find the female of any species spending her valuable time competing for the affections of the male. The onus is on the males to look good, smell good and perform the tricks to win a mate

Even among the most small brained of vertebrates like birds, it is the male that must compete to attract the female by building a nest, showing off his ability to provide or putting on a colourful display for her. Males are the ones who pay attention to their appearance because it is always up to the male of the species to look and smell appealing for the female. Males always have the more colourful plumage (peacocks and birds of paradise), spectacular antlers (moose and reindeer) or luxurious manes (lions and baboons). In nature, females have no obligation to compete for a mate instead they are entrusted with the task of selecting the male with the BEST genes for the perpetuation the species. Females are responsible for natural selection. The female mountain goat will leap the steepest cliffs for miles upon miles while a bunch of males chase her. Only the strongest and most skillful male will stand a chance of ever siring any offspring with her, if he cannot keep up, too bad. Even the lowly female crab that would most likely end up in our callaloo dish knows the male crab must first dig a suitable home, decorate it and then defend it from predators and other males in order to stand any chance of getting it on with her. In nature, if a male has no quality, he gets no loving. It’s as simple as that. This is why is baffles me when women sacrifice their time, peace of mind, money and even their reproductive health for men who are complete morons. Are beasts smarter than us?

Don’t laugh. It’s a sad thing.

All the brothers still living at home with mama take heed, a male crab builds a home of his own first and then goes in search of a mate.

We, the most advanced primates on earth have surely gotten things back to front when two productive, attractive women are fighting each other over a good for nothing, zero child support paying, no steady job holding pipsqueak of a man. From Jerry Springer to a catfight in a nightclub, to the girlfriend who is always crying over problems with her locho man, this most unnatural phenomenon is rampant. Have we forgotten so easily the legend of a thousand ships launched for Helen of Troy or true stories of knights who jousted to the death over medieval princesses and that the tribesmen of the Masai killed lions and presented their livestock wealth to get a bride? Would you believe there was a time when the ministrations of a woman were so valuable that even soliciting a prostitute was a privilege to be enjoyed only by the noblest of men? Ages ago, even prostitutes could refuse a man’s attentions if he did not meet her standards. From the courtesans of the West to the geishas of the East, they were treated like royalty and lavished their pleasurable attentions only on men of class and distinction. Today, women are giving it all away to dimwitted, emotionally retarded, philandering fools for a box of fried chicken or nothing at all.

When a few stupid women lower their standards, we all suffer. Now even the most pathetic, lazy bum thinks he’s “God’s gift to us all”, resulting in all of us being accosted in our clean, presentable attire by some shabby looking malodorous man with no regard for our refined sense of smell and no respect for our person.

Demanding quality, responsibility, bravery, industry and sensitivity in a man does not make you less of a feminist. Do not for one second think that now that you have the degree, career and the emotional and spiritual tools to succeed that somehow, it is okay for men to drop the ball. They still have to come just as good as you do. When a few stupid women lower their standards, we all suffer. Now even the most pathetic, lazy bum thinks he’s “God’s gift to us all”, resulting in all of us being accosted in our clean, presentable attire by some shabby looking malodorous man with no regard for our refined sense of smell and no respect for our person. It’s our collective fault that every man thinks he is entitled to get “some” with zero effort. No one is asking our men to slay lions to prove their worth to us or to even live up to the nobility of the Lord of The Rings’ Aragorn or attractiveness and class of some Denzel Washington movie character. All we ask is that you just take regular baths wear deodorant and show some manner of caring, commitment, competence, class, cunnilingual capability and civic responsibility.

Painful first time, greater anatomical STD vulnerablity, genital discomforts and yeast infections from sex, the pressure of pregnancy, the ravaged body from childrearing, the potential health problems- We women risk far more to our person when we enter a sexual relationship. We have EVERY RIGHT to be picky.

So I know some of the brothers reading this will be like, “What the hell? What gives women the right to be so picky! It’s not like you are perfect either!” I agree. We aren’t perfect. In fact, we make loads of mistakes and some women really make me roll my eyes and feel sorry for my gender. However whether the woman is an Alicia Keys goddess, who rocks your world, pays her way, boosts your spirit and cares for you or a good for nothing skank, manipulative bitch who is in it for all she can get, is not the point. The point is that ALL women, risk more in a relationship and so we get to demand more. Don’t believe me? Then answer this:

Who has to endure pain to lose their virginity? Who requires more effort to feel pleasure during sex? Who bears the burden of childbearing with all its resulting pains and potential health problems? Who is more anatomically vulnerable to catch STDs? Who has to put up with everyday inconveniences like yeast and urinary tract infections from having sex? Who is more at risk of being violently abused if they leave? Who statistically earns less in the workplace? Which gender has to put up with being the one that is sexually assaulted every five minutes? Its US WOMEN! So why should we also have to settle for a mediocre mate?

