Man’s Best Friend

I have been observing our two corgis for quite some time now and every day I’m realizing they’re so much smarter and more human than I imagined. As I pondered more, I’m thinking, they’ve always been smart. I just never noticed, appreciated or took advantage of this.

When I was a young kid (back in the Philippines), we treated our dogs like … dogs! Our dogs only ate left-over food which usually was hardly enough. Our dogs were always skin and bones. Often they were disheveled and were infested with fleas. Going to a veterinarian was unheard of. If our dogs got sick, that would be the end for them. Despite our maltreatment, they were super loyal. They would always be so happy to see us when we arrived and would sheepishly ask to be petted. They would only impose for more attention when we petted them longer than usual. Yeah, we were not great masters. We missed out on a beautiful friendship/partnership with these creatures. I’m not proud of it. But that was the norm in our society then. It was our loss.

Why did God create dogs in the first place? According to Genesis, God created the heavens and the earth to prepare a place for man (his favorite creation). He created animals to give man his first job which was to give them a name. God could have given Adam a catalogue of His creation but no … God granted Adam the fun of discovering, analyzing and categorizing each creature. Imagine this playful scene of Adam naming the animals:

God: “Okay Adam, I just created some animals with 4 legs. What do you call that big one?

Adam: “I’ll call him elephant! Because it says ‘Ele-phhhaaannt’ whenever it talks.”

God: “That’s funny. And how about this galloping one — with the long hair that soaks up the wind?”

Adam: “That’s easy. He’s a horse!”

God: “Of course! Of course! How about this one? It looks like a horse but its neck is so much longer?”

Adam: “Gee! It must be rough to walk around with a neck like that. That’s a “Gee-rough!”

God: (Laughing) “That’s pretty clever, Adam.

Adam: “Lord, can I request a special one? I want one that will be super loyal, will always know I’m the boss, will protect me, will play with me, will make me feel better by just looking at him … he should be small enough to bring wherever I go. He should never be jealous or threatened and will love me forever and ever.”

God: “Sure. I can do that. What shall you call him?”

Adam: “How ‘bout Doug?”

God: Why not just call him DOG … it’s my name spelled backwards. He will remind you of me because I too love you unconditionally!

Adam smiled and God created dog. And the rest is history … well at least that’s my story.

I believe God made dogs to teach us kindness, loyalty, and all those amazing qualities … to mirror God’s unconditional love for us so that we may pass the same to our fellow man.

And don’t be like me in my younger years. Don’t pass up an opportunity to develop a beautiful friendship.

But this is just me. TGIF people!

“Dogs never bite me. Just humans.” — Marilyn Monroe

“Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.” — Agnes Turnbull

“You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, ‘Wow, you’re right! I never would’ve thought of that!’” — Dave Barry

“The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog.” — M.K.Clinton

“Dogs come into our lives to teach us about love, they depart to teach us about loss. A new dog never replaces an old dog. It merely expands the heart.” — Author Unknown

JOKE OF THE WEEK

Thanks to Ed of Studio City, CA

Original art by Raoul Pascual.

Video of the Week

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA

Parting Shots

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA

Thanks to Sharon of Connecticut

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA

Thanks to Drew of Anaheim, CA

I found these:

My good friend (and jokester) Terry and I came up with this.

SUBSCRIBE

The post The Wailing Wall appeared first on Traveling Archive.

In our first installment of Owners and Pets, we covered Presidents and Pets: A T-Boy Odyssey Into Why They Loved One Another. Part I ended with a request to our friends, families and readers to consider sending us photographs of their own sacred pets, including those who had passed away, but will never be forgotten. This should help others to understand; when our pets love us, we tend to love them back. I’ve noticed in cinema, when male and female actors sign a contract to play in a film, they specify things that their character will never do. Male actor Martin Sheen writes, that he’ll never throw the first punch or take the Lord’s name in vain. Female actors often say that they’ll never appear nude, and a body double must be used. But, the overall crime that they’ll never commit, is that they will never kick a dog, in particular when the dog is down. It has been noted by PETA, the Humane Society and animal rights groups that the abuse of one’s pet, often leads to the abuse of a spouse or abuse by a parent of their own children. It is one of the most terrible crimes in human history, to abuse a child and animal who are vulnerable, as well as any vulnerable creature throughout the world.

Let’s close with a lyric by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Though the words were written by Paul, John later commented, See what {Paul} he can do when he sets his mind on it.

“And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make”

– Lennon and McCartney

The End, Abbey Road, The Beatles

Pet Owners who Love Their Pets: Precious Pixs

Tommy

Owner: Jim
Seattle, Washington

Beloved pound pooch Tommy loved to go on road trips. During his life, he traveled to 6 states and one Canadian province. He loved the view from Crater Lake.

Cinnamon

Terry
West Side LA, California

Cinnamon was my sister’s dog – friendly, playful, smart – a border collie/golden retriever mix. She was raised with cats and learned to make meowing noises to get attention. Every time I visited she would greet me enthusiastically and hang with me all day. When my sister was killed by a drunk driver the family decided I should take care of Cinnamon, which I did happily, bringing her to California from her home in Florida. We shared much joy, and she supported me with love during hard times. She would anticipate “dinnertime” by prancing excitedly around my legs, her nails clicking on the kitchen floor like a tap dancer. I would grab her leash and say: “Wanna go out? Wanna go out?” and she would leap and dance in circles by the front door in her eagerness to go for a walk. She always had my back. While walking her in public I would notice I was talking to myself, so I would then say: “Isn’t that right, Cinnamon?” We had many wonderful years until, sadly, I finally had to put her down at age 18.

My mom and I have been active with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) since we lost my sister, and it remains one of the causes I support.

Posie the Dog

Owners: Annalies and Marty
Outlook, Washington

Tillie

Owner: Brent
First Hill of Seattle, Washington

I have two kids, three grandkids and one dog. Whose picture do I carry in my wallet? You guessed it, my “dog-ter,” Tillie!

Ziggy

Owners: Annie and Raudi
Portland, Oregon

The Dog with Three Names

“You want to take him home?” We didn’t imagine ourselves having a dog as newlyweds in a one bedroom apartment. But how could we pass up the offer for a sweet Border Collie who greeted us like he’d known us forever?

Ziggy once known as Tab by his original owners, and more recently Street, was an unexpected gift from Raudi’s uncle. He had once belonged to our cousin and they were looking to re-home him as he had a habit of running away. After running away from our cousin, he was turned into the Humane Society a year later by a free spirit who said his name was Street. You might imagine his life was hard but we know he was well taken care of, possibly too well, as he was 40 lbs over weight.

We couldn’t help but say yes to Raudi’s uncle to spontaneously take him back home to our little apartment in Portland, OR. We only felt it right he have a new name for the next chapter in his life. He loves the beach, hiking the PNW, and anywhere he can be free off leash chasing his ball. One thing we’ve learned while having him is you can take the dog out of the street, but you can’t take the street out of the dog. Oh, the stories he would tell if he could talk!

Min and Kitskin

Owner: Barb
Lynnwood, Washington

I’m captivated by my two wonderful cats, Min and Kitskin. I believe that cats are more intelligent than many people believe. When I get upset, my cats surround me, purring and comforting me. They rush to see me when I come home.

Bella

Owner: Shari
Outlook, Washington, USA

Josie McJosersen

Owner: Paul
Mill City, Oregon

This is Josie. Josie McJosersen. We adopted her 4-years ago. The only dog I’ve ever had that was “my dog.” She belongs to all of us. But I’m her favorite.

Bessie the Cow

Owner: Wyatt
The beautful town of Outlook, Washington

Micah, a Maine Coon

Owner: Bethany
Rancho Park, California

Big Pussy

Owner: Susan
NYC, New York

Introducing Big Pussy,* the ginger tabby who rules my life. He came to me as a pandemic adoption, and has brought me vast amounts of love and companionship. For a while there, he had a crush on the stuffed animal. Once he realized it was not reciprocated, he turned his attention back to me. *Note: He was named in honor of one of Tony Soprano’s capos.

