“Pilots Offer Abandoned Pets Second Chance At Life - msnbc.com” plus 1 more

Pilots Offer Abandoned Pets Second Chance At Life - msnbc.com

Posted: 19 Sep 2010 04:47 PM PDT

NEW ORLEANS — WDSU .com

While families are making tough decisions to give up their pets after disasters strike New Orleans one after another, a group of volunteer pilots is opening its arms to give them a second chance at life.

Volunteer animal rescuer Vickie Stevens on Saturday bade farewell at the New Orleans Lakefront Airport to Abigail, a fun-loving pooch mix she has grown close to.

"I don't know why she's in this position she was in (but) she's a lot better off (than) where she is now," Stevens said.

Abigial is among the roughly 130 dogs rescued by the Pilots and Paws Gulf Coast Rescue Flyaway, a volunteer program where pilots donate their time, fuel and planes to transport abandoned animals to their new homes.

"A lot of these animals have been victims of the oil spill," Debbie Boies, of the Pilots and Paws said. "They've been turned in from loving homes because they can no longer afford them."

"Not only because of Katrina but (because of) the BP problem, there are a lot of folks who claim they can't afford to keep their animals loose on the streets and of course the SPCA picks them up and they've got more than they can handle and they euthanize about 75 percent of them," Pilots and Paws' Bob Albrect noted.

Through Pilots and Paws, the pets are offered a second chance at life and volunteers say that no matter where these furry friends go, they'll carry the spirit of New Orleans with them.

"At the end of the day, the most important thing is that the animals have somewhere to go where they'll be loved again and cared for," Abana Jacobs, of the Subaru of America, Inc. said.

Pilots and Paws said the animals will find new homes in Florida, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, Tennessee and Iowa.

"I was told the shelters in new Jersey were empty so hopefully they have a lot of responsible pet owners there that will take good loving care of our dogs," Stevens said.

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Today's letters: Pets at restaurants - Blueridgenow.com

Posted: 19 Sep 2010 12:58 PM PDT

Published: Sunday, September 19, 2010 at 11:23 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, September 19, 2010 at 11:23 a.m.

To The Editor: Don't get me wrong, I love animals. Some of my fondest memories are of my early years with our toy collie roaming the woods and fields around our farmhouse. However, I don't like sharing my meal at an outdoor eatery with a dog sitting next to me licking his behind, while I try to eat my bowl of soup. Or a dog that barks at every passing animal. Or a dog or cat that has to obey nature's calling right there on the sidewalk. I'm sorry, but I don't agree with the restaurant owners who will allow pets to share outside eating areas. I will go elsewhere.

Fred DeJohn

Hendersonville

Stone's column

To The Editor: In last Sunday's paper, I found and enjoyed a nice little article about a visit to the ER after Pam Stone's husband almost sliced off the tip of his finger. I would love to see more of this kind of human-interest story to liven up the newspaper.

Christine Zimmerman

Hendersonville

Social democracy

To The Editor: Kevin McKee's Aug. 24 response to Grady Hawkins' Aug. 8 letter is annoying. McKee's (referring to Hawkins) "there is no accounting for this level of ignorance" and then stating "we are a social democracy" and citing the VA as an exemplary example of socialized medicine shows enormous ignorance on his part.

The U.S. is, by the Constitution, a federal republic. Many socialists, including presidents, have tried to change this, even though government officials' oath of office generally require they support the Constitution.

The Constitution, of course, can and has been changed (27 times to date). However, the president, Congress and the Supreme Court separately or combined do not have that authority. Only a three-fourths majority of the states that make up the republic do.

The VA hospital system is available only to veterans who earned VA coverage as part of their pay for serving in the military.

McKee is correct in that Obama is our president, supposedly representing all Americans (He is one of only two elected Washington officials so charged). Unfortunately, only 23 percent of the population and 33 percent of those of voting age actually voted for him (20 percent of the population and 28 percent of those of voting age voted against him) and many of his actions don't support the majority of voters.

Lewis Kenyon

Hendersonville

Bad things?

To The Editor: I believe absolutely in S.I. Hayakawa's rule, "The word is not the thing."

It applies admirably regarding foul language where ignoring it results in foolishly and/or confusing behavior.

For example, we have silly euphemisms — heck, goldarn, sugar, fudge and numbers one and two.

Pregnant was verboten as was rape leading to such idiotic reports as "although brutally beaten, she was not assaulted."

Again, here are some lyrics from Cole Porter's "Anything Goes": "Good authors too who once knew better words, now only use four-letter words writing prose, anything goes."

