Day 4051: Surf-a-Thon and Thomas.

"Courage": photo, collage, digital.

    

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Canines Took Top Honors in an Annual Dog Surf-A-Thon

The Dog Surf-A-Thon took place Sunday at Del Mar Dog Beach in Del Mar, California. The event benefits the Helen Woodward Animal Center, an animal welfare organization, in raising money for orphan pets and programs.

The winners from left to right: Sugar in first place, followed by Delilah and Guinness in second and third place respectively.

The California beach was flooded with canine pups on surfboards hitting the waves for a good cause. More than 50 surfing dogs (a.k.a. “SurFURs”) participated in the event. Their performance was judged based on the “length of their ride, wave technique, enthusiasm and confidence on the board,” according to the animal center in a press release. 

 

Sugar, earned first place in "Best in Surf" competition.

The first, second and third place winners were evaluated for each weight class and the first-place winners moved on to the "Best in Surf" finals. 

 

 

When my three Grandhunk's were little we spent a considerable amount of time watching Thomas the Tank Engine on television. A sweet, appealing series for youngsters and their grandparents.

   

I happened to read today that everyone's favorite anthropomorphic railway locomotive has a new friend! The long-running children's show "Thomas and Friends" is introducing its first autistic character. 

 

Bruno the brake car loves puns and rail schedules (same, Bruno). He also has a lantern to indicate his emotional state and ear defenders that can puff steam if he feels sensitive to loud noises. The new series regular will be voiced by autistic actors Chuck Smith, 10, and Elliot Garcia, 9, in the US and the UK, respectively. Mattel developed the character of Bruno with the help of autistic writers and organizations in the United States and Europe, including the Autism Self Advocacy Network and the UK's National Autistic Society.

  

Elliott Garcia voices Bruno the Brake Car in the UK version of "Thomas & Friends."

Garcia, from Reading, England, expressed his delight at winning the role, adding that he was “really excited and happy” about autistic characters being represented in the beloved animated series. “He (Bruno) is funny, smart, and he’s a very relaxed character. He can get really overwhelmed, he can get worried, and he uses comedy to get past situations,” Garcia said of the character. Garcia also said he can relate to Bruno’s ear defenders “because if there’s a really loud noise, I can’t cope. I have to think of new strategies, same as Bruno.”

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability caused by differences in the brain. People with autism can have social and communication difficulties as well as repetitive behaviors or restricted interests. 
In a 2017 report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that over 2% of US adults were living with autism. 

“It’s also important that non-autistic children get insight and understanding into what it can be like to be autistic.”

 

 

 

A 5 minute video, Kai, here.

 

Just because ...

   

Green-headed Tanager

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