It would be no nookie for these runts if they were out in the wild.

No female bird, crab or alligator ever has to settle for less than her ideal mate and neither should we!
It’s time we learn from our animal friends and reclaim the power nature entrusted to us. Like the Alpha female wolf, we have to start to give sexual consent to only to the Alpha Male and snarl and bite when the lesser mongrels come a-sniffing. If the Alpha Male is unavailable, which in our modern world means- the ambitious worker, able provider, involved father, intuitive lover and loyal friend, then we will settle for none….NEVER less. It’s a hard and cruel standard to follow. Prepare for loads of battery powered nights alone with a glass of wine. You will long for companionship, especially when other girlfriends and female relatives get married. But trust me on this, if you can hold out and not give your heart away to a loser under the mistaken impression you can nurture and change that poor soul, you will emerge from this younger and far more viable a human being, than the women who fell fast and hard and now regret it and cannot get out.

So say these resolutions with me-
1. Love and the human heart are unpredictable, but I will weigh my decisions more carefully and invest myself with more discrimination.
2. If I am attracted to a less than adequate man I will be as calculating and brutally honest about it as possible and take only what I am prepared to give. If that be just a one night stand, so be it.
3. I will STOP fighting over men. No female of any species fights over the male. It is the males who fight to mate with us. That is what all their extra testosterone and brawn are for.

When we make wooing too easy, we rob heterosexual men of their natural outlet for their testosterone and they end up finding other less positive outlets for their male aggression, including beating up on us. They become fat and lazy. Their natural hunting instincts will eventually make them leave their doormat mate who gave it all up easily at home and go chasing after a more exciting and harder won sexual conquest that makes him feel more like a man. They call it “Middle Age Crisis” but it is really, “I am bored shitless because this woman is NOT making me WORK FOR IT! I need to chase after something new!”

Our men should NEVER feel that they are done wooing us. Like male lions in a pride, in the prime of their lives, they must always be kept active and engaged in securing their position, keeping up their appearance and physique. They must always be aware we are desirable and wooable by rival males and even females. You must first assume that position of power and believe you deserve no less. Do not be afraid that men won’t meet your higher standards and you’ll end up alone. Have a little more faith in yourself and in men as well. Real men, the cream of the crop want the challenge! In their older feeble years, after they have proven their devotion and their testosterone is waning, that is the right time to nurture and make them comfortable and reward them with as much easy loving that they can stand.

I wish you all the best as you find your Alpha Male to be your mate for life.

Women are the selectors of the next generation of the human race. Family history is traced through the patriarchal name but genetic ancestry is always traced primarily through the female genetic line. Why? Our gender is the one entrusted with passing on the vital mitochondrial DNA in our XX chromosomes. We posses that extra piece of genetic code men do not have. How will your ancestral line be remembered? What caliber of man entered your grandmother’s gene pool? Your mother’s gene pool? What quality of man will enter yours? The survival of our human species depends on you. Choose well.

Skyscrapers Do Not A First World City Make

City living is key to any developed country with a large workforce in its main commercial district. It helps curtail traffic if you can encourage people to work near where they live. A city is also more viable and productive if it is inhabited and buzzing 24/7 and doesn’t become a ghost town after working hours. City residents feed businesses, nightlife and a vibrant culture that can become in of itself a tourism attraction like the night life of London, Amsterdam, Madrid and New York.

In Trinidad and Tobago, we have a sadly comical way of only seeing the outer trappings of first world grandeur and not the basic infrastructure and social foundation behind it.

The people of Toronto coined a wonderful description of their beloved city called, “The livable city”. What that means is that you can enjoy clean, wholesome, safe, convenient residential experience in the heart of Toronto. When you step outside your hotel, guest house or apartment, you are greeted by clean streets, well maintained store fronts, organised traffic, adequate pedestrian and cycling routes and public transportation that runs like clockwork. There are well maintained parks, green spaces clean farmers markets and of course all the shops, galleries, theatres, restaurants and clubs catering to every lifestyle and pocket, all within your reach, open late or twenty four seven and virtually crime-free.

