Happy Birthday Marine Corps

       Today is the Marine Corps birthday…hope it is a great one for all of our men and women in the Corps.  God bless you for all of your sacrifices for us civilians.  For those serving overseas we thank you and we appreciate you. To all of the Marines who serve here at home on U.S. soil…your sacrifice is also appreciated.  May you have safety and well-being till you are stateside and home again with your family & loved ones!

         Quite often on the news, all we hear about is those who dishonor the Corps or who choose to perpetrate violence outside of war.  Those stories put a black mark on the minds of people who don’t have personal knowledge of the quality of most Marines.  I want to acknowledge the fact that there are more men and women who serve the United States in good standing; than there are who fail to act honorably.  Just by living their lives decently and serving when called upon to do so…they are heros.  It takes courage & commitment to serve in the armed forces.  They risk life and limb and deserve respect for what they give during their time in the military.  We need to honor them and support them; not just at the holiday time…but, year round.  Support their family members who sacrifice alot as well…by being seperated from their service person.

        This week, several Marines made the news with their heroic actions by saving many people staying in a hotel when they discovered that the hotel was on fire.  They immediately went into action and alerted the hotel guests to the fire and told them to evacuate.  One Marine said…this is what we are trained to do…when there is danger we are trained to go in…not run away! The williness to serve, that the Corps instills in it’s personel, is nothing less than admirable.  God bless each and every one.  So, for those who are serving in the Corps today; or, those who have formerly served in the Corps…thank you.   If you see a Marine today…tell them thank you for serving and wish them a Happy Birthday!  Semper Fi

      

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Bravery Is…

        Bravery is doing things you don’t want to do, facing things you don’t want to face, feeling things you don’t want to feel, taking a risk, acknowledging that you aren’t in control of all things related to you and yet, putting one foot in front of the other, regardless.

         Being brave doesn’t just apply to the larger things in life that we all have to deal with…bravery is applying the aforementioned things to the everyday, mundane events that take place in our lives and not giving up! 

          In both big and small moments we are brave…sometimes we are timid; that is ok.  Life is all about support and knowing where to get it when you need it.  You don’t have to be brave alone.  🙂  Was today a timid day or was it a test of bravery?  Big moment or small?  Did you reach out for support when you needed it?  Your timid day might be someone else’s brave day and tomorrow might be your day of bravery!  In the area of encouragement…be a giver and a taker…life will open up to you when you do so.

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Love Babies? Give A Fan For A Shower Gift

       Every year in the United States approximately 2,500 babies die of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).  Even though those numbers have come down substantially over the years…even one death a year from SIDS is one infant death too many.  So, research on ways of preventing those deaths is very important.

       A new study is suggesting that having a fan, in the room of an infant, can greatly reduce the possibility of death by SIDS by up to 72% according to the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine.  Check it out here: http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/   Invited to a baby shower?  Show your love and concern by gifting the new parents with a fan and a printout of the reasons of the importance of the gift regarding the health of their baby!  Educate parents, first time parents or teenaged parents, grandparents of the new research; empower them with the newest safety information. 

        While the understanding of the role of the fan, in the prevention of deaths of infants from SIDS, is not clearly understood…it was found that rooms that were heated to above 69 degrees benefitted by the use of a fan in the prevention of death from SIDS.  It is thought that overly warm temperatures increase the potential of death by SIDS. 

         Another possible benefit of using a fan in the infant’s room is that the fan helps to circulate the air flow around the baby.  Babies who are put to sleep on their backs do better as well, because babies who sleep on their stomachs have less airflow in the early months of life; when their necks are too weak to lift their heads if the airflow is not sufficient for healthy breathing.  There has been a big campaign to educate parents to use the BACK TO SLEEP plan for this reason.  Babies who sleep on their stomachs also have a larger incidence of rebreathing in carbon dioxide that they have exhaled.  A fan can help to circulate the air around babies.  Still, putting an infant to sleep on their back is a better solution to keeping the airflow open around baby.  Important:  Just remember that when using a fan…keep the cords away from small hands that could pull the fan down and cause injury. 

         What else can a parent do to keep their newborn infants safe from SIDS?  First of all, putting a baby to sleep on their backs in a crib with a firm mattress is an important part of the equasion.    The crib must have the side rail bars or slats spaced 2 3/8 inches apart or less; so that a baby does not get trapped between the bars.   Next, comes the idea of dressing the baby with adequate clothing to keep the baby warm; but, not so many articles of clothing as to overheat the baby.  Keep the crib free from toys, from blankets or pillows or even bumper pads that cannot be firmly attached to the side of the crib.  It is important to keep all items away from an infant that doesn’t have the ability to turn it’s head or to push away from anything that can block it’s airflow.