Gretta

Owner: Mike’s Trucking Company
Lower Yakima Valley, Washington

Gretta is the most recent addition to the Roskamp and Mike’s Trucking Company family.

Annie and Satchel

Owner: Peggy
Ballard District of Seattle, Washington

Of my uncle’s pets, who is currently living in an assisted living home in Seattle: Annie is a 10.5 year old dog, and Satchel, a 3 year old female cat. They are best friends! Satchel goes on walks with Annie too. However, she and my 14 year old cat are NOT best friends! While my son, Chris’s cat, also likes Annie the dog, she likely wishes she’d never met Satchel. They spat a lot! I’m always happy to share pictures of my baby. In fact, I have two kids, three grand kids and one dog.

Tonka and Tinker

Owners: Raoul & Jackie
Whittier, California

Crown Corgi brother and sister from the same “popular” Mom a year apart. They are under-stimulated sheep herding dogs so they compete on who first sounds the alarm for the intruder. It’s comical when they take a walk with their ears out like radar to survey the terrain — their arch enemies are the bulldog and boxer who live next door. People smile when they see these full-bodied “security” dogs with their little feet. Raoul wrote a song about them.

Buckles

Owner: Noelle
Mill Valley, California

Buckles is part Blue Heeler and part McNab, a cattle dog mix from Mendocino and raised in a few beautiful places including the Eastern Sierras and later on in Marin County. 

If you were to look up the following in Webster’s Dictionary.

A dog that loved chasing a ball, following a scent, bringing joy and a smile every day to someone new or an old friend, this is where you’d see a picture of Buckles!

Although he’s not with us physically, his spirit lives on in our hearts.  His legacy is to wake up each day and bring joy to someone and for those of us who spent a moment or longer with him… this can be ours… bring joy to someone today and Buckles will smile on you!

Bella the Cat

Owner: Akiko
Universal City, California

Fionna

Owner: Camille Schaefer
Tacoma, Washington

Traveling Boy suggests to all voters throughout Pierce County: “Remember to vote for Camille Schaefer, as she’ll become YOUR Judge in Pierce County Superior Court, and will take a solemn oath on the US Constitution in treating all people with kindness and equality.“

Molly and Udon

Owner: Janet
Los Angeles, California

Rescued cats: Gentle Molly is near sighted and bumps into things. She was bullied by her brother and sister who both died prematurely. Now she gets along with her new friend who understands.

Tangerine, Puff, Natasha & Everdeen

Owner: Weave
Vancouver Island, British Columbia  

I love my dogs more than any human I know – terrible to say but it is true. There’s something about being loved back by a non-human that helps us better understand the universe.

Cali

Owners: Tony and Vanessa
Hacienda Heights, California

He loves to guard the garden of Tony and Vanessa. He hates coyotes and raccoons.

Charlie

Owners: Robin and Gary
Grandview, Washington

Charlie loves to wait for us, sitting on his official armchair.

Marlee

Owners: Lisa and Josh
Tri-Cities, Washington

Marlee is feeling a little excluded. In her 13 years in Washington she has covered a LOT of miles and has visited more wineries in WA that a dog probably should?

Oliver the Bunny

Owner: Bri
Lynnwood, Washington

I love Oliver so much.

King

Owners: Mike and Maggie
Whittier, California

The territorial barking guard dog of Mike and Maggie. His bark is bigger than his size.

Peamon

Owners: Tim and Yachiyo
San Diego, California

He’s old and grumpy. And a gigantic #@$%hole! (ha) but he’s our #@$%hole!💕
He sleeps 23 hours a day. And still controls our lives.  Unless he wants something, he totally ignores you. He’ll watch you clean his cat box, just to make sure you do it properly. 

Buddy the Therapeutic Dog

Owner: Heather
Whittier, California

Petty asked if Heather could care for Buddy when Petty’s husband passed away. Heather didn’t have time for Buddy; but when she was told that she could return Buddy if things didn’t work out, Heather decided to take action. Heather has not returned Buddy ever since.

Heather works in a funeral home so she meets people who are distraught and Buddy has remarkably turned into a sensitive therapeutic dog. I guess he earned his keep.

Cedric and Delphine

Owners: Deb & Ed
Burbank, California

Cedric came to us from the breeder, the very kind Amber Sharp, as the smallest puppy of a litter of thirteen. With no milk from his mother, he was fed from a bottle, while sitting on Amber’s lap. He was pampered and rambunctious, craving attention he never received from his mother, brothers and sisters. Amber gifted him to the CEO of Mike’s Trucking Company in Outlook, WA, who gave him to us. Our lives would never be the same again. We finally had a child of our own; and a very demanding one at that. Some people consider Dalmatians to be of lower intelligence, but not Cedric. It was a proud day when Cedric graduated with flying colors at the Burbank Dog Training School, scoring a remarkable 22 out of a possible 100 points.

We found Little Delphine at the Burbank Humane Shelter. She had previously been discovered in a rough part of town, wandering around in a Kmart parking lot; starving, dirty and using the last of her strength in order to stay live. The sad irony is that she was using the last of her strength in order to return to the criminal owners who had abused her.

Quite literally, she was only skin and bones. When we took our first walk with her, she would lunge at empty garbage cans. Upon feeding her with prescribed medicine, we would place the pills in a fingerful of peanut butter, and carefully stick it into her mouth. She would become confused, preferring the substance on her wagging tongue. We could tell that she had been taken away from mother when she was far too young, for she had never been taught how to suck on anything at all. Delphine had complicated medical conditions. When we placed a bowlful of food out for her to eat, recommended by our veterinarian, the amazing Dr. Laurie Leach, Delphine would charge over to it, but would have difficulties digesting it. T-Boy photographer, Deb Roskamp, also one of the first family nurse pactioners in the US, thought Delpine might have been poisoned by a dispicable owner. But that made us love her even more.

I had often fantasied that someday I would find this deplorable person, and remind whoever he or she may be, of all the terrible things that they had done to Delphine.

But, what good would it do? Perhaps this person had also suffered from abuse, too.

“I remember the proverb, ‘There is no such thing as a bad pet, only a bad owner.‘”

And there you have it, the article is complete!

With special thanks to friends, families, writers and readers – owners who love their pets: Barb; Shari; Annalise & Marty; Terry; Wyatt; Brent; Annie & Raudi; Akiko; Jim; Uncle Mike & Mike’s Trucking Company; Susan; Camille; Paul; Noelle; Peggy; Bethany; Bri; Tim & Yachiyo; Weave; Lisa & Josh; Robin & Gary; and inspired by Emily, who loves vulnerable pets more than anyone else we’ve ever known.

God Bless you all!

Post Script:

Some dogs spend hours hiding in the corner of a secluded room while avoiding contact with other humans and pets. There are also dogs that consistently avoid being petted by their new human parents. Centuries of coexistence have genetically tuned dogs to trust humans. However, when that trust is breached, pet dogs are often left emotionally broken, confused, and fearful. Abused, neglected, and eventually abandoned, these dogs need more than just love and care. Pet parents who adopt abused dogs often report back, saying that their newly-adopted dogs are showing signs of behavioral issues.

Common Signs of Abuse Physical scars are often easy to treat. However, many dogs of abuse develop long-term emotional problems. These behavioral issues usually take months of emotional nursing to rectify. Following are a few common behavioral issues that are often noticed in abused dogs: Extreme Separation Anxiety • General Distrust Towards Other Dogs and Humans • Signs of Extreme Submissiveness (tucked-tail stance, ears back, wide-eyed glance) • Unprompted Aggression.

WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than 6.5 million members and supporters. PETA exposes animals suffering in laboratories, in the food industry, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry.

Advocating For Animals | Nonprofit For Animals; List of Animal Welfare Nonprofits Los Angeles | DeepSweep.

No man can be condemned for owning a dog. As long as he has a dog, he has a friend; and the poorer he gets, the better friend he has. – Will Rogers

You think dogs will not be in heaven?  I tell you, they will be there long before any of us. – Robert Louis Stevenson

Stay tuned for Part 3 in the T-Boy series, where we discuss more about US Presidents and their Pets, Frequently Asked Questions about Pets, and a 25 Question Trivia Game about Animals, who we love.

The post Pet Owners Who Love Their Pets: Precious Pixs appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Boys Will Be Boys

I was driving along my neighborhood when I spotted a couple of boys running around all drenched and brandishing huge water pistols. Upon closer inspection, one of the boys turned out to be my grandson.

“Hi grandpa!.” he shouted, wiping the water squirt from his eyes.

We laughed.

As I drove away, I realized that was the first time I saw kids playing around like that. Playing outside is not very common anymore, is it? A majority of the kids play video games inside the secured fortress of their homes.

When I was a boy, I would run out into the grassy fields like a deer and never seemed to get tired. I would walk all by myself, wearing my slippers to my cousin’s house which was about a mile away. The thought of being kidnapped or hit by a car never crossed my mind. I would be gone for hours unsupervised and no one would worry where I was.

I would play in the rain. I would play in the beach. I would build little houses made out of scrap furniture and old blankets. I would shoot cans down with my slingshot. I would climb mango trees like a monkey, snap the fruits from the branches and eat them up there. I built war zones with my plastic soldiers and toy trucks. At night, I would hunt rats with my BB rifle. I played basketball and other rough games … sprained both my ankles, several fingers … but I accepted these accidents as part of boyhood.

We played with spiders, beetles, ants, worms, cards, marbles, rubber bands, toy tops, kites, cars, rockets, firecrackers, fire, ate lots and lots of candies … I enjoyed being a boy.

I wanted to make sure my grand kids would experience the same thrills so the next day, I encouraged them to play outside and meet new friends. Since then I’ve seen them driving around with their helmets on their motorized scooters. They’d let their friends play with them too.

Modern America doesn’t seem to be neighborhood friendly anymore … at least not for city folks. There is a fear of some nefarious stranger lurking on the shadows or an unmarked van pulling up beside your child to kidnap him/her. But as long as the kids are taught to pair up and observe the proper precautions, we should set them free to explore.

But this is just me. How was your childhood?

TGIF people!

“Older people sit down and ask, ‘What is it?’ but the boy asks, ‘What can I do with it?’.” — Steve Jobs

“One of the best things in the world to be is a boy; it requires no experience, but needs some practice to be a good one.” — Charles Dudley Warner

“And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets ” – Zechariah 8:5

“ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” — 3 John 1-4

JOKE OF THE WEEK

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA and Oscar of La Mirada, CA

Original art by Raoul Pascual.

Parting Shots

Thanks to Colleen of Washington State

Thanks to Benny of Chicago

Thanks to Drew of Anaheim, CA

I found these:

My good friend (and jokester) Terry and I came up with this.

SUBSCRIBE

The post Me Too appeared first on Traveling Archive.

– Josh Billings, US humorist writer

Many of America’s presidents have found friendship and solace in their pets. It’s a tradition that goes all the way back to our first president and founding father, President George Washington, the founding father who was also the first president to have bred foxhounds.

As of today, 46 U.S. Presidents have had pets while they resided in the White House. And, like many of us today, the pets became part of their families, offering courage, patience, forgiveness, comfort and unconditional love, particularly during stressful periods in office.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michele, accepted a puppy as a gift from Senator Edward Kennedy. The dog was a Portuguese water dog that they named Bo. Then in 2013, the Obamas brought home a second Portuguese water dog, name Sunny.

White House Animal Paths

Historically, the pets at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue have mirrored national trends in animal ownership. Early presidents had working animals such as hounds for hunting and horses for transportation, but a wider variety of animals soon made their way to the White House.

In the 1920s, President Coolidge’s animals included a bobcat, a donkey, lion cubs, ducks, a wallaby pygmy hippo, and a raccoon named Rebecca, who walked on a leash.

From William Taft’s cow, Pauline Wayne, to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Scottish terrier, Fala, and George H. W. Bush’s English springer spaniel, Millie, many White House animals have achieved celebrity status.

US Presidents with the Most Pets

Tabby and Dixie were cats, and Abraham Lincoln once remarked that Dixie is smarter than my whole cabinet.

James Buchanan received a herd of elephants from the King of Siam.  But as elephants are the largest land animals alive today, Buchanan found them to be too large for the White House, and sent them to the zoo.

Misty Malarky Ying Yang was Jimmy Carter’s daughter’s pet Siamese cat. An Elephant was given to her, but again too big to fit in the White House rooms, and was sent to the National zoo, too.

The True Story of Teddy Roosevelt and the Teddy Bear

In 1902, Teddy Roosevelt accepted a hunting invitation from Mississippi governor, Andrew Longino, and they traveled with their guide, who was determined to find a black bear for Roosevelt to shoot. It was easy for the guide to corner an old bear, and decided to tie the bear up, making the shot easier for Roosevelt to fire.

When Roosevelt realized what the guide had done, he was astonished and fired back in anger and said that such an act would be unsportsmanlike to shoot such an old and vulnerable creature. The news of Roosevelt’s act of compassion spread across globe, and in his honor that is why we have the Teddy Bear.

Our 26th, President Theodore Roosevelt began his presidency in 1901, along with six children and more animals than the White House had ever seen before. The Roosevelt children’s family of pets included a small bear named Jonathan Edwards; a lizard named Bill; guinea pigs named Admiral Dewey, Dr. Johnson, Bishop Doane, Fighting Bob Evans and Father O’Grady; Maude the pig; Josiah the badger; Eli Yale the blue macaw; Baron Spreckle the hen; a one-legged rooster; a hyena; a barn owl; Peter the rabbit; and Algonquin the pony. President Roosevelt loved the pets as much as his children did. Algonquin was so beloved that when the president’s son, Archie, was sick in bed, his brothers Kermit and Quentin brought the pony up to his room in the elevator. But Algonquin was so captivated by his own reflection in the elevator mirror that it was hard to get him out!

The Theodore Roosevelt family were dog lovers as well. Among their many canines were Sailor Boy, a Chesapeake retriever; Jack the terrier, Skip the mongrel, and Pete, a bull terrier who sank his teeth into so many legs that he had to be exiled to the Roosevelt home in Long Island. Alice, his daughter, had a small black Pekingese named Manchu, which she received from the last empress of China during a trip to the Far East.

Alice once claimed to have seen Manchu dancing on its hind legs in the moonlight on the White House lawn, though it has never been determined if there ever was an elephant dancing on its hind legs in the White House rooms. But, apparenty, there is one today in a very different kind of room.

Another Kind of Elephant in the Room

As of late, fake news outlets have been on fire due to a particularly large elephant in their broadcast rooms with the recent release of South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem’s ghostwritten book, No Going Back.

South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem takes a cheap shot at “fake news” for the backlash against her killing an untrainable 14-month-old wirehair pointer, named “Cricket,” 20-years-ago in a gravel pit on her family property, moments before her children arrived from school!

But, later, she had the courage to hurry back to her pickup, grabbed another shell, went back to the gravel pit, and put him down; “Him” being the demon goat, which had a wretched smell, who often chased and knocked Noem’s children around.

I’m aware that a parent who knocks their kids down is the greatest sin ever committed by a parent, who deserves a one-way ticket to a lifetime in prison. But should an owner who knocks down a kid goat deserve less? And the one with a such a wretched smell, something I never seemed to notice when I petted the kid, Billie Goat, at Seattle’s Woodlawn Park Zoo, when I was a kid, too.