Cities like this were not based on skyscrapers only but serious infrastructure, commerical and resident-friendly innovations and public services.

In Trinidad and Tobago, we have a sadly comical way of only seeing the outer trappings of first world grandeur and not the basic infrastructure and social foundation behind it. I was in downtown Port of Spain a week ago when a cruise ship came in and I wanted to cry with shame. Every single block of Port of Spain the tourists cruised was inundated with vagrants in various stages of human decay. One unfortunate soul was hopping along on one leg, holding up his filth encrusted pants, another was cursing at top decibel level at whatever phantasm he was seeing in his head. Another lay naked, his reeking jewels on display. Off the corner of Chacon and Queen Street, a pile of human feces baked in the afternoon sun infecting the air along with the smell of rotting garbage and clogged drains.

Don't be fooled by our rising skyline. Beneath all this lies all the rank evidence of Third World squalor. A modern city is not just a pile of skyscrapers. The city life now enjoyed by people in Toronto, London, Tokyo or New York started with careful city planning from the ground up. Our government certainly does not understand this.

It was not only eau de Banana Republic stinking to high heaven but also the smell of truth. It screamed “Fake! Fake! Fake!” to the ugly, presumptuous skyscrapers and our government’s all style, no substance approach that makes them think it is a stroke of genius to build luxury residential high rises and hotels in the heart of a city rank with squalor, crime and disorganized infrastructure. It made it all the more clear to me that Vision 20/20 is just an empty PR moniker to be wielded selectively when certain people want to spend our tax payer money, oil and gas revenues on pork barrel projects.




I often picture the concierge’s welcome to guests at the Hyatt,
“Do enjoy the lovely view of the Lavantille slums to your north, the shantytown of Sea Lots overlooking noisome and toxic water of the Port to the east. Oh and that pungent aroma you smell when you open your window is the combination of Beetham incense, vagrant odour and stale piss. I am afraid the city is not safe for tourists after 5 pm. In fact, I cannot exactly guarantee its safe before 5 pm either, so just please stay in your hotel. If you need to go out for dining and entertainment, have a taxi take you into the outskirts of Port of Spain, there are more pleasant areas in St. Anns, Maraval,Woodbrook and Movie Towne. Have a wonderful stay and please ignore the gun shots you may hear from time to time, just a little light urban cleansing I’m afraid.”

Here are just some of the city attractions that await visitors off the cruise ships or outside the doors of the new overpriced Hyatt in Port of Spain:

Our vagrants out-stink, out-decay, out-filth any the world and they are EVERYWHERE, even outside of boutiques selling Rolex watches and Ralph Lauren's latest scent. No bench is safe and that's not just dog poop on the sidewalk.

Our lack of efficient city garbage disposal creates a wonderful symbiotic eco-system for the vagrants. Goodness knows, we have no social systems to feed, house or re-habilitate them. But unfortunately the garbage causes another problem....

If it rains in the city of Port of Spain for just one hour, prepare to bring out your watersports gear!

As you gaze outside your Hyatt penthouse suite, enjoy Sea Lots to the South East...

and the slums of Lavantille to the North East. At least they look pretty at night, if you can ignore the random gunshots.

Keep in mind the citizens have to protest just for basic policing, so when night falls in Port of Spain, stay in your hotel room or out of the heart of the city. This is not a night friendly city at all.

If you think a modern city is just a pile of skyscrapers think again! The city life now enjoyed by people in Toronto, London, Tokyo or New York started with careful city planning from the ground up. Our government certainly does not understand this. If Port of Spain is to be even close to a livable city, traffic must be re-routed around the downtown area with special permits given only to merchants and their delivery vehicles. Everything south of Oxford Street and between Charlotte and Richmond has to become a cobble stoned pedestrian area. Yes, pedestrian. If you live in a first world city you learn how to park and then walk! If you want parking within the city centre then you have to pay.

