Cassandra M. Bellantoni
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Cassandra on Patch
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Comments
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On the article Lauren Rosenblum Bids Farewell to Encino
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On the article Single Mom in Sherman Oaks: Employed, Finally!
Cassandra M. Bellantoni
2:16 am on Tuesday, July 12, 2011
ReplyHi Dani, Congratulations! I'm a real producer posing as a freelance reporter while I'm looking for full-time work for the last year. If you have any advice how I can get one of those 3 month gigs, please let me know! I'm very happy for you.
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On the article Malibu Housewives Audition for Reality Show Pilot
Cassandra M. Bellantoni
4:16 pm on Monday, May 30, 2011
ReplyAs a reporter I'm naturally curious about everyone so these shows are fascinating to me and I had fun interviewing the ladies auditioning. Bravo is my guilty pleasure although I prefer the shows where they make stuff like Top Chef and Project Runway. I feed my brain a little taste of reality drama with the understanding that there will be none brought into my real life. Me and my mind are blissfully happy and entertained by the silly antics of women on camera. But I do see the point of the opposition, especially in a small town like Malibu. It will be interesting to see what happens. BTW, I'm so OVER the corpse look with big blow up doll lips. Ladies, you don't look younger. STOP!
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On the article Hollywood Hills House Fire Damage Estimated at $110,000
Cassandra M. Bellantoni
2:35 pm on Saturday, May 21, 2011
ReplyMy heart goes out to Andy Catt. Obviously structures can be replaced but losing a pet is losing a family member. Wishing Andy and his family all the best. Knowing the fire department sees every life is precious and will do whatever they can to save pets, I feel a lot better about my own dogs. Here are a couple of great sites to help factor pets into emergency plans.
There's a pet toolkit here : http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/pets.html
General Info: http://www.avma.org/ -
On the article How Do You Talk to Your Kids About Osama bin Laden?
Cassandra M. Bellantoni
8:16 pm on Wednesday, May 4, 2011
ReplyIt's very important to tell your children the truth but temper your words to their age level. I had one rule as a mom — with my now 31-year old daughter and that was to never lie to her. She was a bright kid so there were plenty of questions that made me uncomfortable. At the end of the day, I gained her never-ending respect and trust because I didn't ever lie to her and she knew it without a doubt. This benefit was worth the uncomfortable moments of her teens. The saying "the truth shall set you free," is absolutely correct.
When it comes to celebrating the death of someone such as Osama bin Laden, I do believe this is a teachable moment about fear. Isn't it the weakness of humanity to be hypocritical and barbaric at times?
This is a time when you can teach your children about the dangers of human fear, from the terror OBL brought to this nation on September 11, to the irrational war waged on Iraq, the loss of constitutional rights and the closure OBL's death may bring to some people who have been afraid for a long time. It's all about FEAR. You can still teach that killing is wrong and you can explain the on of the worst weaknesses of humanity at the same time.
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On the article Osama Bin Laden Dead; 9/11 Victims Remembered at Fire Station 88
Cassandra M. Bellantoni
8:56 pm on Monday, May 2, 2011
ReplyThe guy who ruined my birthday for the last 10 years has finally paid the ultimate price.
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On the article Police Helicopter Hit by Rifle Shots
Cassandra M. Bellantoni
2:34 pm on Monday, April 25, 2011
ReplyWhat a story! I'd say the officers got an Easter miracle. This could have ended in a horrible way. Thank goodness nobody was hurt at the end of the ordeal.
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On the article Man Pleads Not Guilty in Arson Case at Hollywood Synagogue
Cassandra M. Bellantoni
2:50 am on Thursday, April 21, 2011
ReplyA picture's worth a thousand words. Scary.
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On the article Protesters Continue Their Battle With Pet Store
Cassandra M. Bellantoni
5:51 pm on Saturday, January 22, 2011
I also included a link to the video which Johnson called "proof" many times. However it's simply a person filming an outdoor kennel of some sort, holding up a sign that says the name of the Breeder and Puppy and Me handwritten. There is no obvious sign of abuse.
I also included the statement: But Mazor while telling Patch the warranties he offers, used a term that might have made the protesters cringe - calling the puppies "items" several times. And...
Mazor said he guarantees the temperament of his puppies, a claim that Johnson told Patch is “ridiculous.”
"I know of shelter dogs that have ripped the face off children. We are offering people a choice,” said Andrew Mazor. (He said it, not me)Johnson admits the puppies may be healthy upon arrival but the conditions they were born into and the way they are shipped at 8-weeks old across country are unacceptable to her group of protesters. She also said she knows half a dozen people that have purchased sick dogs from Puppy and Me but declined to provide names and contact information to Patch. And
The protesters that spoke to Patch have differing opinions on whether any commercial breeding is acceptable but most agree that more than 25 dogs is a “puppy mill” regardless of the conditions.
I'm not going to re-write the article here but I can say that I believe in the saying "what you resist persists," and the protesters seem to enjoy being outraged. There are two sides to this story and I told them both.
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On the article Protesters Continue Their Battle With Pet Store
Cassandra M. Bellantoni
5:44 pm on Saturday, January 22, 2011
My editor has asked that I leave a comment and I'm happy to. My article was edited and 300 words were removed so this is not the piece I originally wrote. With that said, judging from the personal attacks I've received from so-called animal lovers here, by email and by telephone, it's clear the protesters expected me to print accusations against the store owner without proof and didn't think I would also get the store owner's side of the story. Both my dogs are rescues and although i agree the editors removed much of what I wrote from the protesters side of the dispute, everything that's left in the original story after editing is still accurate. I stand by all the quotes I received from everyone I spoke to. I looked at everything the protesters provided me and there was no proof whatsoever that the Mazors purchased dogs from commercial breeders with any complaints. In my original piece I did include the statement, which I stand by, “We have undercover video proof this store buys puppies from puppy mills,” Johnson said. “We approached them in 2007 to become a humane-model but the owner, refuses to change– no responsible breeder would sell to a pet store.” I also included that I was handed a flier stating that Mazor was convicted of fraud and that is a true statement according to the LA Times. Continued....
Cassandra M. Bellantoni
12:43 am on Sunday, September 18, 2011
You are an amazing editor and so great to work with. I will truly miss you and if you need an actual baby boomer for anything at Huffpo, don't hesitate to call me. I happy to do any producing for you as well! Good luck but you won't need it. Best, Cassandra