Responsible Dog Owners

My wife and myself would like to think that we are responsible dog owners. We regularly walk our dog, round the streets of South Yorkshire and we pick up and dispose of our dog’s business safely.

But unfortunately we observe that other dog owners refuse to pick up their dogs excrement.

This is not good, responsible dog owners do not allow their dogs to crap on pavements and footpaths. At best it is a nuisance for people to walk on dog muck, but it is also a potential health hazard for children to get themselves fouled up, and they are very vunerable to certain dog borne diseases.

Unfortunately I estimate that less than 10% of dog owners clean up after their dogs.

I do wish that dog owners realized the health and nuisance issues involved.

Councils are now providing dedicated dog bins, so please dog owners, clean up and use them.

Our dog Pepe

We got our Manchester Terrier (Black & Tan) cross-breed dog from a local dog rescue centre in July 2004, (Cliffe Kennels, Hoyland Swaine).

We named him Pepe, he was picked up in Eccles, Greater Manchester.

Unfortunately he initially had Kennel Cough, but antibiotics soon cured him. We also had to have him have the little boy operation, under the terms of the adoption agreement. I don’t think he has forgiven us for that yet!!

He is a very spirited dog with loads of attitude and he has a very affectionate personality.

Since July 2004 he has travelled over 14,900 miles with us. He has travelled widely all over England and has already had two holidays in Brittany, France.

His favourite toy is the Kong, which he plays with all day; he also likes to chase balls, although he usually wants to destroy them.

Useful Freeware Software

I have been an IT Manager for over 12 years and have been involved with the implementation of many large corporate IT systems.

But for the individual PC user at home, most cannot afford the price of commercial software.

The alternative is to use freeware software. This is as it says is totally free to use and at no cost to the user.

Many freeware software programs are of superb quality

The following software packages are of excellent quality and I use them on a daily basis.

• OpenOffice a replacement for Microsoft Office
• Free Rip converts your CDs to MP3 files
• 1by1 plays your MP3 Files on your PC
• SeoNotes or Keynotes for keeping notes etc.
• Karen’s Power Tools a varied collection of very useful PC tools
• Opera the best freeware browser
• WinHtTrack download Internet sites to your PC

Security Software
For full security protection of your PC, I suggest using all of the following 3 software packages:

• ZoneAlarm
• AVG Anti Virus
• SpybotSD

These freeware software sites offer a variety of very good and useful software, and have links to the above software.

• Pricelesswarehome.org
• www.freeware.guide.com
• www.karenware.com/

Initial Posting

Welcome to the Marsland Gems Weblog.

An eclectic collection of articles which may cover organic food, green issues, Brittany, classical, folk and Breton music, prehistory and archaeology, mining, geology, freeware software & IT tips, management issues and also owning a rescue terrier dog called Pepe.

Though not necessarily in this order!