A strict No Vagrancy law has to be enacted and enforced. This means development of proper systems and facilities to remove and re-habilitate homeless men and women many of whom suffer from mental illness, natural or drug induced. Old commercial property and dilapidated residential property in Port of Spain must be demolished and turned into either green spaces, high end residential or commercial facilities that are aesthetically pleasing, and lift the overall morale of the city. I cannot emphasise how important it is for historic preservation of old structures. If we continue along this concrete and steel route our city will lose its soul and cultural identity. Urban art needs to be developed on a massive scale. It is hilarious that Brian Lara Promenade has no Brian Lara statue or artistic tribute of any kind to the man.

A clean, organised farmers and crafts flee market needs to be organised. Store owners must be liable to keep the area outside their stores clean. Public urination should be meted out with swift prosecution, so too should littering. To aid this there needs to be armed police patrol on every street and every corner with support of CCTV cameras and mobile stations. In addition, a regular bus system has to give the public access to the city centre at key entry points and taxi services re-routed to the outskirts of the pedestrian areas.

Can you imagine city with a main vein at its heart, Brian Lara Promenade, lit up, clean, breezy, safe and abuzz with our music, art, food late into the night?

Visualise if you can, a day when you can take your family for a walk in downtown Port of Spain at night past coffee shops, all night roti restaurants and sidewalk cafés serving Creole fare. Can you see yourself strolling with your date for an ice cream and watching live street performers on Brian Lara Promenade, then bouncing into old friends or colleagues from the office. Imagine the only smells in the air are spices, food, coffee and that new merchandise smell that wafts out of air-conditioned retail stores. Can you see yourself shopping, liming and partying in the multi-coloured glow of neon lights and sidewalk lamps until late at night in a city that is always alive, safe, bright and beautiful? Picture hoards of tourists roaming Port of Spain and you feeling so much pride as you observe them taking in your nation’s capital with delight instead of disgust. Now THAT is a glimpse of a first world city and it doesn’t even take a single skyscraper to make it so. The question my people is “Are you ready to believe that you truly deserve this?

The Results Of Consecutive Cut Ass Generations

This essay of mine may appear in the Trinidad Guardian or Express in an edited form. However, you can enjoy the full unedited version here.

“I don’t want to hear all that psycho-babble nonsense! Proverbs says spare the rod and spoil the child!”

“Look at my generation, we got plenty licks and look at how well we turned out! Look at this generation, without licks and all the delinquency and disrespect!”


How does a survivor of the “cut-ass” method of parenting convince proponents of it when they make these arguments? At first, the proponents of licks seem to have a fool proof position, until you dissect the issue further, starting with Proverbs.

First of all, why use the bible as the final authority on parenting? If the answer is, “Because it speaks the infallible truth from God,” then why not use the bible as the final authority on everything? So, let’s stone disrespectful children to death as also recommended in the bible in Exodus 21:15, 17 and while we’re at it, if your son or daughter is too much of a financial burden, it is perfectly biblical to sell them off as slaves in accordance with Exodus 21:7. You do see how silly this is don’t you?




As a child growing up in a biblically legalistic evangelical sect, I am very familiar with the, “loving use” of the rod of discipline. Of course, the head of the household, the father had to be the one to calmly administer said rod (or leather strap, or guava whip) to my buttocks, back, thighs etc. This was done after a lengthy bible lecture and then I would be made to go fetch the instrument of torture myself, settle my body on the bed and lay prone to receive the punishment. On one very special occasion, when was nine and my father felt particularly inspired, I got beaten upside down. Yup, I was held up by my feet like a plucked chicken and given licks for coming fifth in my class at the end of term test. Personally, I find calm, detached punishment done in “love”, with hugs and kisses afterwards, far more diabolical and disturbing than the use of the rod in anger. Eventually, it became a contest of how many blows I could take before I started to struggle and scream. The one good thing out of the experience is that I now have a very high pain threshold and a little sado-masochistic kinkiness to spice up my love life.

I was fortunate enough to have a conversation with a young man studying to be a rabbi. He was fluent in Hebrew and he had a very interesting take on the famous “rod of discipline” in Proverbs. The Hebrew word used “shebet” actually means a “guiding stick or hooked staff” used by shepherds. Sheep are kind of dumb and sometimes need to be directed. You do this often enough and they develop a homing instinct and eventually know where to go by memory. Shepherds do not beat the sheep with the rod to cause injury to them, but use it to prod in the right direction and the hook to maneuver them or pull them by the neck. So really, this scripture has nothing to do with the barbaric practice of hitting anyone with a big stick. The next thing he revealed was that Proverbs was written with a lot of figurative language because it is a book of poetic wisdoms. One of the metaphors for wisdom is you guessed it, “shebet” or rod. It is also used as a metaphor for authority. To illustrate his point, he referred to Proverbs 23:13: "...if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die." For those who take the bible as the literal, infallible word of God, in order for that scripture to be true, it cannot be a literal rod. Why? Because thousands of children die every year from corporal punishment. Dr Sukhwinder Singh Shergill and other Wellcome Trust researchers at University College, London have done extensive research that shows parents hit harder than they think they are, and that is just with bare hands. It's far worse when an instrument is involved.

