The following is a summary of my prearranged trades. If I have missed anyone or have left off something, pleae let me know asap. # The following are prearranged special trades for the April 21st, 2007 Raleigh area swap. # ---Nancedar; Disporum sessile 'Variegatum'& wildflower seeds &Hecherella for veggie seeds(have) and Blue-eyed Grass. # ---BrendaEno; Caryopteris 'Sunshine Blue', Disporum sessile 'Variegatum', Heucheras (3)'Mocha Mint', 'Creme de Menthe'& Heucherella 'Strike It Rich Gold' and ? for Silver Pen, Impatiens zombensis & I. arguta, Blue Lobelia seed, cascading Fuschia cutting, Bloodroot, Salvia 'Love Child', Marigold of the Dead, if available, var. Hypericum 'Albury Purple', Tiarella 'Iron Cross', Rain Lilies, Scabiosa, Lemon Slice Hibiscus, Braveheart Malva, Salvia koyame, Tricyrtis 'Variegata and Datura seedlings. # ---Tammy; Veronica 'Waterperry', Tiarellas 'Snowflake' and 'Chocolate Mint', Cuphea 'Batface', Colacasia 'Black Magic', Disporum sesile 'Variegatum'& Orange Mint for seed of climbing zuch., Sprite melon and Armenian cuke, Raspberry & Winebery plants, kiwi & Jujube cuttings; fragrant Nicotiana and Arbutelon 'Marion Stewart' # ---Hollycliff/Dana; Veronica 'Waterperry & Euonymous fortunei (Winter creeper) for Pardancanda. Butterfly weed (A. tuberosa), Salvia 'Blue Hill' & tall, purple var. # ---Dirtrix/Shannon; Asclepias curassavica/Mex. Butterfly bush/Bloodflower(5-?), Heucheras # ---JohnB.; Giant Bicolor Portulaca(How many?), Cardinal flowers # ---Amyflora; Impatiens omeiana for blue flowered Monarda # ---Magick; EE/Colacasia 'Illustris' for Green & Yellow Hosta # ---Rootdigger/Debra;White Brugs for Armenian cuke seed, crocosmia, wallflower & Evening Primrose # ---Dellare/Adele; ? for Basella rubra (climbing spinach) # ---Tietie/Tanya; Arum italicum, Tricyrtis, Swiss Chard for Salvia 'Hot Lips', veggie plants # ---Moka_jo; (2)Portulaca 'Giant Bicolor' for 2 culinary sage # ---Dogridge Two bronze fennel for purple Heuchera # ---Ais; Impatiens omeiana, Lysimachia congestiflora 'Outback Sunset', Portulaca 'Giant Bicolor', Mexican Petunia, Asclepias curassavica & ee 'Fontanesii' for Hosta 'June', Viola 'Mars', Tasmanian violets, Lysimachia 'Golden Globes', native Solomon Seal and Asian lilies. # ---Hightider; Cardinal flowers, Mazus reptans, ee 'fontanesii', Illustris & Black Magic, Bleeding heart, Brug 'Charles Grimaldi', Bronze Fennel and Ajuga ' Chocolate Chip' for grasses, daylilies, Hosta 'Bright Lights' and White Butterfly weed.

When I was in high school, there were three kids in the family that lived on one side of us. The parents disliked nicknames, so gave their children names that they thought people would actually use, rather than calling their kids by nicknames. One daughter was named Betty. Didn't name her Elizabeth, because they knew folks would end up calling her Betty, so they gave her the name Betty. Another daughter was named Barbara. HUH? That kid was called Barb, Babs, and Barbie all the time. The parents goofed on that one. Their son's first and middle names are Bobby Gene. Now, I think Robert Eugene is a great name, but they named him Bobby Gene. Why not Bob? Bobby is ok for a small child, but think about a 60-year-old man with the legal name of Bobby...

