Just to show my blog is not 100% my opinion, here is some critical information EVERYONE who drives or is a passenger in any vehicle needs to know immediately.
New laws have taken effect by Sept 1, 2009 that dictate every person, regardless of age, must wear a seat belt at all times while in any type of vehicle. Yes, this means even grown adults and teenagers riding in the back seat must now be wearing a seat belt. If you drive your friends around town, ask them to buckle up as it is the driver's insurance, driving record that will be affected if your passengers are not wearing a seat belt. Whether you agree with this new law or not, does not matter at this point as it is officially a law now!
The second new law that has taken effect is the talking and texting on cell phones and blackberries in active school zones. Note, Schools in most districts start Monday Aug 24th. Here is a tricky part though; Texas State Law says you can use a hands free device such as Bluetooth; HOWEVER some school districts have passed City Laws that says you can't be talking or texting at all, even on a Bluetooth/ hands-free device. Be safe, when you see the flashing yellow light or the school zone sign, hang up the phone.
With the economy what it is, cities also are hurting for funding and needing to make budget cuts. You can bet the police will be on high alert for every opportunity to enforce these laws and write you a ticket to improve the cities' revenue.
I have informed you, please share with everyone you know…this is not junk mail or a chain letter, this is simply information they will want to know to avoid getting a ticket.
8.20.2009
8.06.2009
The 11th Hour
Greetings All!
I saw another documentary called "The 11th Hour". It is about the environment and is enlightening. It made me think of the environment crisis with a different perspective. If you are one of many who, for whatever reason, don't care about the environment enough to take action...think of it this way. You are not saving the environment by recycling or conserving energy, you are saving your life and the lives of your descendants. We destroy nature, we destroy ourselves...like suicide. The Planet will eventually (maybe over a thousand years) recover from any damage we cause it, but the human race won't recover. Whether you believe in life on other planets or not, the fact is that another planet that can sustain human life as we know it on Earth has not been discovered. So if we destroy Earth where humans can no longer survive, we can't move to another planet. Nature does not waste anything like we do, what is waste to one is another's food.
We have the ability to use our CURRENT technology and knowledge of science to redesign everything we do and make today so that life now and in the future is the same or better, lasts longer and is more affordable. We may need to rewrite the constitution, so that corporations can not do whatever they please to the property they own. The writers of the constitution did not know about global warming or the ozone layer when they wrote the constitution.
1 Tree can absorb 57,000 gallons of water when it rains 10-12 inches, which prevents the water from running off and flooding. The tree holds it, then cleans it and then puts it back in the aquifer. Cut down 1 tree, you get soil erosion and floods.
Many are so afraid that they don't open there mind to these details or act on the information, they are simply denying it. Just because we ignore something, does not make it go away. This fear will kill the human race.
Everyone wants to save money and make more money. The solutions already exist.
Think: If we took better care of our environment, conserved our natural resources, grew more plants and trees and wasted less, we would reduce global warming so we would in turn not need to run our air conditioning as much which would save you money. This is just one example.
What actions are you taking to save our livelihood?
-Dawn
I saw another documentary called "The 11th Hour". It is about the environment and is enlightening. It made me think of the environment crisis with a different perspective. If you are one of many who, for whatever reason, don't care about the environment enough to take action...think of it this way. You are not saving the environment by recycling or conserving energy, you are saving your life and the lives of your descendants. We destroy nature, we destroy ourselves...like suicide. The Planet will eventually (maybe over a thousand years) recover from any damage we cause it, but the human race won't recover. Whether you believe in life on other planets or not, the fact is that another planet that can sustain human life as we know it on Earth has not been discovered. So if we destroy Earth where humans can no longer survive, we can't move to another planet. Nature does not waste anything like we do, what is waste to one is another's food.
We have the ability to use our CURRENT technology and knowledge of science to redesign everything we do and make today so that life now and in the future is the same or better, lasts longer and is more affordable. We may need to rewrite the constitution, so that corporations can not do whatever they please to the property they own. The writers of the constitution did not know about global warming or the ozone layer when they wrote the constitution.
1 Tree can absorb 57,000 gallons of water when it rains 10-12 inches, which prevents the water from running off and flooding. The tree holds it, then cleans it and then puts it back in the aquifer. Cut down 1 tree, you get soil erosion and floods.
Many are so afraid that they don't open there mind to these details or act on the information, they are simply denying it. Just because we ignore something, does not make it go away. This fear will kill the human race.