Noem said to her ghostwriters in her ghostwritten book. No Going Back, which includes the fictional meeting with North Korean dictator, Kim Jong Un. The North Korean dictator who she’s sure he underestimated me, having no clue about my experience staring down little tyrants (I’d been a children’s pastor, after all), which she now blames on her ghostwriters, but refuses to walk them back and retrack the words she commanded her ghostwriter’s to ghostwrite in her ghostwritten book.

Oh, how I kid South Dakota Republican Governor Noem, why I only heard about her on Fox News TV, where she informed viewers that she was on a mission to tell us the REAL meaning of Thanksgiving: Here the poor Pilgrims were close to starving and they shared their last food with Native-Americans (the 25 Tribal Nations of the Wampanoag People) it was all part of God’s Divine Providence.

“God’s Divine Promise” fulfilled, and illustrated in “The First Thanksgiving,” a reproduction of a painting by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, courtesy of the Associated Press.

Did the Pilgrims use “God’s Divine ‘Providence” as an excuse to sit in Plymouth Harbor and wait on the Mayflower for the final act of “God’s Divine Providence” to be done? Were they just too excited and couldn’t wait to siege the Wampanoag People’s Tribal Land for just a few more days? When they arrived there were many felled fields to plant, but surround by many dead bodies of the 25 Tribal Nations of the Wampanoag People. Apparently “God’s Divine Providence” was first issued to the Spanish Conquerors, who shared no food, but only European diseases which the Wampanoag People had no immunity from. But with no gold to be found, the Spanish Conquerors left Plymouth, leaving only endless Wampanoag dead bodies scattered around, some still alive, desperately crawling on the ground. The few people that manged to stay alive, where left for the Pilgrims to fulfill “God’s Divine Providence” and get the job done.

The next Thanksgiving celebrated was 1637 when Massachusetts Colony Governor John Winthrop declared a day of thanksgiving after volunteers murdered 700 of the Tribal Nation Pequot People. As we remember the celebration of Thanksgiving, sharing indigenous food from the New World, I recall that the American-Indian Tribal Nations consider it as a Day of Remorse.

Historians are hailing Congress to elevated Ulysses S. Grant to the military’s highest rank, calling it a rehabilitation of his political and racial legacy. Photograph courtesy of Newsreader1.com.

On June 18, 1870, our eighteenth president, Ulysses S. Grant, signed into law the Holidays Act that made Thanksgiving a yearly appointed federal holiday. Grant preferred horses above all other animals as pets, but he and his family members did have other pets with them in the White House, including two dogs. One was a Newfoundland named Faithful, but the other was a dog named Rosie, who was rumored to be a black-and-tan dog of no determinate breed. According to Seymour Reit in Growing Up in the White House, Grant would often take dinner in the stables and talk to both the horses and to Rosie while he ate.

Fala: The Most Famous Dog in America

President Franklin D. Roosevelt had a lifelong affection for dogs. They were a constant presence in his life from his early childhood. FDR owned a number of dogs during his lifetime, but his best-known was Fala, the Scottish terrier he was given in August 1940.

Fala quickly became his constant companion. He slept in a special chair at the foot of FDR’s bed and every morning had a bone that was brought up on the President’s breakfast tray. Fala is buried in a marked grave about ten yards behind the Roosevelt tombstone in the Rose Garden at Springwood, beside Chief (1918–1933), the Roosevelts’ German Shepherd.

The first U.S. President with pets who maintained a farm was George Washington

Like South Dakota Republican Governor, Kristi Noem, George Washington was a farmer who had pets, though it’s never been determined if he had the courage to put any of his pets down in a gravel pit. I have many friends and families who are farmer with pets, who are aware that their pets were once wild animals, but they chose to domesticate their wild critters into something more profound. And once this transition was completed, the pets loved them and they loved them back. I read somewhere that there is no such thing as a bad pet dog, only a bad owner, who made them be like that. Was there a reason why Noem’s 14-month-old pet Cricket, didn’t love her; is it possible she never loved him, and that’s why he never loved her back?  

Washington’s pets included, Sweetlips, Scentwell and Vulcan – American Foxhounds; Drunkard Taster, Tipler and Tipsy – Black and Tan Coonhounds; an Andalusian donkey (a gift from King Charles III of Spain); Nelson and Blueskin – horses ( that were Washington’s wartime mounts); Snipe – parrot (said to have been owned by First Lady Martha Washington); and the Stallions, Samson, Steady, Leonidas, Traveller and Magnolia.

Cornwallis was a greyhound, named for British General Cornwallis, though not sure if the stallion served as a trophy due to General Washington’s victory at Yorktown, or an homage to the man he defeated, giving up any chance of winning the Revolutionary War.

Pushinka (Russian: Пушинка), known to us as ‘Fluffy’

Pushinka was a dog who was given by the Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to the President of the United States, John F. Kennedy in 1961.

Words taken from White House dog handler Traphes Bryant

“Pushinka (which the Kennedy family now refers to as Fluffy), struck up a romance with the Kennedy’s Welsh terrier, Charlie. In June 1963, Pushinka had puppies. Caroline and John-John named them Butterfly, White Tips, Blackie and Streaker. JFK referred to the puppies as pupniks since Pushinka was the daughter of a dog who had been to space on the Russians’ Sputnik 2. When the puppies were two-months-old, the First Lady picked two children from the thousands that had written to the White House asking for one of the pups. That’s how Butterfly and Streaker got adopted. The other puppies were given to family friends.”

“The father of the puppies, Charlie, was large and in charge. He bossed the other dogs around and made sure he got first dibs at dinnertime. When given the chance, he showed humans who was boss, too. If a visitor ignored him, Charlie peed on that person. Although he was not an official watchdog, he growled if someone got too close to JFK.”

Bryant describing events in the Oval Office during the Cuban missile crisis:

“I was there in Jack Kennedy’s office that day. Everything was in an uproar. I was then feet from Kennedy’s desk as Pierre Salinger ran around the office taking messages and issuing orders while the President sat looking awfully worried. There was talk about the Russian fleet coming in and our fleet blocking them off. It looked like war. Out of the blue, Kennedy suddenly called for Charlie to be brought to his office. After petting Charlie, his Welsh terrier, the president relaxed, returned Charlie to the kennel keeper, and said, ‘”I suppose that it’s time to make some decisions.”“

In his book American Legacy: The Story of John and Caroline Kennedy, author David Heymann relates a story from White House nanny Maud Shaw: “Caroline and her nanny encountered Pushinka as she was being walked by a kennel worker on the White House grounds. As Caroline reached to pet the dog, Pushinka growled.”

“Instead of recoiling, Caroline stepped behind the dog and gave it a swift kick to the rear end,” Heymann writes. “Emitting a howl, Pushinka turned tail and raced off into the night.”

When Shaw related the story to JFK, the president smiled at his daughter and said, “That’s giving it to those damn Russians!”

Animals in Judaism & Christian Theology

The photograph above is a Peruvian school’s Nativity Scene, taken by former Peace Corp. Volunteer, Alex Brouwer. The Nativity Scene depicts the Virgin Mary and Joseph solemnly looking down at the infant, Jesus, the new king of Israel, surrounded by an array of different animals, for he is their New King, as well, and they will inherit the earth, too.

Saint Francis of Assisi & the Nativity Scene

Saint Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Animals, is credited with creating the first live Nativity Scene in 1223 in order to cultivate the worship of Christ. He had recently been inspired by his visit to the Holy Land, where he’d been shown Jesus’ traditional birthplace in Bethlehem. Saint Francis’ pantomime of the Nativity Scene is the first real symbol of Christmas. The scene’s popularity spread throughout the world, inspiring other countries to stage similar Nativity Scenes.

