August 14, 2008: After state officials ordered dogs in his kennel checked for flea and fly bites, Elmer Zimmerman shot seventy of the dogs, following a July 24th inspection of his kennel.  His brother Ammon shot a further ten dogs in a neighboring clinic.  The Zimmerman's apparently feared that the state was going to cease the dogs and close the kennel.  He claimed that a local veterinarian told him that the best course of action was to destroy the animals.

As brutal as these actions seem, there is nothing illegal in Pennsylvania about carrying out such slayings.  The shooting has been criticized by both government officials and dog lovers in the Keystone State.   The Zimmerman brothers have apparently surrendered their kennel owner permits and have pled guilty to charges of violating four counts of Pennsylvania dog laws.

August 14, 2008: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will travel to France and then on to Georgia as President Bush's feet on the street.   France has played in a major role in mediating the conflict between Georgia and its aggressive neighbor, Russia.  The US wishes to show solidarity with Georgia in the wake of the Russian invasion of its neighbor.  Russia has moved deep into this most easterly of European nations raising western fears that the country has a tacit objective of annexing its neighbor.  To date, Russia has indicated it has no such plan.