Official Off Topic Discussion Thread #1

[skjl47]

MSN

Hello; This story hit close to home for me. I drove a school bus for 13 years. I did not have the problem mentioned in the story but the outcome reminded me of a similar problem. I have told this story before. A short version is the authorities took away all my bus discipline tools but I was kept responsible for things which happened on my bus. I declared that i would stop driving if I was not allowed to kick trouble causing students off the bus. I had to stop driving. I was lucky in that unlike the woman in the story, I did not own the bus.

the crux of the story seems to be the driver does not speak Spanish. That verbal bulling was happening among the Spanish speaking riders. She wanted only English spoken so she would know what was being said. The diver concedes the wording of a sign could have been clearer but even so was not inherently racist. But, of course, the authorities dump on her immediately, apparently without giving her a chance to explain. A phone call in the night canceling her contract.

One take i have is English is the national language and requesting it to be spoken makes sense. I also do not speak Spanish so would want only English as a school bus driver. I was applying for teaching positions after retiring in Kentucky and there were two common questions which followed after my science/Biology certification was established. Did i speak Spanish and did i coach a sport? I did neither. I did coach a school's academic team and was judge for regional academic contests during semifinals. But, of course, was never asked about such.

 

[Ulu]

 

[Ulu]

. . . there were two common questions which followed after my science/Biology certification was established. Did i speak Spanish and did i coach a sport? . . .

This was the norm here in Clovis, but
my wife worked 35 miles away, in a rural school where that wasn’t asked, mostly due to that fact. She didn’t have to to speak Spanish.

90 minutes round trip. 32 years.

Half of the prople in that little town were all trying to learn enough English to get by in California.

Her parents didn’t let their kids speak Spanish at home. She was the English model teacher in an ESL situation.


The Spanish model teacher was a freckle-faced Irish lass.

Of course that was all about language. I just found it amusing.

 

[jjohnwm]

Back when I had three dogs, the biggest of them was Lotus, a Mastiff x Great Dane cross who was the most physically imposing, the sweetest, gentlest, most docile and loving and lovable and sadly the dumbest dog I ever owned.

She and her BFF Sheba (Pyrenees x Pit cross) loved nothing more than to run and chase and race each other all the way around the outside of the house while I sat on the patio and read the newspaper (anybody remember those?). During those runs I could hear them coming before they came into sight, sounding like racehorses on a track. I would sit and read, with my paper carefully arranged in neat sections. Periodically during her galloping, Lotus would decide it was time to perform one of these "wellness checks" and she would slam on the brakes, practically screech to a halt on the circle track and then trot over to the patio. Her giant melon head would just poke right through the paper and I'd get that intense momentary visual check, followed by a taste test as a tongue the size of a dish rag ran over my chin or nose. Once satisfied, she returned to her exercise.

Sheba was the brains of that canine outfit. I'm pretty sure that while I slept one night she implanted sensors in my body that monitored my life signs and relayed them to a computer chip in her head. She was also a very loving dog, and I'm grateful that she never saw fit to flip the switch that allowed her to control me rather than just monitor me.

I miss both those dogs more than I do most people in my past.

 

[tlindsey]

Back when I had three dogs, the biggest of them was Lotus, a Mastiff x Great Dane cross who was the most physically imposing, the sweetest, gentlest, most docile and loving and lovable and sadly the dumbest dog I ever owned.

She and her BFF Sheba (Pyrenees x Pit cross) loved nothing more than to run and chase and race each other all the way around the outside of the house while I sat on the patio and read the newspaper (anybody remember those?). During those runs I could hear them coming before they came into sight, sounding like racehorses on a track. I would sit and read, with my paper carefully arranged in neat sections. Periodically during her galloping, Lotus would decide it was time to perform one of these "wellness checks" and she would slam on the brakes, practically screech to a halt on the circle track and then trot over to the patio. Her giant melon head would just poke right through the paper and I'd get that intense momentary visual check, followed by a taste test as a tongue the size of a dish rag ran over my chin or nose. Once satisfied, she returned to her exercise.