To find out more about St. Francis and the Nativity Scene, why the Roman holiday of Saturnalia became the Happy Holy Days (Happy Holidays) and the Mass of Christ (Christmas), CLICK HERE.

Do animals praise the name of the Lord?

Psalm 148 commands all of creation to praise the Lord, including animals: “Wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and maidens, old men and children. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.” (vv. 10-13).

What would Jesus do?

Don’t give holy things to dogs, don’t throw your pearls to pigs, lest they trample them under their feet and, turning, tear you to pieces. – Matthew 7:6. (English language translation by Francis Bacon).

What would Reverend Billy Graham say?

God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he’ll be there.

Heaven-bound persons who are offended at the thought of dogs and cats frisking on the golden streets will have a difficult time with the odd beasts gathered around the throne as described in the Book of Revelation.

Or Mark Twain?

The dog is a gentleman; I hope to go to his heaven not man’s.

President William Jefferson Clinton first arrived at the White House with Socks, who in 1991 was reported to have jumped into the arms of daughter, Chelsea Clinton after piano lessons while the Clintons were living in the Governor’s Mansion in Little Rock. He was later joined in 1997 by Buddy, a Labrador Retriever, who was named after a longtime Clinton family friend who died around the time they adopted the dog.

During President Clinton’s second term, the two reportedly did not get along, with Bill Clinton later saying, I did better with the Palestinians and the Israelis than I’ve done with ‘Socks and Buddy.’

Presidential Pets and the Media

The first White House dog to receive regular newspaper coverage was Warren G. Harding’s dog, Laddie Boy.

When FDR’s Fala’s fame spread, he became the subject of books, including this 1942 picture book titled The True Story of Fala. He even starred in two MGM newsreels shown in movie theaters: Fala, the President’s Dog and Fala at Hyde Park.

Fala’s growing popularity is reflected in the thousands of letters he received from the public, where they are all preserved today among the papers stored at the Roosevelt Library.

The book, Dear Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids’ Letters to the First Pets was written by First Lady Hillary Clinton, and later appeared as cartoons in the kids’ section of the first White House website.

Millie was an English springer spaniel that was the first President Bush’s family pet. She gave birth to Spotty, who moved into the White House with the second President Bush. H. W. also had two Scottish terriers named Barney and Miss Beazley, but Spotty was the only pet to live in the White House during two administrations

“Study hard, and you might grow up to be President. But let’s face it: Even then, you’ll never make as much money as your dog.” — President George H. W. Bush, to a graduating class, referring to Millie, his dog, who earned $889,176 (about $1,979,459 today) in book royalties.

George H. W. Bush and First Lady Barbara’s Millie is the only first pet to actually write a book, Millie’s Book. And their son, George W. Bush’s Scottish terrier, Barney had his own website and appeared in Barney Cam videos.

Presidents and Pets: Bits & Pieces

• President Thomas Jefferson bought his dog, Bergere, in France. She had two puppies onboard the ship heading back to the United States.
• James Buchanan is the only president who never married. His large Newfoundland, Lara, kept him company in the White House.
• Woodrow Wilson, in office 1913-1921, owned a pet ram, named Old Ike, who was known for chewing tobacco and cigars, which makes sense as North Carolina is often referred to as the Tobacco State.

• Top Five Dog Names of 2023
  
  Girl: Luna, Bella, Daisy, Maggie and Willow
  Boy: Max, Charlie, Cooper, Teddy and Milo
  
• Goat on the Loose!
  
  Benjamin Harrison, our 23rd President ran down Pennsylvania Avenue holding on to his top hat and waving his cane, but his pet goat kept running, only stopping later after numerous Washington, D.C., residents had seen the Commander-in-Chief chasing the runaway goat.

Commander & Chief, President Joseph R. Biden

The Bidens added a puppy named Commander to their family, following the death of their beloved German Shepherd, Champ, who passed away at the age of 13. But in 2018, all the abandoned pets throughout the U.S. rejoiced when the Bidens adopted the German shepherd, Major, from the Delaware Humane Association.

Major arrived at the White House to great applause, but his time at the White House was short, after a series of biting incidents. Major was sent to Delaware in April 2021 for training, and then the White House announced that Major’s permanent home would be elsewhere, a decision based on consultations with veterinarians, dog trainers and animal behaviorists.

While it may have disappointed those hoping Major would usher in a new age of presidential shelter pets, Major’s story shows that shelter dogs, like any other pet, need time and patience to adjust, and sometimes need to find a better match.

Andrew Jackson, had a pet, a grey parrot named Polly, who learned how to swear. She later attended Jackson’s funeral but had to be removed due to loud and persistent profanity. Perhaps Polly had not forgotten that Jackson had forced thousands of American-Indian Tribal Nations to leave their ancestral homeland in his illegal Indian Relocation Act, which led to countless deaths on the Trail of Tears. And remember, like the remaining tribal nations have never forgotten, never use a twenty-dollar bill as the tyrant, Old Hickory’s face is on it.

The Cherokee People and their pets and animals on the “Trail of Tears.” Painting by Robert Lindneux, courtesy of National Geographic.

It seemed curious at first that the U.S. President Trump selected Jackson as his favorite among our past presidents. But as his years in the Oval Office progressed, it became clear that they were both cut from the same white cloth.

For more on Jackson’s illegal Indian Relocation Act, the Trail of Tears and the plight of the Cherokee Tribal Nation, CLICK HERE.

The state which has the strongest animal abuse laws

For the second year in a row Maine maintains its first-place rank, followed by Illinois (2), Oregon (3), Colorado (4) and Rhode Island (5).

New Mexico remained in 50th place, with Idaho (49), Mississippi (48), Alabama (47) and Utah (46) rounding out states with the weakest animal protection laws.

“BONNER COUNTY, Idaho — The Bonner County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) has filed charges for animal cruelty and abandonment against 45-year-old Jacob M. McCowan and 31-year-old Jessica L. Smurtwaite, after 31 Husky-type dog were found across North Idaho.”

“Sugar” is pictured resting after being adopted by Heather Toliver. The medical team from “Better Together Animal Alliance” believes she was a week to days away from dying based on her condition when she arrived at the facility in mid to late January.  Photograph courtesy of Heather Toliver, “a modern-day Patron Saint for abused animals.”   

California’s Animal Cruelty Penal Code §597(a) makes it a crime to intentionally maim, mutilate, torture, wound, or kill a living animal. Violation of CPC §597(a) can result in three years in a state prison, a fine of up to $20,000, or both a prison term and a fine.

The penalty for abuse was much worse in Ancient Egypt, where killing a cat, even accidentally, was punished by death.

The White House Wall of Shame: Presidents with no Pets

Donald J. Trump, James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson did not have any official pets while in office. But Andrew Johnson reportedly left flour out at night in his bedroom for a family of mice.

The worst presidential pets in the history of the US goes to President John Quincy Adams’ First Lady, Louisa Catherine Adams. According to one of Adams’ diary entries, she kept several hundred silkworms that she raised herself for their silk. Silk is nice, but let’s face it: Silkworms make terrible pets. They are, after all, worms. And technically, they’re caterpillars, too.

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
— Mahatma Gandhi

It is much easier to show compassion to animals. They are never wicked.
— Haile Selassie

Millard Fillmore named his two horses after the surveyor Jeremiah Dixon and astronomer Charles Mason, who guided them both to the new land of America, and created the Mason-Dixon Line. The border marked the line between Maryland and Pennsylvania, which was significant during the War Between the States, as it is significant today, drawing a line between the politics of the Northern and Southern states.

Let’s close on a happy, nonpartisan note, which I did cross the line a couple of times, and listen to Mark Knopfler’s tribute to Mason and Dixon with his song, Sailing to Philadelphia, which includes the voice of James Taylor in a duet of the song.

