Hey PETA go away.  You have already made my life harder already  by not allowing oil to be drilled in Alaska, because of some freaking porcupine caribou.  Now you don't want Tennis to be played because of some ugly annoying bird called a PIGEON.  Why every politician is afraid of you is a mystery to me.  But seriously Pigeons...we are talking about Pigeons.  What purpose do these birds serve other than to fly around and take massive dumps on people...Kill em all I say...Kill em all!

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - Wimbledon came under fire from animal activists on Tuesday for using marksmen to shoot down dive-bombing pigeons.

The tournament employs two hawks to scare away pigeons who had become a pest swooping down on Centre Court and distracting players in the middle of tense matches.

But the hawks failed to keep the pigeons away from the players' lawn and the open-air media restaurant so marksmen were called in.

"The hawks are our first line of deterrent, and by and large they do the job," Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins said.

"But unfortunately there were one or two areas where the hawks didn't deter the pigeons, so it was deemed necessary to take a harder approach," he explained.

The marksmen were summoned by Wimbledon as pigeon droppings on the restaurant tables were thought to be a health hazard.

The decision to call in the marksmen was condemned as "cruel and illegal behaviour" by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) which complained to the tournament organisers and the police.

"Since the use of marksmen to kill pigeons appears to have been carried out as a first, rather than a last resort, and not out of a concern for public health, but rather because the animals were deemed inconvenient by players, you appear to be in clear violation of the law," PETA vice-president Bruce Friedrich said.

Here are my thoughts on fixing the Reds.  We had this discussion today in the LOTD chat room during Lances show; Lance then proposed the same question to C. Trent.  Funny how people think about the same things, but any way here goes. 

Let's assume the Reds let Dunn and Jr. walk and in my opinion this is the right move.  Now you have OF spots to fill.  How do you do this?  It looks like Frazier is probably at least another year away, and the Reds want to win now...because "Momma Aint Happy".  So here is my thought.  Move Joey Votto to left and Bruce to right.  By doing this we now have three glaring needs first base, catcher and center field.  First base could be easier to fill than Centerfield and since Dusty insists on Centerfielders batting leadoff we are now left with finding someone who can play centerfield and be a true leadoff hitter...something this team desperately needs.  So here are my thoughts and plan.  Is it realistic I don't know but I can make a case as to why it is.  Considering that these three guys come off the payroll next season Dunn ($13Million) Grump ($ 9 million) and Corey Patterson ($3.5 million) that is $26.5 million.

We all know that the Rotation looks and we hope is set for next year to look something like this:

1.  Volquez

2.  Harang

3.  Cueto

4.  Thompson

5.  Bailey, Maloney or a Fungo bat it's the #5 starter so we can live with a Fungo Bat

 Ok so on to my plan: 

Sign Mark Teixeira!  He is going to demand somewhere around $20-$22 million per year.  He is a switch hitting First baseman with a career batting average of 286. Big Tex averages around 35HRs, over 100 Runs scored, and over 100 RBIs per year and he fills the offensive production from Dunn.  Did I mention he is a switch hitter?  So by signing Teixeira the Reds have filled a corner OF spot and the first base position.  Plus think how many bombs Teixeira would hit at GABP!

 Here is where it takes some work.  Can the Reds Move Bronson?  If we could and can there are a couple of teams who might be possible places for him to go...but let's focus on one destination Boston.  Send him back to Boston for CoCo Crisp..  CoCo is a switch hitting Center fielder who fits the mold of a leadoff hitter.  He offers speed at the top of the order and is a career 278 hitter.  Perfect solution? No but you unload all that future money that is going to be going to Bronson and you could take that money and apply it to some of the young Arms we have. Plus you have a legitimate CF and a guy who can lead off.

 So of the 26.5 million we saved on not resigning the 3 mentioned above we have 4.5 left after signing Big Tex.  CoCo makes 5.7 million this year. And Bronson makes $9.5 million next season and around $7-9 Million left on Money not being spent that was spent this past season.

 So with these moves how would this everyday 8 look?

1. Crisp (S) - CF
2. Keppinger (R) - SS
3. Bruce (L) - RF
4. Teixeira (S) - 1B
5. Phillips ( R) - 2B
6. Votto (L) -  LF
7. Encarnacion (R) - 3B
8. Bako?/ Ross ? (L/R) - C

This gives you 2 switch hitters 3 right handed Bats and 2 left handed bats and Bako and Ross.

With this lineup you have replaced Patterson, Dunn and Grump with Teixeira and Crisp.

 Am I nuts? Or does this look like a better lineup and a team that could contend?

 If I am nuts you can tell me I can take it...

This is just fantastic.  Picture walking down the street drunk!  You know the feeling, where you could not walk a straight line with a million bucks on the line.  You and your buddies are making jokes and yelling and screaming and doing what drunks do being obnoxious...and then you stumble on this scene.  Could you imagine the pure joy and laughter one who have in witnessing this arrest?

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Police in Australia have charged a man for drink driving in a motorized wheelchair after he was found to be six times over the legal alcohol limit, local media reported on Monday.

Police in the tropical northern Queensland city of Cairns said the man had a blood alcohol reading of 0.31, and was so drunk he was asleep at the controls of his motorized wheelchair in a turning lane of a major highway.

"It beggars belief," Police Inspector Bob Walters told the Cairns Post newspaper, adding wheelchairs, bicycles, horses and skateboards were all considered to be vehicles under the state's road laws.

"It's unlawful, it is unacceptable and people should realize it could lead to a fatality," he said.

Other motorists on the four-lane highway had to swerve to avoid the wheelchair, police said.

(Reporting by James Grubel; Editing by David Fox)

Courtesy of: http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSEIC36032520080623?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews&rpc=22&sp=true