rinalia

You may not have known this, but gopher snakes are strong constrictors. This was made evident to me when one I was catching decided to wrap himself around my arm.

I appreciate him not eating me.

As always, consider writing a letter to the editor.

Online letter form: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-lettertotheeditor,0,3578487.customform?coll=chi_news_opinion_util


Head, a six-month-old pit bull with tattered ears and a passive demeanor, learned to sit on Saturday, a small but notable achievement for a dog once bred to fight.

On a sidewalk in Humboldt Park, Head was part of a small group of neighborhood pit bulls participating in a dog obedience class taught by Tony Gordon, whose mission is more than just turning around a few hostile canines.

Gordon, a disciple of Pavlov, said he also hopes to educate pit bull owners and transform public perception about a breed that has been maligned by the media in high-profile attacks on children.

The newspapers portray the pit bull as this vicious, mean, ferocious animal," he said, "When in fact, the pit bull is a kind, gentle, loyal animal."