Everyone wants to save money and make more money. The solutions already exist.
Think: If we took better care of our environment, conserved our natural resources, grew more plants and trees and wasted less, we would reduce global warming so we would in turn not need to run our air conditioning as much which would save you money. This is just one example.
What actions are you taking to save our livelihood?
-Dawn
7.11.2009
6.06.2009
Feed North Texas
In this economy there are more people unemployed due to no fault of there own than we have seen in about 20 years. Our economy will recover, but some families won't if we don't provide them with help until they can get back on their feet.
We can help honorable, law abiding families in our area. $1 feeds 4 people. The North Texas Food Bank was established during one of the worst recessions our country ever saw back in 1982.
You can help the food bank during our current recession by donating food, money or your time.
To volunteer your time:
1.Warehouse activities: Sort incoming food donations Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 3:30 p.m.
2.Service Saturday: Help sort and box donated items from 9 a.m. to noon on certain Saturdays of each month. Families (children over 10 years of age) are welcome. Weekend opportunities fill quickly, so please call early to book your volunteer day. Below are the available dates for Service Saturdays 2009-2010:
December 19, 2009
January 9, 2010
February 27, 2010
May 8, 1010 – NALC Stamp Out Hunger, 6-10 pm
May 22, 2010
June12, 2010 – 9 am – 12 pm
June 12, 2010 – 1 pm – 4 pm
3.Food For Families: Work outdoors to sort and distribute food to Agency clients in various Dallas county locations; distribution occurs every Friday and two Thursdays of the month.
4.Operation Frontline: Help Nutrition Education Coordinator Katherine Lindholm provide education on nutrition, culinary skills, food budgeting, and food safety to agency clients by serving as a chef, nutritionist, grocery shopper, or classroom manager.
5.Community Kitchen: Assist Chef James Williams and Texas Second Chance participants in our fast-paced, full production Community Kitchen where we prepare 10,000 meals a week for future use by Member Agencies. Volunteer hours for the Community Kitchen are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 am until 1:30 pm for groups of 10 or less.
6.Special Events: Working with the event management team, assist at fun activities such as Empty Bowls, the State Fair of Texas or National Hunger Awareness Day.
7.Administration: Help with mailings, database management and other clerical duties.
To Donate money, you can donate in your own name or in honor of a loved one or to commemorate a special occasion or life event.
To Donate supplies, contact the food bank. They can handle production overruns, off-specification products, mislabeled or unlabeled packages, discontinued brands, bulk, private-label brands, salvage, reformulation, customer returns, test product inventory, seasonal items, produce, over-the-counter, food service, health and beauty aids, household items, and prepared and perishable foods.
There are several other ways for you to help those in need and support the North Texas Food Bank. Go to their website to learn more: www.ntfb.org
Get Involved ~Dawn
We can help honorable, law abiding families in our area. $1 feeds 4 people. The North Texas Food Bank was established during one of the worst recessions our country ever saw back in 1982.
You can help the food bank during our current recession by donating food, money or your time.
To volunteer your time:
1.Warehouse activities: Sort incoming food donations Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 3:30 p.m.
2.Service Saturday: Help sort and box donated items from 9 a.m. to noon on certain Saturdays of each month. Families (children over 10 years of age) are welcome. Weekend opportunities fill quickly, so please call early to book your volunteer day. Below are the available dates for Service Saturdays 2009-2010:
December 19, 2009
January 9, 2010
February 27, 2010
May 8, 1010 – NALC Stamp Out Hunger, 6-10 pm
May 22, 2010
June12, 2010 – 9 am – 12 pm
June 12, 2010 – 1 pm – 4 pm
3.Food For Families: Work outdoors to sort and distribute food to Agency clients in various Dallas county locations; distribution occurs every Friday and two Thursdays of the month.
4.Operation Frontline: Help Nutrition Education Coordinator Katherine Lindholm provide education on nutrition, culinary skills, food budgeting, and food safety to agency clients by serving as a chef, nutritionist, grocery shopper, or classroom manager.
5.Community Kitchen: Assist Chef James Williams and Texas Second Chance participants in our fast-paced, full production Community Kitchen where we prepare 10,000 meals a week for future use by Member Agencies. Volunteer hours for the Community Kitchen are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 am until 1:30 pm for groups of 10 or less.
