If there really is a heaven, there must be a special place for veterinarians; and my take on the bone headed called by Rolling Stone to run the Boston bombing suspect on its cover

 * ... BELOVED PET: There is a special place in heaven for the veterinarians who care so deeply for our pets. This story comes courtesy of Mark Powell, a colleague of mine at The Bakersfield Californian. In his words: "Last Thursday, I had to put down my dog, Molly, a 15-year-old- Australian Shepherd, due to a combination of just old age and some inoperable tumors. It was a very emotional and scary time for me and my family since we've had Molly since I picked her out at the SPCA when she was 6 weeks old. The staff (at Rosedale Veterinary Hospital) was incredibly helpful, caring and informative, and they made Molly's last few moments of life go from panicked to peaceful. They took great care to see that the procedure was as easy and painless as possible for Molly, even though she hasn't always been the most willing patient. They took very good care of her, and us as well. I cannot tell you how much they helped us through this transition. They even told us Molly would be returned to the earth via a Paso Robles vineyard following a communal cremation. I couldn't have imagined a better way to go through such a heartbreaking situation." (Photos courtesy of Mark Powell)

 * ... OVERHEARD: At the downtown Post Office, a woman is telling the story of a conversation with her 4-year-old grand daughter. "So she comes home from pre school and says, 'Nana, did you know you can't bring guns to school?' I thought: what a world we live in!"

 * ... ROLLING STONE: It is easy to understand the angry backlash to the decision by Rolling Stone magazine to feature an appealing picture of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on its cover. But make no mistake, this is not a First Amendment issue, but rather one of taste. Rolling Stone is certainly within its rights to publish it, but just because it can doesn't mean it should. My take: it is an insult to those who died in the bombing or were left critically wounded. Bad form.

* ... ROAD WARRIOR: Anthony Bulygo is a retired master auto mechanic and wrote to lament how folks drive and maintain their cars today. In a recent trip from Bakersfield to Salem, Oregon, he "witnessed 48 vehicles where one, two, or all three brake lights were in fail mode. There were 62 vehicles with at least one tail light not functioning. And ... 21 vehicles traveling with one noticeably very low tire (these are the ones that may/will fail and cause loss of vehicle control).  One vehicle had a tire that was so bald that the steel belt was causing sparks as it traveled down I-5 in Oregon at about 80 miles per hour. And, Richard, here is the topper for me. While traveling on I-5, the posted speed was 70 miles per hour. I was in the slow lane at 75 miles per hour (flowing with traffic) and the fast lane had slowed to 75 as well. We had traveled about two miles like this when a car came down the shoulder at no less than 85. What's wrong with this picture?  Thanks for allowing me to vent.  This should be a notice to everyone to learn how to check your lights and tires regularly.  The life you save may be mine."

 * ... MEMORIES: David Gallagher not only remembers the old DiRico's restaurant, but the prices as well. And for good reason: he worked there. "A cheese pizza was 85 cents and spaghetti and meatballs $1.50. DiRico's was originally on South Chester and Belle Terrace, they moved for a short time across from Mexicali downtown and then to 4th and Union where the Great Castle is now located.  Scott Hanson and myself (1958-60) made the pizza dough from scratch and occasionally tossed the crust in the air in front of the window. Irene DiRico made the raviolis and Art made the sauce. Two of my brothers also worked there, Dennis and Barry Gallagher. Great Memories!"

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You may be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember when the old PGA tour stopped here for the Bakersfield Open Golf Tournament. John Pryor was involved in helping organize it and said the 1961 tournament was won by Jack Fleck, and the next year by Billy Casper.

