4th of July Highlights - Barbecue & Boating

I could write about my wonderful time with my extended family over the 4th of July, but I thought I'd just share these wonderful videos. They're way more entertaining! 

A Second Chance for Westin

I volunteered to be an interim foster for a dog recently rescued by the Gadsden County Humane Society. A foster volunteer was willing to take him, but was out of town for work, so I agreed to host Westin until she got back.  

Westin (a tarrier mix) has a second chance at life!

Westin is sweet, lovable, and highly affectionate.  There is little history known about him, but I quickly learned he knew how to behave well in a home.  He immediately found comfort on my couch, and all through the time I had him--- there wasn't a single bark! (That alone should make him highly adoptable!)

Westin looks slightly emaciated, but he's on the mend and is sure to look a lot healthier soon.

Westin came to Gadsden County Animal Control, where the department lacks an animal shelter to keep found and unwanted pets.  To be blunt, these animals don't stay around for very long.  Resources are limited, but they've made great effort working to find new homes for the animals that end up there.  Thankfully, there's a good relationship with the humane society and volunteers stepped up to find foster homes for four dogs. 

Westin is available for adoption.

Thanks to the supporters of the Gadsden County Humane Society, animals like Westin have a second chance! In case you didn't know, GCHS is an all-volunteer organization and doesn't have a facility to house animals.  They rely on the support of volunteers willing to foster cats and/or dogs until they can get adopted.  The commitments to foster are not that difficult... you just need to provide a loving home environment.  GCHS covers medical costs and pet food.  

The more volunteers that come forward willing to help, the more animals like Westin we can save!

Little Ben's First Fishing Lesson

My nephew left for a three week holiday in Britain this week, but not before the opportunity to spend time with me and my dad on Pensacola Beach.  The little man got his first fishing lesson:

The Politics of Superman

Look! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a highly volatile political issue!

The latest news out is that the iconic hero Superman is renouncing his U.S. citizenship.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee offered his commentary on Fox News about the issue, having said the issue is "a bigger trend of Americans almost apologizing for being American" and proposes that our country needs to do more to teach young Americans to be young AMERICANS, "that it means some thing to be an AMERICAN."

Huckabee proposes one way we instill that value is to take these young Americans and "take them to any country of their choosing-- any one, drop them off for three weeks and come back, and ask them after three weeks, 'would you just like to stay here or would you like to come back to America?' I'm tired of these kids coming up with this attitude that there's some thing horrible about their country..."

OK... TIME OUT!

First of all, I actually do agree with Gov. Huckabee, that we ought to do more to instill the values that make our country great--- a love of our liberties, collaborating in unity amid diversity, the spirit of entrepreneurship, a sense of civic and community pride. I also wholeheartedly agree with the idea of taking kids to another country and give them that choice whether or not they want to be an American. (My own childhood experiences when my parents shipped me to their native Philippines during the summer certainly enhanced my love for the United States and appreciation of being an American.)

Now, with that issue settled, I am (sarcastically) disappointed that Fox News did not do some investigative reporting into Superman's alleged U.S. citizenship.

Exactly how did Superman become an American? 

There is every indication that Superman/Clark Kent is an undocumented person in the United States. He was born on Krypton and I'm certain he entered our borders illegally.

If he is indeed an American, I demand to see his naturalization papers OR his birth certificate... the LONG form preferred.