Shepherds do not beat the sheep with the rod to cause injury to them, but use it to prod in the right direction and the hook to maneuver them or pull them by the neck. So really, this scripture has nothing to do with the barbaric practice of hitting anyone with a big stick.

This more accurate interpretation of "shebet", seems to be far more in keeping with a “Christian” approach. After all, when asked about what must be done to attain eternal life in Luke 10:26-28, Jesus’ reply was that after loving God with our whole heart mind and soul, we are to love our neighbour as ourselves. Now I’m pretty sure that "neighbour", includes children, who by the way, are supposed to be precious to the Christ, unless that “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world” song is wrong. Can you picture the same Jesus who said “turn the other cheek” and “forgive seventy times seven (a metaphor for infinity)” taking a guava whip to a child who cannot understand his sums or answers back at him?

Next we come to the, “Well my generation got licks and we turned out just fine,” excuse. Is that really so? Let’s take a look at the people who are from that last great “cut-ass” generation and examine whether they truly are “just fine”. This generation, is about 50 and over and they are the politicians, decision makers, principles, administrators and heads of finance, business, health and national security. Now I will admit that at first glance, many of these men and women of this great “cut-ass” generation appear to have more manners, literacy and drive to succeed, especially when compared to the youth of today. However, when we probe beneath the academic achievement, political power, financial success and an outward appearance of respectability we reveal some shocking things.

For those who long for the good old days when children were unquestioning and quick to obey and parents had to do very little, just remember, licks produced the society we have now. A society where when people discover how to escape the punishment, or are no longer afraid of it, they no longer followed the rules, even if it is the best thing for their health, family, community and country. This is not “just fine” to me.

Licks has not made them better husbands and wives, better parents, better leaders and better decision makers. Licks has not given them a moral compass either. Their legacy and the state of our nation with its deep rooted corruption, police brutality, drug abuse, rampant infidelity and broken homes uncovers the darker side of this supposedly wonderful, “cut-ass” generation. What they have left for those of us 30 and under demonstrates what licks can achieve- a society where morality is prompted only by fear of punishment and any power granted to fragile egos corrupts absolutely. Mediocrity is okay because without a BIG STICK, there is no other motivation to do better. For those who long for the good old days when children were unquestioning and quick to obey and parents had to do very little, just remember, licks produced the society we have now. A society where when people discover how to escape the punishment, or are no longer afraid of it, they no longer followed the rules, even if it is the best thing for their health, family, community and country. This is not “just fine” to me.

Those 50 and over, who broke through to world success and inspired and uplifted many in the process, had to recover from and evolve away from the “cut-tail” mind set and find enlightened ways of self-discipline. Oprah, the most successful woman in the world was beaten as a child and today she is “just fine” not because of licks but in spite of it. So too are many others who got beaten by the rod of discipline, instead of guided by it, and went to school hiding the painful red welts on their skin and shame in their soul. We still had to learn everything the hard way, work even harder on our self-esteem, try to develop a moral centre and build ourselves up all over again. The motivation to do all that and the belief we are worth it, was the one thing the licks could never teach and it was the most important life lesson of all.

I do not share your frustrations but I do sympathise. But perhaps because I can be objective, I can also see what it is like for the child. Is that why the best nannies do not have children of their own.