Sheba was the brains of that canine outfit. I'm pretty sure that while I slept one night she implanted sensors in my body that monitored my life signs and relayed them to a computer chip in her head. She was also a very loving dog, and I'm grateful that she never saw fit to flip the switch that allowed her to control me rather than just monitor me.

I miss both those dogs more than I do most people in my past.

Thanks for sharing your experience with your dogs and the video. I miss the dogs I once had also.

 

[Desert Bus]

Anyone else do lights? I can't get the video to work but the icicle lights go down and the bottom layer twinkles. I am limited as to what I can slap lights on but every year I add more. Looks better in motion but I am having issues getting the video to work here. Merry Holidays everyone!

 

[jjohnwm]

Anyone else do lights? I can't get the video to work but the icicle lights go down and the bottom layer twinkles. I am limited as to what I can slap lights on but every year I add more. Looks better in motion but I am having issues getting the video to work here. Merry Holidays everyone!

View attachment 1570622View attachment 1570623

Thanks, and Happy Holidays to you as well...but are you sure you put this into the correct thread? Nobody got bitten by a dog; no police were called; what gives? Or did your dog help put up the lights?

 

[Desert Bus]

The cat watched. Despite being on here for almost 20 years I think this is my first post in this thread.

I didn't put the lights on a tank so Off Topic seemed right.

I am trying to see how much it takes to upset the HOA by adding more and more every year but the HOA president loves my lights.

So does Pepper:

 

[skjl47]

MSN

Hello; Do not watch if gruesome violence bothers. The video is from a distance but still hard to watch. Aside from all else the assailant was well known by the police. The comment "he usually just punches" tells the tale. Another repeat offender walking among us who decides to up the ante. With a spiked stick nonetheless.

Keep your head on a swivel and Merry Christmas all.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; I get some on here want me to stop posting about fatal dog attacks. I make no qualms about the subject being unpleasant. At the same time, it is very relevant for safety, especially for children and the elderly. I attach a link based on long term reports from veterinarians.

As the link starts out. Dog owners do not want to think their pet can be a danger. Even my favorite dog, the Siberian Husky is on this list of five breeds. I get the risk. My dog Benjamin was a proven killer of small animals that got inside the fence.

Dismiss the facts at someone’s peril. If you own a Pitt bull type even among your own family.

The 5 dog breeds vets warn are most likely to turn on their owners

“Let's be honest here, nobody wants to think their beloved family dog could suddenly become a danger. We picture our four-legged friends as loyal protectors and gentle companions.”

“Yet recent data tells a different story that's worth paying attention to, especially for families with young children or those considering a new pet. The reality is that certain dog breeds show up repeatedly in veterinary studies and bite statistics, raising serious questions about what makes some dogs more prone to aggressive behavior than their canine counterparts.”

“We're not talking about isolated incidents or sensational headlines, but documented patterns that medical professionals and researchers have tracked over decades. So what's behind these troubling numbers?”

“Pit Bulls were responsible for approximately 66% of fatal dog attacks in 2023, which honestly is a staggering figure when you really think about it.”

“Historically, they have accounted for 66% of fatal attacks - 346 out of 521 deaths between 2005 and 2019, according to data from the World Animal Foundation. What makes this even more concerning is the type of damage these dogs can inflict.”

“Pit bulls only represent 7% of the dog population, yet their involvement in fatal attacks vastly exceeds what you'd expect from their population size. 7 times more likely to initiate attacks off their owner's property.”

“Together, Pit Bulls and Rottweilers were involved in approximately 76% of all fatal dog attacks, with Rottweilers alone responsible for 51 deaths in research spanning multiple years.”

“German Shepherds ranked third in CDC bite-fatality data, with 19 reported deaths between 1979 and 1996, and pediatric bite data also place them second only to Pit Bulls for child-related injuries.”

“These are family pets turning on the people who care for them. 54% of fatal dog attacks involved dogs that were owned by the victim's family, and of those family-related fatal attacks, 65% were caused by Pit Bulls.”

“The financial toll is equally staggering. 57 billion was paid out by insurers for dog-related injury claims in 2024, the highest amount ever recorded, with the average cost per claim reaching $69,272.”