Some ‘WHOA!’ stories

A recent “Whoa!” writing effort pinpointed items in society that cause common sense advocates to stop and say, “Whoa!” A few emails indicated that "Whoa!" was a fun reading.

In all honesty, this type of computer fodder is as easy falling off a log. To those of the younger generation, it's easier than the beginner’s stage of Halo.

1) Whoa! In Canada, making a marijuana bust can be hazardous to one’s health. Royal Canadian Mounted Police raided a suspected marijuana “grow-ops” field in British Columbia and found it guarded … by at lest 14 bears. That’s “bears,” as in “people-eating mammals.”

The bears were kept in the vicinity of the marijuana crop by heapin’ helpin’s of dog food left especially for them. Also found at the property were a pot-belly pig and a raccoon. Officers said the swine and coon were friendly, and the bears were not considered a threat, and one even said the bears “were quite tame.”

In the U.S. pit bulldogs are guard animals of choice. Canadian marijuana growers obviously have a lot to learn.

2) Whoa! According to a poll (if you believe in polls and that they are fair and balanced), 24 percent of Americans believe President Barack Obama is a follower of the Muslim faith. The same number believe that George W. Bush attacked Iraq in good faith and Dick Cheney is not the devil.

3) Whoa! The last U.S. combat brigade is leaving Iraq. Good news, right? For those soldiers, absolutely. For the people of Iraq, it’s a different tale. But it’s a safe bet that tribal warfare will break out in that country within the next year and that another dictator of the Saddam Hussein ilk will be running the place.

One thing about the American military and the civilian leaders: They don’t mind making the same mistakes over and over and over ….

4) Whoa! Almost 400 million eggs have been recalled due to an outbreak of salmonella. First, lettuce, then strawberries, then broch…brocol…cauliflower, and now eggs.

Never had this problem back in the day before television and video games. Think about it.

5) Whoa! Hard line conservatives see nothing wrong with mass emailing anything derogatory about the president. It takes virtually no effort to go to snopes.com and find out whether or not such stories are true.

Yet many believe passing along untruths is somehow helping “the cause,” whatever that may be.