6.Special Events: Working with the event management team, assist at fun activities such as Empty Bowls, the State Fair of Texas or National Hunger Awareness Day.
7.Administration: Help with mailings, database management and other clerical duties.
To Donate money, you can donate in your own name or in honor of a loved one or to commemorate a special occasion or life event.
To Donate supplies, contact the food bank. They can handle production overruns, off-specification products, mislabeled or unlabeled packages, discontinued brands, bulk, private-label brands, salvage, reformulation, customer returns, test product inventory, seasonal items, produce, over-the-counter, food service, health and beauty aids, household items, and prepared and perishable foods.
There are several other ways for you to help those in need and support the North Texas Food Bank. Go to their website to learn more: www.ntfb.org
Get Involved ~Dawn
3.26.2009
URGENT ACTION- Sat, March 28, 2009
This Saturday is Earth Hour!
On Saturday, March 28, 2009, at 8:30 pm CST, 50 million people in 400 cities world-wide will be turning out their lights and unplugging computers and appliances not in use at that moment. I will be participating and my world-wide company will too! This is all an effort to fight against climate change. This is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund.
All you need to do is turn off anything not in use at that moment for one hour beginning at 8:30 pm CST. This is anything that uses electricity to operate. Homes, offices and other businesses are taking this action as well, if they can do it so can you!
Join tens of millions of concerned citizens and corporations throughout the world in calling for action to save our planet for future generations. The lights went out at Sydney’s Opera House, Rome’s Coliseum, the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge in 2008. Even the Google homepage went dark on this day last year! In Israel, President Shimon Peres personally turned off lights in Tel Aviv. Many major corporations took part including HP, Coca-Cola, and Morgan Stanley in 2008.
This year, Earth Hour promises to be even bigger. In the US, many cities have already pledged to participate including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, San Francisco, Washington, DC…with more signing up daily. They will join international cities such as Beijing, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Helsinki, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London, Manila, Mexico City, Moscow, Rome, and Toronto.
To get a better sense of the magnitude and inspiring nature the event, please take a moment to watch WWF’s video about Earth Hour 2008 at www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjWD8pbK5t8.
For more information and to make your commitment for this event, visit www.EarthHourUS.org where you’ll also find tips for what you and your family and friends can do when the lights go out.
I have already blogged about reducing your Carbon Footprint (see Climate in Crisis), this is just one more way you can help reverse and stop the effects of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.
-Dawn
On Saturday, March 28, 2009, at 8:30 pm CST, 50 million people in 400 cities world-wide will be turning out their lights and unplugging computers and appliances not in use at that moment. I will be participating and my world-wide company will too! This is all an effort to fight against climate change. This is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund.
All you need to do is turn off anything not in use at that moment for one hour beginning at 8:30 pm CST. This is anything that uses electricity to operate. Homes, offices and other businesses are taking this action as well, if they can do it so can you!
Join tens of millions of concerned citizens and corporations throughout the world in calling for action to save our planet for future generations. The lights went out at Sydney’s Opera House, Rome’s Coliseum, the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge in 2008. Even the Google homepage went dark on this day last year! In Israel, President Shimon Peres personally turned off lights in Tel Aviv. Many major corporations took part including HP, Coca-Cola, and Morgan Stanley in 2008.
This year, Earth Hour promises to be even bigger. In the US, many cities have already pledged to participate including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, San Francisco, Washington, DC…with more signing up daily. They will join international cities such as Beijing, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Helsinki, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London, Manila, Mexico City, Moscow, Rome, and Toronto.
To get a better sense of the magnitude and inspiring nature the event, please take a moment to watch WWF’s video about Earth Hour 2008 at www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjWD8pbK5t8.
For more information and to make your commitment for this event, visit www.EarthHourUS.org where you’ll also find tips for what you and your family and friends can do when the lights go out.
I have already blogged about reducing your Carbon Footprint (see Climate in Crisis), this is just one more way you can help reverse and stop the effects of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.
-Dawn
Take Action Against Human Trafficking
The Definition of Human Trafficking is:
The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.
You may think this only occurs in impoverished or third-world countries, but this is not true. Human Trafficking occurs even in the US, in large cities and small towns, and in high rise apartment buildings and in the suburbs.
Prevention Address the demand and supply side of trafficking, for example by challenging discrimination against women and girls, addressing the overwhelming poverty which makes people vulnerable to trafficking; changing attitudes which allow some people (especially women and children) to be bought and sold as commodities.
