Friday, August 28, 2015

Friday Hound Blogging

Frequent reader(s) of this blog know the true measure of success is the degree to which we accept lowered expectations...erm...we mean know that we spend a good deal of our time around the marbled halls of IM Central warming ourselves with the economic and ethical fire that is slowly (and not so slowly) consuming the forest of cruelty, heartlessness and utter barbarity in which the overlords inhabit the undersides of various rocks. Now, the more fair minded of you might have pause with the degree of pleasure we take at the overlords' discomforts and chastise us for exhibiting too much enjoyment in the suffering of others. "Ironicus," you might say. "Is it a proper thing to chortle in such a jocular way at the tragedies that befall fellow human beings, or in this case, the overlords?"

Oh, yes it is fair minded reader. Yes. It. Is. 
The last greyhound racing track in Texas is closing. Gulf Greyhound Park in La Marque, near Galveston, announced plans Wednesday to cease living racing by Jan. 1.
The only thing that would make that first sentence better is if the prepositional phrase "in Texas" were removed, but in the mean time, the shuttering of one more death camp for greyhounds puts us a step closer to the Day of Liberation; the day no greyhounds will die meaningless deaths in the empty pursuit of (no) profit. But pray tell Sally Briggs, general manager of the track, what brought you to this momentous decision? Like the Grinch, did your heart suddenly grow three sizes? Were you blinded by a light on the road to Damascus and did a voice say unto you "Sally, Sally. Why do you persecute them so?" Tell us, from what wellspring of empathy and altruism deep within in you did this action burst forth?
Briggs said it couldn't compete with racetracks in surrounding states that offer expanded gambling options. She also cited an overall decline in the racing industry as a reason for the closure.
Oh. Um...OK, well that'll do we guess.It sounds like you're saying since no one comes to watch the pitiless commodification of innocent living creatures for (no) profit, and since you are only a place that puts vulnerable greyhounds in harm's way in the fruitless pursuit of (again, no) profit, might as well throw in the towel. We get that.
The Texas Racing Commission says wagering at Gulf Greyhound Park had declined by 85 percent since 1992.
Eighty five percent! Wow. So you're saying that when you realized you only had a little less than 1/7 of your business left it finally occurred to you that maybe greyhound racing wasn't the path to riches you were led to believe it was? Man. Well, slow is better than no we guess. What do you think Threespeed?


I am an active little girl but I’m just a baby (I will only be two in August). I am very affectionate. I love to give my foster mom kisses. I am an attention seeker and will push my way through the doggie crowd for attention but, don’t worry, I don’t do it in an aggressive manner. I get along with dogs my size and have seen small dogs through my fence and I didn’t act mean to them. I am housebroken and don’t mind being in my crate. I love to play with toys and run and play in my yard. I have been very friendly to all of the humans I have met so far. For more information about this dog, and other rescued racing greyhounds looking for homes, go here. If you don't know about the plight of racing greyhounds go here and here.

1 comment:

Nancy said...

Marvelous news to close down TX. It's a perfect opportunity to get these poor dogs adopted out

Sadly, I fear too many will begin to be hauled across country, from one hellhole to another.

That said, I love hearing it admitted, attendance has dropped so low. It's pretty clear that no one but the owners care about racing.