Honestly Elmer, do you think people truly go around saying that their dog's name is Kilspindie Kingfisher at Thatchocte? NO! His call name was Alfred or Freddy! If a dog club person asked who he was, they mean his registered name as they would be curious about who the breeder was, especially if they liked him. But if asked by someone who admires my dog while we're walking, I'll say "Her name is Shimmer". And is it truly pretentious or affected to belong to a Breed Club and be involved in their activities? It's a very good way to learn more about ones breed and it is quite enjoyable to meet others who love the breed the same way. I've made some wonderful life-time friends that way. I've also come in contact with a few who were truly certifiable! I will always be grateful to have been able to attend a seminar at our Club's National Show that brought together the leading researchers on MVD from the US, UK and Sweden, with an opportunity to ask them questions after their presentation, and a Club-provided actual transcript of the seminar sent to us later. When I gave my vet a copy, he practically drooled on it! He said it was like going to a seminar on polio and having Jonas Salk as one of the speakers! I strongly disagree with your desire for a purebred dog but wish to avoid a breeder who shows or is involved with the AKC. Neither is a guarantee of the breeder being a responsible "good" breeder, but it's a start. When one choses to own a purebred dog, they do so as you do - they like a breed's particular behavioral characteristics, and one often also wants a "pretty" dog. In order to assure that the puppy one is considering, it's important that a breeder regularly put their breeding stock in competition with others (typically an AKC show) in order to be sure ones dogs meet the Breed Standard - to at least see how they compare to others in their breed. "Kennel-blindness" is rampant - we love our dogs and think they're wonderful and beautiful. They may be wonderful, but they may be a far cry from the Breed Standard - so far, in fact, that people must ask what the breed of ones dog actually is. It should be obvious! Breeders who don't show and are not a member of the Breed Club for their breed are known as "back-yard breeders". They may love their dogs, may care for them well, but be totally ignorant about how to breed a sound, healthy dog, the health issues in their particular breed, and how to avoid breeding too closely. As is often said by architects and pros on the Building a House forum, they "don't know what they don't know" but this time it's not about a poorly placed powder room, it's about a living thing and the family who will give it a home. Most back-yard breeders have a "breeding pair" or one male and a bunch of females who are all bred to this one male. This is a really BAD idea from a genetic standpoint! Yes, in many - perhaps even in all - breeds, there have been grave mistakes made in breeding. It is certainly true in my breed. Most of the mistakes were made without malice or greed - just a lot of ignorance. For decades, most breeders "line-bred" their dogs. Yes, it meant they were assured of producing very "typey" dogs, but they were also doubling up on genetic problem as well. We've come along way in the past 20 years or so in the purebred dog world. Thanks to new scientific knowledge and technology, we can now often discover if a "bad" trait is carried by an animal, with a simple cheek swab and a DNA test. Polycystic kidney disease in cats has been greatly lessened due to this. If they cat carries this gene (a dominant one), then it is not bred...ever. The same is true of PRA in some breeds. In my breed, there was a time that 50% of dogs had early onset Mitral Valve Disease by age 5 and nearly 99% had it by age 10, if they were still alive. We had dogs dropping dead at ages 5-6 - some even younger. But do to research, both in the US and the UK and also Sweden, breeders now have a Breeding Protocol, that if followed, will raise the age of onset. Most at least follow the part about not breeding prior to age 2 1/2 and more are adding the remainder of the protocol which says that the sire and dam of these dogs must have been heart-clear at age 5. All clearances being required by a Boarded Veterinary Cardiologist. We have low cost health clinics at shows - pets are welcome at these as well. There is still much room for improvement, and a buyer of a puppy in ANY breed must do his homework and know what questions to ask a breeder and how to evaluate the answers. But we're miles ahead of where we were when I got my first dog 35 years ago. Do I respect all the breeders in my Club's Breed Club? Not at all! But I do respect several and have been lucky to get dogs from them. They have been a great joy in my life over the years, even if they do have a "fancy" registered name. They have no idea what it is!

"Annie, CNN et al, I would bet a millions dollars has done the same thing. They just didn't get phone messages leaked to the public. Don't think they don't. Please, don't be naive." Well then I hope you have a million dollars to lose. The cases against fox were brought by the victims of their lies (Dominion and Smartmatic), and with or without the messages being made public, they could easily make their case that they were defamed. What the messages brought to light was *why* they lied: to keep their ratings up by telling their audience what they wanted to hear instead of the truth they needed to hear.