Attention: T-Boy Readers, Friends and Families

We hope you enjoyed Presidents and Pets, Part I:  A T-Boy Odyssey Into Why They Loved One Another. Please consider sending us photographs of your own sacred pets, including those who passed, but will never be forgotten. Your photographs will be included in the T-Boy article: T-Boy Readers and Their Pets. We can also include your name, address and narrative about your life with your pet. But it’s up to you if you’d like to do that, and we promise to send you a proof to revise. Please send to **@tr**********.com , and we will be excited upon seeing them.  

Stay tuned for Presidents and Pets, Part II: A T-Boy Odyssey Into Why They Loved One Another

Abraham Lincoln & Fido, who once had the most popular dog name in the U.S; Plantation Farmer, Thomas Jefferson & Peanut Farmer, Jimmy Carter; Lessons learned by Marine Corp’s Louis Boitano, a man with a disdain for cowardly flag wavers, in particular for ones who never experienced a real battle; Reagan Rex’s White House dog house; and (How Much) is that Doggie in the Window.

The post Presidents and Pets: A T-Boy Odyssey Into Why They Loved One Another – Tales of nonpartisan, unconditional love appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Hit By a Tacoma

Thanksgiving was yesterday but there are many things we can always be thankful for. A close friend was hit by a truck last weekend and miraculously survived with just a scratch.

Oliver was crossing the street Sunday night. Suddenly, with his peripheral vision, he noticed a huge object headed straight for him — a brand new Toyota Tacoma with the headlights turned off was about to run him down. With seconds to spare he twisted his body just enough to put both of his hands on the hood of the truck. The impact propelled him on top of the truck and then his body rolled over to the pavement.

The truck driver stepped on the brakes, jumped out and was pretty sure he had just killed someone. Oliver, was lying on the ground, was in shock, motionless and was doing a damage report in his head.

“Man, are you hurt? Should I call an ambulance?” shouted the young driver.

A voice told Oliver, to get up because he was fine … but curiously, the voice also told Oliver to ask the driver this very strange question. His exact words: “Dude, did know you ran over one of God’s messengers?!? Jesus is trying to tell you something … I don’t know what the message is … but you probably do.”

The driver didn’t know how to react to this announcement. He said he didn’t go to church. It was then when Oliver noticed the glazed look of the driver and figured the guy was high on something. A police car drove by and Oliver could have reported this DUI but he decided not to. Oliver said everything was fine. Except for a few bruises on his right elbow, he was really okay. Wherever the driver was headed, it looked like he turned around and drove back home. Of course we will never know how this story ends but hopefully, this encounter will turn this young man’s life around. Often, when we are given a mission from above, we are on a need-to-know basis — we plant a seed and leave the nurturing to others.

When Oliver shared his story, it went without saying that he was glad to be alive but more than that was this inexplicable joy to have witnessed to this stranger. Oliver didn’t even know why he said what he said. Weird, huh? You may disagree with my classification of this as some sort of miracle but how do we really classify miracles? It’s the the old glass being either half empty or half full — the same event can bless or it can curse … or it can pass as uneventful. I believe life passes by with unappreciated blessings. Whose loss would it be then?

Have you ever found yourself on a spiritual mission that you don’t understand? I have. My advice? When you feel the spiritual nudge, and you’re confident it’s legit, just go with the flow. The doors to the right path will open automatically. The results will usually benefit you beyond your wildest dreams. Like Oliver, being available for duty is an honor we should seek after. But this is just me.

Happy Thanksgiving weekend people! TGIF!

Raoul

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4: 6-7
p.s.
The start the holiday cheer, I made a very short video for you (see below). It’s a musical arrangement I made for my little band — definitely amateurish but … eh… I don’t think our group will have time to practice it so I thought I’d share it now instead of waiting another year.

JOKE OF THE WEEK

Thanks to Clinton of Arizona

Original art by Raoul Pascual.

Video of the Week

This is a silly video I made for Christmas. It’s my impression of Elvis’ Blue Christmas.
It’s low tech and pretty amateurish but whatever.
I added some extra silly stuff too. I hope you have fun with it.

Parting Shots

Thanks to Laers of Bear Valley Springs, CA

Thanks to Josh of Manhattan, NYC

Thanks to Janet of Los Angeles, CA

Thanks to Gadolina of Whittier, CA

Thanks to Joanne of Hacienda Heights, CA

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre. CA

I found these

The Traveling Boy

My good friend (and jokester) Terry and I came up with these.

SUBSCRIBE

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Man’s Best Friend: The Good, the Bad and the Noisy

Thursdays are my busiest days. It really distracts my flow of thought when people call me on Thursdays for the most trivial of reasons. So it really bothered me when Tonka and Tinker were unusually noisy today. Our corgis were in a Thursday barking mood. The slightest sound, would trigger one to yip! and the other would yap! and the cycle would continue forever. If I grow deaf early I will blame them.

At one point, I wondered if there really was something I needed to pay attention to, so I poked outside the door and they ran outside to check the parameters.

“Nope! No thieves! Check! No postman, check! No neighborhood dogs — all’s clear!”

They were barking for nothing. Nothing!!! I looked at their puppy eyes and pointed my finger at them “Quiet! No barking!I” With their ears rolled back and their saddened eyes I was pretty sure they got the message. Professor Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer, would have been proud of my discipline technique.

I go back upstairs and continue my work. A few minutes later they go at it again. Ayayay!!! Give me a break!!

Then I remembered a conversation I just had with my wife last Sunday. I said, “One of the reasons why I don’t think people should neuter their dogs is because their lives are so short. Having offspring would mean having a successor to carry the baton.”

And then my wife said something I didn’t expect. She said “Oh no, these two are the last. I will be too old to care for any dog when that time comes.”

Her remark hit me like a brick. I got nostalgic.

I remembered the unbearable grief my sister and her husband went through when their restless little monster of a shih tzu (Boris) passed away. I could see their funeral procession a mile away. I remember my good friend Ed and his wife Debbie. They had 2 dalmatians (Delphine and Cedric) that died a few years apart. I remember the last one had incontinence and pooped all over their beautiful home. I could not understand then their devotion to these animals. And how could I forget Zoe, our own shih tzu who never learned to poop outside and would eat her own poop to hide the evidence. Boy! I still miss that smelly pup. I remember his wide eyes asking me to play while his mouth dribbled with poop.

Thank God for our dogs, our cats, our birds, our lizards — why did God create them? Because He wanted to demonstrate the meaning of unconditional devotion … something even our people friends fall short of. We don’t deserve their loyalty. Yet we treat them like … like … dogs! I never thought I’d say this but with all the love they give us — we should really treat them like kings.

I guess the next time Tonka and Tinker shatter my eardrums, I should just bow down and say — long live the king!

Am I making sense?

TGIF people!

Raoul

JOKE OF THE WEEK

Thanks to Joe of Los Angeles

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Thanks to Joe of Los Angeles, CA

Long live the king!

PARTING SHOTS

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA

Thanks to Hannah of South Dakota

Thanks to Maling of New Manila

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA

I found these

THE TRAVELING BOY

My good friend (and jokester) Terry and I came up with these.

The post Counseling Breakthrough appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Domestication

Question: What is a sure sign you’re past your prime?
Answer: When you get domesticated.

These past weeks, with my wife gone visiting her Mom, I’ve been walking our dogs around the neighborhood. Since then, I’ve gotten to know my neighbors so much more. If you ever want to run for office, owning a dog is one way of meeting people and getting votes. I get all the local news — crime, home repairs, trusted handymen, best places to eat, and the pooping habits of pets. For instance:

• I know that Emiliano (a young kid who used to kick his soccer ball on the wall) broke the window pane in their house and he now has to pay over $100 from his allowance.
• Everybody hates this reckless young man who doesn’t pick up after his 200 pound monstrosity of a Boxer. “Who does he think he is?” inquired an angry resident.
• The reason Jeanett doesn’t let her French poodle run around anymore is because her dog slipped her disc when she ran too fast.
• Don’t underestimate Drake, a slow moving old bloodhound because his sense of smell is incredibly powerful. Believe it or not, “he smelled a chicken bone a block away,” said his master proudly.
• The reason no one seems to live in a brand new house at the corner is because it’s rumored to be a safehouse for the Chinese spies.

