"What causes harm is not the size, breed nor teeth. It's the lack of control over the dog. If you didn't grow up around dogs you should really seek professional advice before becoming a dog owner. They do make the best pets. However, their actions can be very destructive if you do not know how to control them."
In a recent poll we asked our online audience if they thought that pitbulls are vicious by nature. No less than 65 per cent of the respondents said "yes". It took three minutes for the voting to start and the only poll we received more votes on was about tsunami sirens.
One of my earliest memories - I couldn't have been much older than four - is of a sausage dog leaping at my face. Luckily, he missed. I dislike Dachshunds as much as I loathe pitbulls and I would love to see certain breeds banned from our streets. For all others: muzzle it if it's a potential danger. Put it down if it bites.
I did enjoy Carly Gibb's feature on the Tauranga Police Dog Unit in the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend. It emphasises the importance of dog training, reflects these amazing dogs' loyalty and it shows that in some situations, it's perfectly okay for a dog to attack.
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On Saturday, we printed a story with the headline 'Firms in tangle over web use'. Email, texting and social networking are blamed for causing the majority of distractions at work. Most companies have a policy in place for staff using the net for non-work related matters, where others have simply blocked sites such as Hotmail, Trade Me and Facebook.
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Max Mason warned many Generation Y staff would not work for a company that would not let them use Facebook for 10 minutes at lunchtime. What then? Go on the dole instead? Give me a break!
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My job is ideal because I can be online all day and browse around all sorts of sites. I play with Facebook, Tweet and Google away.
I think I have become a professional mouse potato. According to urbandictionary.com, that's someone who spends all their time surfing the net with their hand planted firmly on the mouse. That's me.
All I have to do now is find better ways to avoid RSI. The gel wrist-pad that our GM's PA sourced for me goes everywhere I go, and it helps. Thanks, Tracey! My friend and neighbour is a massage therapist and she rubs my hand and wrist when it gets too sore. I could take regular breaks but, in reality, that doesn't happen. When I'm on a roll, I'm on a roll.
I did find a useful guide online called 'The Reluctant Mouser'. It sums up the most useful Windows keyboard shortcuts. It can be downloaded from rsiprevention.com. Note to self: use it and get that hand off the mouse.
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On Twitter, which I use for work as well as in my personal cyberspace, I follow practically everyone who has something half interesting to say but I have some clear favourites. Our tweets can be found
@BayTimes
.
When I first discovered Twitter I thought it was great for people who love themselves as there's not much room for interaction. But now I'm used to it, I like it a lot, mainly because tweets are short and sweet.
For a good laugh, follow NZ comedians like Dai Henwood, Rhys Darby and Chris Brain. What they post is not always PC, but they utilise those 140 characters very well.