Wow, a euphemism for a euphemism. A world record?

But, let's take it further or in a different direction, do these words really represent bad things? Do they not generally represent body parts not dissimilar to "ears" or normal human behavior like "sleeping" or "breathing?" Why ought some people believe that things that ordinary people all have or do be considered nasty?

Ought any words be considered taboo? Certainly — denigrating terms, "war," "torture," "collateral damage," "rape," "Hitler," Vlad Dracula," and perhaps worst of all, "dikcheney."

Joseph D. Haley

Hendersonville

Wake up, America

To The Editor: I, too, am alarmed, alarmed that you on the left still don't get it about the New York City mosque. It's not about denying them their constitutional rights to freedom of religion, regardless of skewed polls results caused by inaccurate questions. It is about them flaunting the massacre in our faces. It is about the radical Islamic sector claiming victory over the infidels and becoming bolder in their war to defeat the great Satan. Read the history of Islam and what they did after conquering their enemies or be doomed to repeat it. It is about being force-fed guilt by the left, being called bigots if you disagree and that you need to be sensitive and tolerant because they are a minority. Why? Has anyone noticed that nobody's being sensitive or tolerant of our feelings in general and the victims' families in particular. Sensitivity and tolerance on the road to harmony is a two-way street. I am angry that I keep being told I'm going the wrong way on a one-way street. Wake up, America, PC is killing you, and you don't seem to see it. Stop allowing are own laws to be used against us.

Ray Renneberg

Etowah

Pardee Pavilion

To The Editor: I would like to say a few words about the Pardee Pavilion and what a great service it provides for our community. For the past two years and two months, my wife, has been taking part in its adult day care program. This has prolonged her ability to stay at home and live a normal life.

Without the Pardee Pavilion, I don't know what I would have done as the stress is tremendous on a caregiver.

I would like to thank Karla Reese and her staff for their professional care of my loved one.

I highly recommend this program to anyone in our community who is faced with caring for someone with dementia.

Harry Ryttenberg

Hendersonville

Day of Peace

To The Editor: You are invited to join the celebration on Tuesday for the International Day of Peace to be held on Main Street on the steps of our Historic Courthouse. The festivities begin at noon, and our program will end at 1 p.m. Mayor Barbara Volk and other dignitaries will be featured as well as exciting live music. This program is being sponsored by the Advocates for the Department of Peace and Nonviolence of Henderson County. We look forward to your participation in our exciting program. Be the peace you wish to see in the world.

Geri Conley

Hendersonville

Black feedback

To the editor: I recently read Stephen Black's column on Sept. 4 regarding Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and religion. I'm wondering if you could please tell me which asylum he writes from?

Norman Campbell

Hendersonville

Miller praise

To the editor: I have noted in your letters from readers, that there are many who sing Jeff Miller's praises.

May I say to them, bravo.

Jack Gates

Hendersonville

Shuler's position

To the editor: U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler would not commit to his position on Obamacare up and until Nancy Pelosi was assured of passage and he could vote "no."

Today, there is a way to force a vote on Obamacare that cannot be prevented by a committee of Nancy Pelosi's. It is H.R. 4972, a discharge petition.

A beautifully crafted 40-word solution: "Effective as of the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, such Act is repealed, and the provisions of law amended or repealed by such Act are restored or revised as if such act had not been enacted."

The House Democrats have tied up the legislation. To maneuver around the political obstacle, a total of 218 signatures are needed to force a vote on the House floor. On Aug. 10, an article posted on U.S. Rep. Steve King's (R-Iowa) website, reported there were 170 signatures, of which Rep. Shuler was not one.

Call Shuler's office and demand he sign and thereby take a legitimate stand against Obamacare and not hide his true intentions one more time.

Keep Nov. 2, 2010, in mind if Shuler fails to support the repeal of Obamacare. Make your voice heard.

John Meyer

Hendersonville

Jobs for troops

To the editor: Help is needed for all the servicemen coming home to be discharged. Where are these poor guys going to get a job? They might get some mustering out pay, but what happens after that? With the national unemployment rate at 9.6 percent in August, there aren't too many jobs out there. With our national debt soaring out of sight, I doubt our leader can come up with any help for our servicemen. Maybe some of them will re-enlist to avoid coming back to no jobs. They sure deserve all we can give them for a job well done. God bless all of our servicemen.

Bob Behmer

Hendersonville

Pets Zone

Monday, September 20, 2010