I admit, I am not a parent and I have never had to deal with a screaming child making a spectacle in public. I cannot imagine how aggravated and embarrassed you must feel when that happens to you. But isn’t that what it is all about? Parenting is embarrassing, messy, ego smashing, thankless work. If you plan to do it the smart, non-violent, empathetic, holistic way, it will be even more so. You have to give up your sleep to keep patiently putting that child back in their bed. You have to listen to them scream and yell, “I hate you Mommy!” and not take it personally. You have to ignore the tantrums. You have to explain things over and over and over again. You have to take shame with composure when teachers tell you your little one is failing class and then try to motivate your child without crushing their spirit. You have write-off countless broken glasses, plates and ruined clothes. So, yes, I may not have suffered as much as you but I ask you to at least consider what I say, as a former child who got cut tail up until sixteen and knows that it did more harm than good to my development. Any success I have now is in spite of the beatings, not because of it. I had to re-build my self-esteem from the ground up and re-learn how to motivate myself based on positive values instead of fear and shame. Let me ask you something. Do you remember what it felt like being a child?

Children have all the adult emotions you have, except theirs is turned up on HIGH VOLUME ALL THE TIME. A child’s joy is the ultimate euphoria. A child’s sadness is the ultimate despair. When you are a kid and something you hoped for doesn’t happen, it literally seems like the end of the world. A difficult math problem can lead to tears of frustration. The slightest show of disappointment from parents makes you think your parents don’t love you anymore. The slightest delay seems like forever! And yes, children do get violently angry. They have an uncanny ability to feel guilt and think everything is their fault. They have all these emotions and none of the skills and experience to cope. Talk about stress! Can you remember it now? Do you now see where the tantrums, back chat, mood swings and rebellion come from? Oh, so you thought it was all about you eh? You thought they were just trying your patience, insulting your intelligence and disrespecting your authority, just out of plain, old willful spite. Sorry to burst your bubble but your kids were not born to stroke your ego. I am not saying children should not strive to honour their parents. But there is some fine print to that which says: Honour begets honour.

You could always tell a society raised on cut ass as the primary source of parenting

There is nothing honorable about responding to a child’s severe emotional and intellectual disadvantage with physical reprisal just because you are angry, embarrassed; disappointed or too lazy to think up of more effective ways to help them understand the consequences of their actions. Grow a thick skin! You are supposed to be the adult with the coping skills and it is your job as a parent to manage your child’s stress and teach them how to make right choices in spite of their emotions. You just cannot make it all about you, your feelings, your time, your money, your reputation and your authority. If you do, they will take you apart after they cleverly figure out you make big mistakes too and in the process, they will throw away all the good life lessons. When you beat them, you are not helping address their emotional stress nor helping to aid their decision-making skills. All you are doing is buying time for yourself while adding an element of fear, betrayal and low self-esteem to their lives. If you haven’t earned your child’s trust and respect by the time they hit puberty and those hormones turn UP THE VOLUME ON THEIR EMOTIONS EVEN MORE, then you have already failed. No amount of licks can repair your bad parenting now. Our world is full adults who are still throwing temper tantrums and killing each other for stupid reasons, like a plate of food; a mash foot in a fete or because their neighbour is a Tutsi. They still never learned how to manage emotional stress and so they act out, this time with guns and cutlasses. You can always tell right away when a society was raised by cut-tail instead of intelligent and empathetic parenting.

Some people have dogs and let them run wild; spoil, neglect, underfeed or overfeed them until they become a nuisance and a danger to others. On the other end of the scale, some masters beat their dogs into submission and these poor animals gaze at the world with defeated eyes and shrink away in fear with their tail between their legs. They become passive-aggressive when their master is not around. If pushed, they will bite out of fear and frustration. Then there are the rare compassionate masters who resolve to humanely train by taking the time to understand canine behaviour and the special needs of their particular breed of dog. They would never force a large, herding breed that requires lots of exercise and stimulation to stay indoors and then beat it when it acts out because it is not what is convenient to them. They use knowledge and skill to bring out the best in their four legged “child” which of requires more time and loads of patience. It is worth it! Their dog turns out full of spirit, intelligence, affection and follows commands easily. It is loyal, safe around kids, a joy to the entire family and even beneficial to society as a guide or therapy dog. Now if a so called, “dumb” animal benefits so much more from proper training instead of licks, are children any less deserving?

A child will always love you, even when you let them down and hurt them and I still love my father and long forgave his unenlightened approach to parenting. It is also easy to get your children to fear you. However, the truly difficult task, is gaining your child’s lifelong trust and respect and developing in them an autonomous sense of morality. Are you up to that task?

Changes Coming

Hello all!


Okay, I have removed my cartoon and essays and editorial links. I will be reorganising them as follows:

My cartoons will be made available on the blog itself

My essays will be revised for present relevance and republished as blogs

Hope you enjoy.