Trust me, I'm a dog owner

Another week, another dog attack. This time a 9 year old Melbourne boy has undergone facial surgery, and no doubt been scarred for life, after a mauling by a Staffordshire terrier cross labrador. While still outraged, I'm no longer surprised when I read of viscious dog attacks. Are they just reported more lately or are they on the increase?
Anyway, what doesn't surprise me is the response of the owner, quoted as saying the dog's actions were out of character.
If there's one thing I dont expect to hear from the owner of a dog that's just chewed someone's face off, it's this:
"I'm not at all surprised Rex went bezerk. He's a nasty bastard. Why just last week he bit three or four children."

Meanwhile, contrary to my children's belief, it turns out I'm not the world's most extreme food Nazi after all. According to the Sun Herald (link), preschool teachers are now performing random tests on lunch boxes, and sending anything deemed unhealthy home in the lunch box.
It's not clear what the guidelines are, or whether indeed there are any, but cakes, roll-ups, chocolate frogs and lollies are definitely out.
While cross my teenage son's state school still has a Coke machine, telling kids they cant eat the lunch their parents packed for them seems rather a blunt way to deliver parents a message.