Happy Birthday Lily! You’re one of my heroes. And thanks for keeping us up to date with Jenny. Keeps things in perspective.

Below is the email trail between myself and Steve Blow of the Dallas News. I initiated this dialog with Steve Blow after reading his published article on 8/22/08. The article was regarding his interview with the Dallas Zoo Director. I copied my local paper’s Editor on this email trail. He too, is complacent and has chosen not to publish any commentary by anyone whom is in opposition of the Dallas Zoo or the City of Dallas. Sent: Fri 8/22/2008 10:55 PM To: Blow, Steve Cc: CORPUS CHRISTI CALLER TIMES EDITORAL Subject: Mistaken Identity … August 22, 2008 Steve Blow Dallas News You and the Zoo Director are sadly mistaken; those of us who expressed our discontent about Jenny are not all protesters, animal rights activists or environmentalists for that matter! So many of us are just good stewards; caring individuals that are not blinded by the generosity of others. We are not tainted by self-serving interests. We are intelligent, yet simple and ordinary citizens. I have only been to the Dallas Zoo once. It was in 1987 with my then 5 year old son. He became inconsolable at one point during this visit, when he learned that Jenny’s mother was not with her, to look after her. In his eyes, she was quite young, just a teenager by the numbers, and a lonely teenage elephant in his five year old eyes. I hadn’t really given too much thought about Jenny after we returned to Corpus Christi from our week long visit. It wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago that her current situation came to my attention. All that I knew was that she was being sent to a drive-thru safari in Mexico. I was a bit intrigued, as I didn’t even know there was a safari-type park in North America! I became even more interested in Jenny’s story, not because of the protests (I don’t believe protests to be effective), but because of the subtle arrogance. The type of arrogance that doesn’t get written about because it “makes too big a wave” down town ….. You know the kind, the political wave kind. The more I read from traditional media outlets, the clearer my position on this became. Here’s my take: Jenny was and is being used as a bargaining chip to gain public support to fund the “now” renewed interest in the Elephant Habitat. There are some really clever Marketing Monkeys at the Dallas Zoo! Those little monkeys even convinced the City of Dallas to play along! Call me a skeptic ……. How is it that the once discarded proposal from 2006 is so relevant now? Why is it that the City of Dallas was so adamant about their decision? Did it go something like this ….. “Holy buckets Batman! Our plan is working now that the protesters have made this into NATIONAL NEWS”! Linda Clark From: Blow, Steve [mailto:sblow@dallasnews.com] Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2008 9:08 AM To: Linda Clark Subject: RE: Mistaken Identity … Thanks for your thoughts. But I’m afraid you have a lot of misinformation. The new elephant habitat and larger African Savanna area were never discarded. And quite the opposite of using Jenny to leverage money, the money is already there. It was part of a 2006 bond package approved by voters. Perhaps it’s time for another visit to the zoo before you form too many opinions from afar. Steve August 23, 2008 Steve Blow Dallas News Thank you for your prompt response. Although the voters approved the Bond Package in 2006 for a new elephant habitat, it would be careless to assume that those monies are still allocated to their original purpose. Dallas is no different than Corpus Christi or any other city when it comes to Bond Elections. Our Bob Hall Pier, JP Luby Surf Park and Packery Channel are prime examples of a misuse and redistribution of bond dollars. I don’t need to revisit the zoo to tell me this; I have acquired copies of the budgets for the city of Dallas and the Dallas Zoo ranging from 2005 – present. And you thought I was just opinionated ….. And my point regarding the types of individuals you described ……….. Was that you neglected to point that “not everyone hates to see any elephants in any environment other than a sanctuary or natural habitat”. Having access in the Zoo Environment affords so many the opportunities to learn, promote animal welfare, and to spark an interest in the countries these diverse animals originate from. I grew up in Northern Virginia; we made weekly visits to the exhibits, museums and Congress in Washington DC. My parents instilled in me an appreciation for education in many arenas. One of those arenas being animals, great and small; that although, animals in the Zoo Environment is not natural; it is a necessary faction of education. Again, thank you for responding. Linda Clark

Feliz Cumpleanos, Lilly. Hopefully, your wOw gift will be a new, safer home for Jenny. http://dev.beloblog.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-search.cgi?tag=Jenny%20the%20eleph… Peace and grace

Happy birthday, Lily!! You are such an addition to our lives on WOW. We are all doing everything we can think of as regards Jenny’s situation and appreciate all of your efforts. Thanks bunches!!!!

happy birthday, lily!!! now here’s the song i sing to my friends on their birthday: ol’ pappy time is apickin’ your pocket apickin’ your pocket you cain’t make him stop it ol’ pappy time is apickin’ your pocket, stealin’ constantly the friends who always take me seriously don’t always stay friends.

I do firmly believe that Jenny is some kind of graft, budget swiping issue..Maybe someone..has “redirected” those supposed funds to someone’s pocket or political screwup..We need to look closer at who would gain from not letting her transfer out…I smell a VERY LARGE RAT, and since I am fully catified I know a rat smell when I smell it..I want to hire a “mole” who can get into an undercover type entrance into files, or an office ,or to a person who can leak the Real reason someone is hedging on This. Now we know that the Zoo whould create great positive publicity if they sent her to a sanctuary..What Really is stopping them.We know the weapon, the Murder, now Who is benefiring from this motive? Dearest lily..happiest of birthdays..but know you won’t be happy till jenny is safely at the sanctuary. much love Dr. Hoodia

dr hoodia ……. below is the link to the proverbial rat …….. http://dallascityhall.org/financial_services/Proposed0809/budget_propose…

This morning I bombarded the Dallas Mayor and City Council once again (truthfully about four times) with my “Pachyderm Peril (For Jenny)” poem. Poor Jenny. Every day is just another day in misery for her. It makes my heart hurt.

Everyone, I’m sure at this point most of you fighting for Jenny have reached a point of frustration (to put things mildly). To keep us uplifted, I thought I would share the following thought. Unfortunately, the author is unknown to me. “If you were dropped out of a plane into the ocean and told the nearest land was 1,000 miles away, wouldn’t you still swim?”