Seeing eye dogs can greatly improve the quality of life for blind people. Besides acting as guides for their owners, they can provide much-needed companionship as well. Other animals such as pigs can also be trained as guide animals, but apparently they're not the only species helping out the disabled. Via the directory of wonderful things at  boingboing.net , we discovered today that primates are also getting in on the act. For years, helper monkeys  have been trained to assist quadriplegics and other people with serious mobility impairments such as sufferers of multiple sclerosis. The Helping Hands Web site even has a video  of the little furry guys doing everyday activities such as feeding their owners or turning the pages of a book.

Blogging the Cartoon Muhammad

Denmark's stock has dropped dramatically in the Muslim world this week. But in the controversy surrounding the Muhammad cartoons, neither side has comported itself with much dignity -- a fact bloggers are all-too-eager to point out. Unless you're stuck in a cave somewhere along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border -- and likely even then -- you're all-to-aware of the conflict surrounding the Muhammad caricatures  printed in a number of European papers. Muslims are offended by Europe's lack of sensitivity and Europeans are displeased by the often violent reaction in the Muslim world. The Guardian on Friday has put together links to a number of blogs which are currently, well, blogging the issue. For example Flag Waving American,  which, perhaps not surprisingly given the name, shows little understanding for the Muslim reaction. Secular Blasphemy  likewise came to the defense of the Danes. But despite the overdone outrage shown by some Muslims -- like those who tried to occupy the Danish embassy in Jakarta on Friday for example  -- there is no denying that many were extremely offended by the drawings, a fact which this blogger  explores. Hypocrisy in the West  and Danish attitudes  toward the country's Muslim population are also topics du jour.