McCarthy: Boston act of terrorism will not crack the American resolve ... we will heal

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield and House Majority Whip, gives us his response to the Boston Marathon bombings. In his words:

 "This week, we were stunned by a ruthless and cowardly act of terrorism in Boston.  On Massachusetts’ state holiday Patriots’ Day – a day that recognizes the sacrifices of our ancestors to establish a free society – the freedom to live in peace was viciously attacked.  Thousands of people from around the world participated in the Boston Marathon, including at least 12 people from  However, we tragically lost an 8 year old boy, a young woman, and an exchange student from China who were all partaking in the festivities of the day. And now, an innocent officer from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Judy and I share our thoughts and with those families whose lives have been forever changed. 
Bakersfield. Thankfully, all have been safely accounted for.

 "As our country comes together to pray for those who were killed and those who were injured, and we see the horrific video of the bombing, we cannot forget the resolute spirit of America.  When we watch those individuals run to those in need, not thinking of what could happen to themselves, we see that spirit is going to unite this country. It is that spirit that we heard as a thunderous crowd sang our National Anthem before the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres hockey game this week. It is that spirit that has united us in times of crisis in the past, and is certainly what unites us behind Boston now.

 "One thing is certain - the walls of American resolve have been tested before, and our strength does not crack. Terrorism on our homeland seeks to instill fear and panic into the daily lives of the American people. We will not let that happen. All necessary resources have been committed to make sure the perpetrators are found and brought to justice, and to begin to heal Boston and the rest of the country.

The Boston bombings bring out the conspiracy theorists on the web, and a little good - and bad - form around our community

 * ... BOSTON: The terrorist bombings at the Boston Marathon are almost beyond belief, but equally disturbing are the troubled ramblings posted on social media websites like

Facebook, Twitter and other forums. Within an hour of the bombings some folks were speculating this was an "inside job" by our own government, or a scheme by President Obama to manipulate public opinion. The immediacy of social media allows us to talk before we think. It's disheartening that some among us simply cannot take a moment to grieve for the victims and their families as the investigations unfold. (photos courtesy of CNN and Mashable.com)

 * ... GOOD FORM: Stephen Montgomery passed along these comments about a thoughtful driver. "While riding my Harley northbound on Highway 99 following a silver midsize sedan I noted the driver signaled one flash of his right turn signal to alert me to a piece of truck tire scrap in the road. Those scraps from big rig tires that have been recapped are a genuine hazard to anyone who has the misfortune to run over them. For a motorcyclist it can be a fatal event and I sincerely appreciated this motorist's thoughtfulness."

 * ... BAD FORM: And then there is this, sent by a reader I will only identify as J.V. "I couldn't believe my eyes. As if her good looks weren't enough to attract attention, a lady in a black GMC Yukon Denali near Sports Chalet on California accidentally set off her car alarm and then still proceeded to empty trash from her car onto the ground. Given today's breeze, it was soon scattered all over the parking lot.  Some people."

 * ... STOLEN CAR: Hats off to Bakersfield Police detectives who recently followed up on a citizen's call of two suspicious men to return a stolen car to its owner. The lesson: never hesitate to call BPD to report suspicious activity in your neighborhood.

 * ... TOGNINI: I had a nice chat with Sandra Bays, whose parents were Arthur and Patricia Tognini, owners of the old Brundage Variety Store and active members of our community. She called to correct an earlier writer about a TV show that she hosted on channel 23. "I had a birth injury that was corrected and never had a (prosthetic) eye," she said. Between 1964 and 1971, she and her husband also hosted a TV program called the Sandra and Jimmy Bays show that featured prominent newsmakers and celebrities. The old Brundage Variety, she said, was located on Chester Avenue in the middle of the block between Brundage and 1st Street.

 * ... MEMORIES: And here's another memory of Bakersfield a few years back, this one from reader Becky Arguedas. "Yes, I remember a variety store on Brundage Lane but I believe it was called Southwest Variety. They had everything from sewing notions, toys and everything in between.  I got my first Barbie doll there in the late 1950s. I also remember a bar at the corner of Brundage and Hughes Lane. It was called Piggots. The neighborhood kids would gather on the cul-de-sac and play baseball where I grew up not far from there and when our neighbor would come home from work, we would scatter when we saw his car coming because he always stopped at Piggots before he came home."