Support for victims Provide immediate assistance to trafficking victims and protect them from their exploiters.
Prosecution Enact and enforce laws that criminalize trafficking in human beings by prosecuting traffickers, as well as pimps, johns and brothel owners; do not criminalize the victims.
WHAT ARE THE FACTS?
People are trafficked into a range of exploitative practices that include: labor exploitation, domestic work, sexual exploitation (prostitution), military (child soldiers), sports (camel jockey), forced begging, marriage, chattel slavery, debt bondage, and child labor.
Human trafficking is the second most profitable criminal activity behind only arms trafficking. An estimated $32 billion is generated in annual revenue from arms, human, and drug trafficking activities worldwide.
Sexual exploitation is the most commonly identified form of human trafficking (79%), followed by forced labor (18%).
An estimated 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked annually in the United States alone.
Most trafficking is national or regional, carried out by people whose nationality is the same as that of their victims. There are also notable cases of long-distance trafficking. Europe is the destination for victims from the widest range of origins, while victims from Asia are trafficked to the widest range of destinations. The Americas are prominent both as the origin and destination of victims in the human trade.
The International Labor Organization estimates that there are 12.3 million people who have been trafficked; statistics range from 4 million to 27 million.
Approximately 80% of victims of transnational trafficking are women and up to 50% are minors. The majority of female victims are trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation, mail order brides, and domestic work. The majority of male victims are trafficked into forced labor such as agricultural, manufacturing, and construction work.
A 2006 study found that 76% of 207 trafficked women interviewed were physically assaulted by their trafficker, pimp, madam, brothel and club owner, clients, or boyfriend. The same study found that 90% of victims reported being physically forced or intimidated into sex or other sexual acts, and 91% of victims reported being threatened with death, beatings, increased debt, harm to their children and families, or re-trafficking.
Some factors that make people vulnerable to trafficking:
Low status and discrimination against women and children.
Demand-without demand for exploitation, there would be no supply.
Humanitarian disasters and armed conflict can exacerbate existing vulnerabilities.
Poverty.
To get involved and/or to learn more, visit one or all of these websites:
www.AssetCampaign.org www.PolarisProject.org
www.Somaly.org www.Unicefusa.org
The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.
You may think this only occurs in impoverished or third-world countries, but this is not true. Human Trafficking occurs even in the US, in large cities and small towns, and in high rise apartment buildings and in the suburbs.
Prevention Address the demand and supply side of trafficking, for example by challenging discrimination against women and girls, addressing the overwhelming poverty which makes people vulnerable to trafficking; changing attitudes which allow some people (especially women and children) to be bought and sold as commodities.
Support for victims Provide immediate assistance to trafficking victims and protect them from their exploiters.
Prosecution Enact and enforce laws that criminalize trafficking in human beings by prosecuting traffickers, as well as pimps, johns and brothel owners; do not criminalize the victims.
WHAT ARE THE FACTS?
People are trafficked into a range of exploitative practices that include: labor exploitation, domestic work, sexual exploitation (prostitution), military (child soldiers), sports (camel jockey), forced begging, marriage, chattel slavery, debt bondage, and child labor.
Human trafficking is the second most profitable criminal activity behind only arms trafficking. An estimated $32 billion is generated in annual revenue from arms, human, and drug trafficking activities worldwide.
Sexual exploitation is the most commonly identified form of human trafficking (79%), followed by forced labor (18%).
An estimated 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked annually in the United States alone.
Most trafficking is national or regional, carried out by people whose nationality is the same as that of their victims. There are also notable cases of long-distance trafficking. Europe is the destination for victims from the widest range of origins, while victims from Asia are trafficked to the widest range of destinations. The Americas are prominent both as the origin and destination of victims in the human trade.
The International Labor Organization estimates that there are 12.3 million people who have been trafficked; statistics range from 4 million to 27 million.
Approximately 80% of victims of transnational trafficking are women and up to 50% are minors. The majority of female victims are trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation, mail order brides, and domestic work. The majority of male victims are trafficked into forced labor such as agricultural, manufacturing, and construction work.
A 2006 study found that 76% of 207 trafficked women interviewed were physically assaulted by their trafficker, pimp, madam, brothel and club owner, clients, or boyfriend. The same study found that 90% of victims reported being physically forced or intimidated into sex or other sexual acts, and 91% of victims reported being threatened with death, beatings, increased debt, harm to their children and families, or re-trafficking.
