On Thu, 05 Apr 2007 15:52:56 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"Luke Howett Fitzhugh" wrote in message
.. .
The bizarre thing about this fiasco is the total cost of the rescue:
$10,000. The guy risked his own life, and the lives of the rescuers,
trying to save a parrot that cost him $2000. He used some seriously
poor judgment.

That's the way they figure it, but it might be a lot less. The real
costs are the costs of the gasoline it burns and a proportional charge
of the cost of overhauling the engine and other repairs.

But they normally, I believe, quote costs including a proportional
cost of the crew's time, and the initional cost and interst on the
price of the helicopter, and the costs of running the whole
department. Must of these are fixed costs that don't actually go up
when they do a specific thing.

The taxpayers should be loading their shotguns right about now...

People have a whole different set of judgments when it comes to their pets.

That's for sure. Lately there has been a change in rescue rules, at
the Louisiana or federal level, that means pets will be rescued to if
possible. Because of Katrina, when, even though they could have taken
many of the pets just by doing so, they had a policy against it.

Another example is an article on tv news about concern for the pets of
aliens being deported, especially I guess the ones left at home when
no one comes back.

And of course the enormous amounts spent on medical care for pets.
There was an episode of According to Jim where spent 1000 to fix up a
hamster, that sell for 10 dollars and barely have a personality (or
even a hamsterality), This was a comedy, but I think it could happen.

It might well be a measure of prosperity that people are willing to do
all this. Used to be, I think, most dogs were working dogs,
shepherds, etc., although maybe I'm wrong about that.

Some of the whacko-s will take more care of Fluffy than their kids. Some
even think the pets are their kids. Agree, they should send him the bill
for the rescue. Same with mountain climbers that put themselves at risk.