The Edge of Empty

Our travels last weekend had us venturing through Columbus, Ohio.  Of course, I had to check out the local False Alarm ordinance.  My search began with a peek at  Municode .  This is one of the companies that helps local and state government organize (and create) their regulations. Fortunately for me,  Columbus is one of the cities that is listed with this service. I found the false alarm ordinance  for Columbus in the Business Regulation and Licensing section (title 5 chapter 597).  (If you are trying to find the ordinance for your area, quite often it can be found in the licensing or nuisance abatement sections but it can appear under business regulations or might even have a section all its own). Columbus has chosen the Licensing Section for the Department of Public Safety to administer the ordinance for the city.  This is fairly common across the country and is one way jurisdictions reduce costs.  It does make sense--issuing registrations is a good portion of what false alarm unit

It seems that the boys in this household are addicted to games.  This is supported by the number of game systems that have taken up space in our household over the years.  The youngest boy is no exception.    Here he makes his answer selection during a friendly family game of " Scene it! " on our X-box.

There are many times that it is necessary to send a letter to an alarm user.  It is certainly possible to send a letter using the bulk letters option discussed  here ,  but the easiest way is from the individual Account screen.  At the bottom of the account screen, there is a Send Letter pull down menu in the center--see the red circle in the screen shot below: To send a letter to the open account, simply choose the letter that you wish to send from the pull down menu (red circle). Please note that not all of your available letters will appear in this menu--only the letters designated General use or Account Status use will appear. This means that the letters designated as Delinquent Payment use will not appear and will not be available to send this way.  To send the chosen letter, simply click the Update button (red arrow) and the letter will appear in the Outstanding Correspondence menu (red arrow below). Tune in next Thursday for more CryWolf® tips and tricks.

This weekend the New York Times printed a story detailing accusations of neglect and cruelty at a ferret farm in Pennsylvania.  I don't know if the accusations are true or not, but the video is heartbreaking.  Unfortunately, this is just one in a series of stories detailing the poor conditions that animals have been subjected to at breeding farms and pet stores. Just a few days before, I heard this story  on the radio detailing one LAPD officers efforts to stop the illegal animal sales in the fashion district of LA. The trend of animal as accessory has not helped this problem. Responsible pet ownership begins with responsible pet acquisition.  If you are thinking about bringing a ferret (or any animal) home, I urge you to consider adopting one of the many animals at your local shelter.  If you are specifically looking for a ferret, our local shelter has ferrets frequently and the American Ferret Association  has a listing of ferret shelters .

On this holiday weekend, I thought I would mention some travel tips. I have referred for years to a great site called Factory Tours USA that lists many of the factory tours available across the county.  The listing is divided by state, and that is my favorite way to use it.  However, it is possible to search by category of manufactured item or by zip code.  I prefer the state option because I am never opposed to changing my course and trying a new route if it nets a cool field trip.  These detours generally have occurred when Hubster is not along for the ride because he prefers the quickest route method of traveling. As he ages, he is becoming more willing to take a side trip here and there as evidenced by our recent mine tour . The addition of A E Ferret to our family presented some new travel challenges for us that Pets Welcome  has helped us solve.  Of course, we could take him to his veterinarian who offers boarding service, but the thought of him being caged for 24 hours a day