Yes, I know my neighbors and my neighbors know me. Indeed, when the urge to get ahead in your career is replaced by the curiosity of the name of your neighbor’s pet, you know life’s beginning to slow down. You’re domesticated.

My daughter saw me walking the dogs with my unkempt hair, baggy sweat pants and oversized sweater. She said I looked like an old man wobbling down the street. Her remark startled me. I used to think I would never grow old but seeing myself from her eyes, I knew she was right. But you know what? It’s not so bad. I actually like my new persona.

So don’t worry about that white strand of hair or that new wrinkle. Don’t waste your money on a pound of makeup or worse! — plastic surgery! — just to end up looking like a weird expressionless alien from Hollywood. Embrace your transition into the domesticated army. It’s a lot more fun!

TGIF people!

Raoul

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Bob of Whittier, CA

Video of the week

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA

Parting Shots

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA

I found these

My good friend (and jokester) Terry and I came up with these.

The post Age Is Just a Number appeared first on Traveling Archive.

“We are proud to recognize the winners of the 2023 New Products Showcase Awards,” said Celeste Powers, President of PIDA. “With more than 1,000 submissions for this year’s awards, voting was extremely competitive amongst some of the pet industry’s best, from newcomers to industry juggernauts. Congratulations to this year’s winners!”

The 45,000-square-foot New Products Showcase space on Global Pet Expo’s show floor recognizes the year’s best creative efforts in new products and point-of-purchase displays. Winners were announced during the pet industry’s premier event from the New Products Showcase “Spotlight Stage.” This year’s event was emceed by Sterling Davis, founder of the nonprofit TrapKing Humane Cat Solutions and social media influencer known as the “cat rapper,” and Nathan Kehn, content creator and social media influencer known as “Nathan the Cat Lady.”

“New Products Showcase is a bright spot amongst the many events offered at Global Pet Expo. It allows us to spotlight revolutionary new products within the industry that are truly reflective of the market. We continue to be impressed by the breadth and innovation displayed at the New Products Showcase,” said APPA President and CEO Peter Scott. “Being selected as a winner gives exhibitors added product visibility among all show attendees, including media and buyers, as well post-show promotional opportunities.”
The New Products Showcase features the latest products and designs hitting the market each year. Out of the more than 1,000 submissions received this year, the following were selected as winners by voters.

Aquatic

Best In Show: AquaSprouts Aquarium Garden, Pet Retail Direct Inc.
Second Place: Low Boy, Zoo Med
Third Place: Betta/Ornamental Shrimp Aquarium Starter Kits, SunnyWay (Oscar)

Bird

Best In Show: Happy Beaks Enhanced Interactive & Humanized Toys, A&E Cage Company LLC
Second Place: Manna Pro Superworm Swarm, Compana Pet Brands
Third Place: Foraging Fun Pack for Pet Birds, Lafeber-EmerAid

Boutique

Best in Show: Wigglin’ Snake, Ethical Products Inc./Fieldcrest Farms
Second Place: Cuppy Cake, Puppy Cake
Third Place: Strawberry Yak Cheese Chews for Dogs, Yak9 Dog Chews

Cat

Best in Show: LickiMat® Riser™, LickiMat
Second Place: Made by Nacho Digestive Support Turkey & Pumpkin, Made by Nacho
Third Place: PETJOA Kitty-Medi-Check, FutureBioWorksUSA Corp.

Dog

Best in Show: PetCakes Complete Baking Kit for Dogs, Lucky Paws Inc.
Second Place: Strawberry Yak Cheese Chews for Dogs, Yak9 Dog Chews
Third Place: Dr. Bob Goldstein’s Wisdom® Original 3-Part Blend, Earth Animal

Natural Pet

Best in Show: Bocce’s Bakery Food Toppers, Bocce’s Bakery
Second Place: Scented Soy Candle for Pet Odors, Project Sudz
Third Place: Roots – The Wolf, Adored Beast Apothecary

Point of Purchase

Best in Show: Birthdays Start Here Tray, Puppy Cake
Second Place: MOON RUNNER, Exotic Nutrition Pet Products
Third Place: PetPlate Gently Cooked Entrées Impulse Freezer, PetPlate

Reptile

Best in Show: Zylafen® for Reptiles, ZYMOX and Oratene by Pet King Brands
Second Place: Josh’s Frogs Dart Frog BioBedding (4 quart), Josh`s Frogs
Third Place: biOrb EARTH Vivarium, OASE Living Water

Small Animal

Best in Show: “NIBBLES” Pride Follow the Rainbow SA Collection, A&E Cage Company LLC
Second Place: Natural Behaviors® Foraging Pellets, FM Brown`s Sons Inc.
Third Place: The Halo, Happy Habitats

Global Pet Expo, the pet industry’s premier event, is presented by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA). The show features more than 1,000 exhibitors, 3,500 booths and over 3,000 new product launches annually. Each year, the event gathers 6,000+ pet product buyers from around the world. Global Pet Expo is open to independent retailers, distributors, mass-market buyers, media and other qualified professionals. For more information about the New Products Showcase Awards and Global Pet Expo, visit GlobalPetExpo.org.

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) is the leading trade association serving the interests of the pet products industry since 1958. APPA membership includes nearly 1,000 pet product manufacturers, their representatives, importers and livestock suppliers representing both large corporations and growing business enterprises. APPA’s mission is to promote, develop and advance pet ownership and the pet product industry and to provide the services necessary to help its members prosper. APPA is also proud to grow and support the industry through the following APPA Gives Back initiatives: Pets Add Life (PAL), the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) Pets and Vets Program, the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) and Pet Care Trust and Pets in the Classroom. Visit AmericanpPetProducts.org.

Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA) is the premier trade association representing the interests of pet product distributors since 1968. The mission of PIDA is to enhance the well-being of the wholesaler-distributor, to promote partnerships with their suppliers and customers and to work cooperatively with other organizations in fostering the human-companion animal bond. PIDA is also proud to grow and support the industry through the following initiatives: the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) and Pet Care Trust and Pets in the Classroom. Visit PIDA.org.

The post Winners of 13th Annual New Products Showcase Awards Recognized in Orlando at Global Pet Expo 2023 appeared first on Traveling Archive.

A Bald Move

I finally did it!

My hair is gone. My Favio days are over. No longer will I be able to flick my hair in the wind. The last strands of my salt and pepper locks washed down the sink. When I look in the mirror, there’s a stranger that greets me.

Unfortunately, going bald was a procedure that didn’t go very smoothly. I thought I had a good understanding about what was involved but no. It was a comedy of errors. In case you are thinking about balding your head too, let me share what happened. Learn from my mistakes.

I saw this video commercial of this shaver and this bald guy saying that it was so easy to maintain his baldness with that gadget. So I went online and bought the cheapest rotary electric shaver. I thought this was going to be a piece of cake. I didn’t know you’re only supposed to use that shaver to maintain an existing bald head. So when I tried it on my overgrown buzz cut the shaver got stuck and literally tried to yank the individual follicles. I was thinking of retreating and doing more research but when I saw the unbalanced hairless patch on my front lobe, I knew I had reached the point of no return.

