Why craigslist is worth watching

I like craigslist ok for the usual reasons. I bought a Tony Little Gazelle on it. Fine transaction, cheaper than retail by a lot. The guy did insist on my taking the Tony Little videos that came with it. I can't say I blame him.

I sold an old bike of mine on it. It was poring raining and this German guy drove from Santa Monica to the Valley to buy it. He then got soaking loading it into his car. It was a hideous sea foam green Peugeot U.S. Express I bought on a whim in 1989. I should have kept my 1985 Trek Elance. Honey says I shouldn't worry about old bikes or dead pets. She's right. But I can't help it.

For the most part, I don't use craigslist the way some people do, looking for jobs or apartments. I like reading the "free" section and the "pets" community board.

Now, the pet board is a whole bizarre thing. It's supposed to be for people to exchange information about pets (which happens a little), and to post available pets for adoption. It's a tense place. It throbs with conflict between backyard breeders of animals (or wannabes) and rescue folks, really intense folks.

Every day there is a post or two with the euthanasia lists for the Los Angeles City Shelters. An aside, honey and I have three pets, all adopted from the L.A. City shelters. Calif was gotten from the South L.A. shelter, Halo from the East Valley Shelter, and Biscuit D. Dog is a South L.A. product as well. We helped Slangred and Bryduck pick out Amber at East Valley. And Honey and I plucked "the best cat ever(tm)"--Squeaky--from the West Valley "Sick Pet Room." I believe in shelters, I have only ever owned rescue dogs and cats in my adult life and have helped friends and family pick out same. My sister-in-law so believes in her Atlanta shelter cat Mambo's right to platinum care, that she calls the vet during every vacation to remind them that Mambo should get any medical care he needs.

So, anyway, I find the L.A. shelters pretty depressing. They are full of pit bulls and pit bull mixes. I felt very lucky to find Biscuit and would not have gotten her had I waited until a weekend to come in. Honey was one of two people who wanted Calif. I know that pit bulls can be nice dogs. I know. But, here's how the shelter is described on craigslist (pit bulls=staffies):

"OMG!!! THE BRUTAL SOUTH LA SLAUGHTERHOUSE IS KILLING SO MANY DOGS AGAIN!!! MOST OF THEM ARE BEING KILLED OUT OF SHEER BREED BIGOTRY—THEY LOVE TO KILL OFF NEARLY ALL DOGS LABELED AS STAFFIES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, GIVING THEM NO CHANCE TO GET ADOPTED, NO MATTER HOW FABULOUS THEY ARE. OTHER DOGS THEY LABEL AS “USE CAUTION” DOGS, AND THEY ARE GIVING OUT THOSE LABELS VERY FREQUENTLY THESE DAYS, AS AN EXCUSE TO KILL DOGS WHO DON’T DESERVE THOSE LABELS AT ALL. NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THE DOGS LISTED BELOW EXHIBITS ANY SIGN OF AGGRESSION, YET THEY ARE CONDEMNED TO DEATH. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THE KILLING!!!"

Then the poster goes on to describe individual dogs. Here's a typical example:

"THIS IS THE CUTEST, MOST BEAUTIFUL LITTLE ITTY BITTY BORDER COLLIE/STAFFIE, WEIGHING ONLY 32 LBS., AND SO VERY FRIENDLY!!! HE’S JUST STUNNING, WITH SUCH A DAINTY BODY AND THOSE HUGE ERECT EARS. HE’S SUCH A SWEET, INNOCENT BABY, WAY YOUNGER THAN THE AGE LISTED. HE WAS ACTUALLY IMPOUNDED OVER A MONTH AGO, AND PUT INTO THE ANNEX FOR SAFEKEEPING BECAUSE HE’S A TERRIFIC DOG, BUT NOW HE’S BEEN TRANSFERRED TO SOUTH LA, WHICH IS NOT EVEN GIVING HIM A CHANCE TO GET ADOPTED, THEY ARE SO EAGER TO KILL THIS PERFECT LITTLE ANGEL!"

Do I need note that the caps are in the original?

Without getting into the politics of the thing, I want to say that I'm very much in favor of saving dogs and I think this person is probably a good person. Nevertheless, I am worried about the hysteria here. I've been to these shelters. These dogs are not that nice. They're just not. They may be great with A LOT of work at home. They may not.

Biscuit was at the shelter for a day. She's a handful undoubtedly backyard bred and probably ignored for the first year of her life. I try to work with her. She's still a lot of dog.

Anyway, if you want to watch human tension, check it out. On the gentler end...

Here's what's great about the "free" section:

"I have a cute cat bowl, one vial of advantage for cats (9 lb and up), an ornate glass vase, and a few assorted sealed jams (2 strawberry and 1 apricot)."

Ok, I guessing the cat died and I'm sorry for it. But why throw in the jam? And how is the vase related? And do we have to take all of it?

There are a lot of "clean dirt" ads in the free section.

I liked this one today too.

"We thawed this turkey to cook today for the Super Bowl, but we all woke-up too late to cook it in time (needs approx 5 hrs, unless you deep fry it). So if you want the turkey, you need to come get it before we go over to our friend's place at about 1:30. Otherwise we are going to have to trash it. "

It's really a way to watch people struggle with themselves. What can they not bring themselves to throw away? What do they not want to move? It's like little existential crises available for everyday. Free!