For those of you who don't know, I participated in a study abroad program a few years back. This when was the iPod was in its infancy and the mp3 player was still an unknown amongst most people. Not me of course--I was a gadget guy then and will be a gadget guy until I die.

Anywhos, as I was preparing for my trip, I converted my music to MP3 format and burned them on an MP3 CD. I was able to squeeze ten albums on a single disc and planned on listening to music on my MP3 CD player--eliminating the need for traditional music CDs. When I got to Europe, I opened my CD player and realized I left a disc in there. It was something I was listening to in the states and forgot to take it out. No big deal, I tucked it away and didn't think much of it--except for when one of my roommates wanted to borrow a CD. They always saw me listening to music and wanted to sample my collection. But when I showed them the one single CD I had, they were aghast. I can't really blame them. If you're gonna fly halfway across the world and take only one CD with you, most people wouldn't bring the "Grease" soundtrack.

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I don't know if it garnered national attention, but a dog was found this week in a dumpster with its legs tied together (I doubt something like this would get national press, but the girl who had Paris Hilton's old cell phone number somehow became an instant celebrity). The dog--now dubbed Mr. Lucky--had his front and rear paws bound together with zip ties so tight it dug into the bone. His muzzle also appeared to be tied at one point.

I know I'm a notorious dog-hater, but this story make me sad. What kind of sick individual decides to throw away a dog? I mean, even the Grinch had a dog--and his heart was ten sizes too small. If this individual didn't want the beast, there are plenty of other opportunities to get rid of it. Hell, he could have simply left it alone somewhere on the street. But to tie it up in hopes of it starving to death is just plain torture.

Authorities are searching for the sadist who did this to Mr. Lucky. According to the report I read, the criminal could face up to six months in jail. Given our pathetic legal system, that means he'd probably only end up with probation. The sad part is I think everyone knows he'll never get caught.

Six months is a ridiculously short sentence for a crime so heinous. He left the dog there to die. Not just die--to suffer slowly though starvation, bound like a stack of old newspapers. It wasn't a mistake like drunk driving can be. It was a victimless crime like drug possession. Someone decided to painfully kill another creature without the slightest humane consideration. To me, that's one fucked up individual.

If you're that screwed up--that inconsiderate--no penalty is too harsh. There's no way anything like that was an accident or misunderstanding. Tie up a dog and throwing him away is deliberate and not open to interpretation. That person is a sadist and just a few steps away from being a serial killer. In my mind, anything less than 10 years in the worst prison in America is too easy. I don't care about the taxpayers' expense. I don't care that it's just an animal. Those actions are beyond cruel--they're evil. He needs to suffer like that dog suffered and become someone's prison bitch along the way.

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