5 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MATT PINZUR

1) The way he rolls around on his chair in slow motion.

2) His uncanny resemblance to Tobey McGuire.

3) The tightness of his pants, especially in the crotch area.

4) His haughty, I'm-cooler-than-you-because-I'm-a-journalist-for-the-Miami-Herald attitude.

5) His insistance that we not call him Mr. Pinzur, but Matt!!! so he doesn't feel old.

Fluffy bit a cane toad? Don't be alarmed.

I have everything you need to know about how to save your dog if it bites a cane toad:

1)Wash its mouth out with water. Make sure not to wash the poison down its throat.

2)Give the dog the antidote to bufo toad poison, called atropine, if possible. This can be bought from a veterinarian.

3)Take the dog to the vet immediately. If not treated, it could die in 15 to 30 minutes. Emergency clinics should be open in case the dog is bitten at an odd hour.


In fact, I think I know everything anyone could possibly want to know about the cane toad. Try me.

Sources: Pamela Shlachtman, an environmental science teacher at Miami Palmetto Sr. High and Dr. Michael Pegelow, a veterinarian at Dixie Animal Hospital

Warning: Do not kiss this toad.

Cane toad. King toad. Marine toad. Bufo marinus. Dog poison. These are all names for what people have called the “perfect invasive species” that lives in most parts of South Florida.

The cane toad eats anything, even pet food. It has no natural predators in Florida, which is another reason for its rapid takeover of suburban streets and pools.

Also, if you were thinking about kissing one of these toads and hoping for a prince, think again. Instead it will poison you. The cane toad has glands behind its eyes that secrete a milky-white toxin. The most common victims of “toading” are dogs. They bite, or even eat, the toads and then get sick or possibly die.

So you may be wondering, how can you get rid of these pesky toads? You have a few different options.
1) Call animal control.
2) Call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or more specifically, Jenny Novak at (850)926-0128. She can help you get your toad adopted!
3) Take it to a nature center or museum in case it wants to use the toad as a display animal.
4) Take it to a local vet.
5) Put the toad in a plastic bag and stick it in the freezer for a couple days.

What not to do:
1) Put salt on it. It doesn't work.
2) Spray it with Raid or any bug spray. This doesn't work either.
3) Hit it with a shovel/baseball bat/etc. Its poison glands can shoot poison onto you.
4) Sic your dog on it. For obvious reasons.

Ethics?

This is the second day of the UJW program, and yesterday's introduction of the five W's and one H was followed up today by a crash course on ethics. Dr. Blevens, the program's director, squeezed a 16-week course into an hour and 15 minutes. That's skills.

One of the things discussed was theories. There's Aristotle, whom Dr. Blevens lovingly refers to as "the best dead white guy around." I completely agree with his genius two-word saying: "Be reasonable." When it comes to figuring out ethics in journalism, I think most people can figure what is right and wrong themselves.

However, the next theory by Kant, "A rule is a rule," totally contradicted Aristotle's in my opinion. I do not think that everything is black and white, and that rules are what they are and cannot or should not be changed. I am a firm believer in circumstances.

What about you? Do you think rules are rules, or that circumstances change things?