I figured I needed to trim the hair as close to the scalp as possible to avoid the snags. But even that didn’t work. I’m not a shaver. I never had a lot of facial hair so I usually shave with just water. I remember seeing a movie where the barber puts this white foamy stuff before he shaved his customer. Aha! That’s the secret — shaving cream! Somebody had given me a shaving cream for Christmas some 10 years ago. The can was rusty but the content was still good. I was surprised it still worked. I massaged that cream into a lather and put it on my scalp. I waited a few minutes to soften my skin then proceeded to shave with a cheap plastic disposable shaver. It was like raking leaves with a toothbrush. It was a tedious process because I needed to wash down the clumps of hair that got stuck in the shaver. But eventually, I shaved off half of my head — the half that I could see. The hair on my nape and at the back were impossible to reach.

So I asked my daughter for help because she’s had experience cutting her friends’ hair. “You’re doing it all wrong! You’re supposed to use a shearer,” she said. “I thought that was only for sheep,” I laughed. She didn’t think it was funny.

“With a shearer this could be done so easily,” she said with authority.

“But we don’t have a shearer,” I said, “so let’s just do with what we have.”

“Like most projects, you need the right tools. This is so wrong! You can get a shearer at Walmart for $15,” she nagged, “I don’t want to do this. I’m afraid I will cut you. Why don’t you just buy a shearer?”

“Why will I buy a $15 shearer when I will never use it again?”

“You’re so cheap, Papa! If you want, I can borrow my friend’s shearer. I really don’t want to do this,” she repeated.

Nag, nag, nag. I realize I’m arguing with her with my head looking like a messy, sticky white blob-dripping modern mixed-medium sculpture. Her heart wasn’t in it so I told her to stop and washed up. Mission failed. Half of my back was still unshaven. I never felt so ridiculously ugly. As I lay in bed in defeat, I pictured myself in Walmart … people staring, laughing behind my back wondering where this Klingon from Star Trek came from — giving them a Vulcan hand gesture I say “I come in peace! Lead me to your shearers!”

In the middle of my self-pity, my wife comes in the bedroom and laughs at my head. She has never cut anyone’s hair in her life so I didn’t even bother to ask her. But desperate times call for desperate measures — I asked if she could finish the job. Surprisingly, she said she’d do it. My wife! My savior! My friend!

It was back in the sink and back to the lather and disposable shaving blade. It wasn’t even a minute when she realized what she had gotten into. It was nag, nag, nag again!

“Why don’t you just go to the barber tomorrow? Why don’t you get that shearer, etc.” It’s unmistakable that she is my daughter’s mother — a nonstop recording of how this was a bad idea. I decided to shut my mouth and laughed at this silly predicament I got myself into. It didn’t take more than 30 minutes but with the yakking, it seemed like hours. It was done. I was completely bald. Thank you! (So that’s what wives are for.)

WHAT IT”S LIKE BEING BALD

A quick shower and I rubbed my head. What a weird feeling. I thought it was going to be smooth like a baby’s bottom but it actually feels like sandpaper because of the little stubs of hair clinging on for dear life. And there are mounds and craters in my scalp that I never knew existed because they were always covered with hair. And it’s cold when I lay my head on the cold leather sofa. I now understand why baldies wear beanie caps. When I bump my head I feel the full force of the impact. I’m afraid I might crack my skull.

It’s obvious where I cut myself shaving. You can’t call it a bad hair day so what do you call it? The worst part is the pigment areas where I shaved are so much lighter than the rest of my head. I think I should go get a tan somewhere.

I don’t know about you, but getting a haircut is a pampering ritual that never appealed to me. The advantage with this new look, is I will never never never have to go to a barber for the rest of my life. Was it worth it? Oh yeah … I think so.

TGIF people!

Raoul

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Frank of Alhambra, CA

Videos of the Week

Thanks to Garie of the City of Paranaque, Philippines for this thought-provoking essay from Carl Sagan called “The Pale Blue Dot.”

Another one from Garie. This time a funny story about a Polish Man.

Thanks to Wynn of Mandaluyong, Philippines, for this quick quiz. I didn’t know the answer to 3 of them.

Parting Shots

These I found:

The post A Special Pig appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Dog Rescue

First of all, thanks for all the heartfelt sympathies for the loss of my brother. To know there are many who are praying made this time of mourning easier to deal with.

Let’s move to a lighter topic. Let’s talk about a friend I developed in the house/farm where I stayed in Dalipuga, Philippines. The pace of life was so slow I actually befriended the local animals. One of them was a dog named Artie.

I heard a harsh bark coming from the back of the house. Sounded like an old dog straining to catch attention. What I saw was disheartening. Artie had a tight noose around her neck. Her gray-white fur was muddied and there were patches of exposed skin. Her staring eyes wondered if I was friend or foe. She cowered when I approached and moved as far away from me as the chain would allow. Slowly, I reached out my hand and pat her on the head. Eventually, I started to give her a good massage. All the while, I could see she was trying to process this strange sensation — as if, for the first time, someone actually recognized she was an animal who had dignity.

In the Philippines a few fortunate dogs (who are owned by rich masters) are treated well and live in cages and are let loose certain times of the day. Today there is a trend among the well-to-do to get the smaller breeds for companionship. But most dogs are treated as commodities. Their main use is for security. That’s why the preference is for big scary hounds. They are tied down near the entrances to sound the alarm for any stranger coming within the premises. Some home owners build up quite a collection of these hounds. One of my cousins has close to 20 of them. When one barks the whole caboodle follow like a howling orchestra; and the neighborhood wakes up; and the lights turn on; and this goes on for several minutes.

Dogs live off leftover scraps. Many are malnourished. A few limp because they’ve been run over while crossing the busy streets. Very rare are the pure bred. Many never bathe and are filthy. Yet strangely, all dogs, worship their masters. Whether man realizes it or not, they are indeed man’s best friend.

According to Tata (our house helper) Artie was in chains since she was a puppy. I had to put a stop to this abuse and had Artie bathed and released. What a transformation. She was actually all white. She pranced around the compound like a wild stallion taking in the wind rushing down her body with her tongue hanging out. After she had done exploring do you know where she went? She nestled close to the kitchen where Tata (her master) worked. And wherever Tata would go (to feed the chickens or take the goats out to pasture) there was Artie following along to make sure things were going smoothly. Occasionally, she would pounce on Tata to give her a hug making all of us laugh at Artie’s need for affection.

I would see Artie frolicking about wagging her tongue and tail, it felt good to know I had a part in her happiness. Alas, signs of the trauma of growing up were still visible. Whenever I was alone with Artie and tried to pat her head, she would move away — just like the first time I met her. I learned to let her smell my hand first to let her know I was still a friend. Then I would give her a mean massage that she thoroughly enjoyed.

Who is more important?

Before you start criticizing the Filipinos for the way they treat their dogs, take a step back and take off your western glasses. Stop judging by western standards. We who treat our dogs better than we treat some of our fellow humans — whose culture is doing a better job of compassion? Are dogs more important than humans? Growing up, the answer to that question was very simple. Today, I’m not sure we will agree.

There is a mention of a dog in the Bible in Matthew 15:21-28 — a desperate Canaanite woman asked Jesus (a Jew, her sworn enemy) to help remove a demon from her daughter. Jesus seemingly insults the woman — essentially saying “why must I help you? Shouldn’t I help my own people first? Let the Jews eat first and you can eat the crumbs that fall on the floor just like a dog would.” In genuine humility, the woman admits she is a dog but like a dog she will still be content with just the crumbs.

So, even during those times, dogs have been treated so badly. It is only today that we give them so much importance.

To choose who is more important is difficult. But it’s not difficult to show kindness to anyone — humans or dogs. If we show kindness to both, then perhaps we won’t have to choose.

TGIF people!

Raoul

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Peter Paul of South Pasadena, CA for this joke.

Parting Shots

Thanks to Jacqueline of Pasadena, CA

Thanks to Rodney of Manitoba, B.C.

I found these series of dog jokes to fit our topic today

The post I know the whole truth appeared first on Traveling Archive.