          Never lay an infant to sleep on an adult bed or extremely soft or conforming surface.  Cuddle time is important…but, doing so in an adult bed could allow the adult to fall asleep.  It is not worth the risk of falling asleep with your infant beside you, when you are not awake enough to keep watch over your young infant.  No one wants to live with regrets on a tragedy that could be avoided by remembering that safety comes first regarding your baby.

          If you are leaving your child in the care of a grandparent or a caregiver…it is wise to include this new information on the best way to keep your baby safe.  Take the small fan with you when you are entrusting others to care for your small child.  Make sure that they follow your direction in the way that you wish your child to be cared for.  It may be different than they have previously cared for other young babies…but, it is never too late to learn.  If they wish to care for your child…express the need for them to follow this guideline of using the fan and not bundling your child up with unneccessary blankets and clothing.

           Many years ago, i knew a young family that lost an infant daughter to SIDS.  It was a horrendous event in their family life.   In fact, their marriage didn’t survive more than another couple of years after the death of their child.   I can’t help but wonder, if this information was available then…would their child have lived?  How many babies can be saved with this new information?

          Here is a great site that can offer more tips on infant safety for parents of young infants regarding SIDS prevention:  http://sids.org/nprevent.htm  Did you learn anything new in this blog post that you felt was beneficial to you; or, someone that you know who has a young infant?

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A Life Worth Saving-National Suicide Prevention Week

      Anyone who has lost someone to death realizes just how precious life is.  Anyone who has lost someone, due to suicide, realizes what a waste of precious life, suicide is.  No one wants to talk about the horror of suicide; there is no way, to make the subject easy to discuss.  When the media does a story on suicide…it seems that there is an increase in suicides attempts that take place.  It is a careful balance to bring awareness to a terrible tragedy that affects so very many people; and yet, not give it so much attention that it plants seeds in the minds of those who are most vulnerable.  Here is a site that can shed some light on the subject:  http://www.suicidology.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=2

         This week is National Suicide Prevention Week.  It is important to bring the message of hope and restoration.  Hurting people need to have a reason to live; they need to know that someone cares and is listening to them.  Those same people need human intervention to help them when they are vulnerable.   It is crucial to educate the public on ways to observe and interact with individuals who are struggling in their life and may be at risk for a suicide attempt.  People experiencing loss, loneliness, physical or mental health problems, financial problems, depression or isolation are at risk.   Every life has value and is worth saving!  Won’t you take a few minutes to learn more?

        There is a team of committed people who are working very hard to educate and bring awareness to the public about the issue of suicide prevention.  The team is called Ken McArthur’s Impact Action Team; and they are trying to communicate the importance of teen suicide prevention.  Here is a glimpse into the combined efforts of the Impact Action Team : http://speakupsavelives.org/general/speak-up-save-lives-message-to-be-broadcast-live-to-15-million-people-wednesday-morning-at-730-am-on-comcast-cn8  Check out their message and their goals…witness the impact that individuals can have by joining together with like-minded people.  Have you been affected by suicide during your lifetime?  If you could do ONE thing to help prevent a suicide, what would it be?  Speak up…someone who needs to know could be listening! 

       

       

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What’s Little Ol’ Me Doing on a call with a Billion Dollar Marketing Dream Team?

          What’s little ol me doing on a call with a Billion Dollar Marketing Dream Team?  I remember starting out with a lot of self-doubt and I pushed myself to take a risk to either fail or succeed.  The only thing i can figure about my being asked to join the call is; that each one of those people started out with a goal, an idea or a dream.  They built up their businesses by learning and growing in their area of expertise.  They each had mentors, role models, and experts that they were smart enough to connect with.  This helped them with their goals and helped them to build up their accomplishments allowing them to live the life of their choosing. 

           The call is a free tele-seminar that i was asked to join, by businessman Michael Penland.  This call is for small business owners and internet marketers who want to grow their business larger and aren’t quite sure how to go about it or want to discover what they are missing.  Learning how to make extra money is never a bad thing when you are willing to work towards your goals.

            I am not a business-person.  I am a wife,mother, daughter and blogger.  I sure do wish to grow my blog; i would love for it to be bigger and better.  Michael Penland knows how to attract people who are good at what they do.  I would like to learn as much as the next person.  Michael heard about my blog and asked me to join on the call.  I am a bit nervous, as I am not sure where he will go with the short interview…there are others on the call who will have much to say; and, are very accomplished in what they do.  Let the call be an encouragement to your future; commit to the call by registering for free.

             If you have a business or website that you would like to grow…you might want to join the call tonight at 9pm eastern time.  It is free after all; and, if it helps you to discover how to make your dreams come true…then, it is worth sacrificing a little time on a tele-seminar.  Here is a link to register…there are only 200 lines open so hurry.  http://tinyurl.com/6k3tpr   Is your dream worth a little time on a call?

             

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Signed, Sealed, Delivered…Swat’s Yours!!!

        A very frightening story hit the news this past week…a Mayor’s family in Maryland was treated to the life changing experience of being treated like a criminal; and surprised by an alledged forced entry appearance by a swat team that was performing a drug raid.  It was July 29th; the Mayor Cheye Calvos arrived home and saw a package on his front door step addressed to his wife, he took it in the home and set it down, unopened.  He then went to change his clothes; but, before he could re-dress…he heard gunfire in his home. 

         He was then taken downstairs and handcuffed on the floor alongside of his mother-in-law.  That is when he saw the bodies of his beloved dogs bleeding on the floor.  They had been shot by the swat team.  He tried to tell them that he was the Mayor; but, he was not believed.  That was something that, seems to me, should have been verified before the raid…who the homeowner was, before they went into the home with guns firing.  There was no knocking, no announcement of entry from what i have heard and read.

         A drug sniffing dog flagged a package in Arizona; sent from Los Angeles, through the delivery service Fed Ex, that contained 32 lbs of marijuana.  It turns out that the package was addressed to the Mayor Calvos’ wife, Trinity Tomsic.  She turned out to be uninvolved and was not home at the time of the police raid. 

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Dancing With the Stars-Could They, Would They, Should They?

        I read an article that I believe will bring the house down, if ABC chooses to push the envelope with Dances With The Stars this season on television.  The article had an alledged comment from Cheryl Burke that said something to the effect of; America wasn’t ready to see two men dancing together.  The comment was in reference to a question about a competitor in the upcoming season, Lance Bass.  The question alluded to the idea of whether Lance would have a male, or female dancing professional partner.  Cheryl apparently doesn’t think that would happen.  I agree, i think if it were to happen…ABC would see a huge backlash directed towards one of it’s most popular shows. 

          Lance Bass, a former singer in the boy band N’SYNC, announced that he is gay back in 2006, I believe.  I think that if ABC took a chance to shock viewers by allowing such a trouncing on the mainstream traditional family values they would stand to lose not only sponsors; but, ratings as well.  The sponsors themselves could potentially risk loosing lots of money.  Public opinion carrys alot of weight with television…and with the networks struggling and competing against cable programming…i wonder if they would truly risk such a decision.

        Also, it seems to me that there would also be a question of an unfair advantage of having two partners with the combined physical strength that two male dancers would have, over the traditional dancing partners of one male and one female.  I doubt that the other teams would feel that they were evenly matched in comparison.

          The new season will begin on September 22, 2008.  Who knows whether ABC even seriously considered this idea; or, whether it has been put into the media by the organizations that try to push the gay/lesbian agenda on television.  People are people no matter what and deserve respect, not hate; often these issues push hot buttons…however, i do think that Cheryl Burke was right…I don’t think America is ready, willing, or able to be participants in watching the show if it violates their personal beliefs.

          The question is, Dancing with the Stars…could they, would they, or should they, do something so contrary to traditional family values as to allow a gay man to compete with a dance professional of the same sex during a prime time television show that many families watch with their children? 

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Call For Cancer?

        This post is probably going to be biting a big chunk of public opinion; but, what do you think of the latest news reports on the alleged risk for long-termed use of cell phones causing brain cancer?  Should people be sounding the alarmist call to action; to reject or limit cell phone use, out of fear of getting cancer, when all of the statistics are so conflicted? 

         In our daily lives, we are exposed to multiple sources of electronic magnetic fields through our televisions, radios, microwaves ovens, thunder & lightening storms, computers and yes, even our cell phones.  What kind of impact does the safety of the electronic influences in our lives have on our health?  Many people question the safety of cell phones and the alleged relationship between cell phones and cancer of the human brain.

          The question is…for those with brain tumors…how do we know for sure what is the direct source of contamination?  And really, for the patient who is diagnosed with a brain tumor…is that really their main concern?  Or do they just desire to be cured; allowing them to go on and have a productive, healthy life? 

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Drinking While Pregnant

I am mad!  Maybe more than a little, in fact.  I read an article on the net that concerns a review on studies of binge drinking.  The article does not have a byline.    A reader reading this article,  does not know who wrote the article; and that is a shame, because it perpetuates a damaging myth!  It would be nice to know who wrote it, because then they could be educated.

It states that people know drinking a large amount of alcohol often, during pregnancy, is known to cause health problems and learning disabilities for the child.

However, it also says that the review doesn’t clearly show that occasional, binge drinking while pregnant is problematic.  It says that more studies are needed!  Please!!!

Later in the article, it says something to the effect that, until we have more scientific “proof”, women who occasionally binge drink while pregnant should not worry over much.  That is CRAZY TALK!   See this:  http://www.nofas.org/.

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People will let you down

      Ouch…hard reminder today that occasionally people let each other down in a big way.  Harsh to work with someone for a long time and know them for years and face the reality that sometimes they can harbor hardness, jealousy or bitterness in their hearts.  When they are in positions of power over another, sometimes that bitterness leaks out.

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