Some factors that make people vulnerable to trafficking:
Low status and discrimination against women and children.
Demand-without demand for exploitation, there would be no supply.
Humanitarian disasters and armed conflict can exacerbate existing vulnerabilities.
Poverty.
To get involved and/or to learn more, visit one or all of these websites:
www.AssetCampaign.org www.PolarisProject.org
www.Somaly.org www.Unicefusa.org
3.01.2009
A Planet in Crisis
I have encouraged others before to recycle to save the planet, but now I want to give you a little more information and additional resources.
I saw a movie recently that provided me with a great deal of facts that I was unaware of before. The movie is "An Inconvenient Truth" and is a documentary staring Al Gore. Now, say what you will about the Politician, Al Gore, but put your opinions aside and listen to the message. The movie is not boring and will truly enlighten you.
You can also get more information about how you and your family can positively effect change on our planet by visiting the website www.climatecrisis.net. This problem is not a racial, gender, religious or cultural problem. It is inevitable if every person, every country and every government does not make immediate changes. This site will also show you what your household's Carbon Footprint is and what it should be. (A Carbon Footprint is the total amount of carbon dioxide that you emit into the atmosphere) My household footprint is 11.5, but it should be lower. I am taking actions today to lower this number. Are you willing to make a few changes that will have a major impact?
If we don't reduce carbon dioxide emissions then our atmosphere will continue to grow thicker. The thicker the atmosphere, the more heat from the sun will stay on our planet and not escape into space. We WANT some heat to escape into space.
When too much heat remains on our planet the oceans get too warm, which increases the frequency and intensity of hurricanes. When the oceans get too warm, the polar ice melts which increases the ocean water levels. When the ocean water levels get too high, there will be instant and permanent flooding of major states and cities such as Florida, New York City, San Francisco, and New Orleans. If you think this will not occur in your lifetime, you are right. However, it will occur in your children's and grandchildren's and great grandchildren's lifetimes. Do you want them to suffer for a problem your generation could have prevented?
Think about this, where do you suppose all the people who survive the massive and permanent flooding of these major cities will go? They will be forced to move further inland into cities such as Dallas, Reno, Kansas City, Orlando, and Atlanta. Can these cities handle an extra 10,000 plus residents overnight? Remember, that this flooding is permanent so they will not be leaving to return to their former homes.
This is just the tip of the problem. You really should educate yourself by visiting the www.climatecrisis.net website and renting "An Inconvenient Truth".
Do you enjoy the change of seasons? Do you enjoy endless water usage? Do you enjoy all your electricity privileges? Do you love to travel to multiple destinations, anywhere you want from hot to cold climates?
These are just a few of the luxuries we have today that are in danger!
Take an active role. One person and One Household Can Make A Difference!
~Dawn
I saw a movie recently that provided me with a great deal of facts that I was unaware of before. The movie is "An Inconvenient Truth" and is a documentary staring Al Gore. Now, say what you will about the Politician, Al Gore, but put your opinions aside and listen to the message. The movie is not boring and will truly enlighten you.
You can also get more information about how you and your family can positively effect change on our planet by visiting the website www.climatecrisis.net. This problem is not a racial, gender, religious or cultural problem. It is inevitable if every person, every country and every government does not make immediate changes. This site will also show you what your household's Carbon Footprint is and what it should be. (A Carbon Footprint is the total amount of carbon dioxide that you emit into the atmosphere) My household footprint is 11.5, but it should be lower. I am taking actions today to lower this number. Are you willing to make a few changes that will have a major impact?
If we don't reduce carbon dioxide emissions then our atmosphere will continue to grow thicker. The thicker the atmosphere, the more heat from the sun will stay on our planet and not escape into space. We WANT some heat to escape into space.
When too much heat remains on our planet the oceans get too warm, which increases the frequency and intensity of hurricanes. When the oceans get too warm, the polar ice melts which increases the ocean water levels. When the ocean water levels get too high, there will be instant and permanent flooding of major states and cities such as Florida, New York City, San Francisco, and New Orleans. If you think this will not occur in your lifetime, you are right. However, it will occur in your children's and grandchildren's and great grandchildren's lifetimes. Do you want them to suffer for a problem your generation could have prevented?
Think about this, where do you suppose all the people who survive the massive and permanent flooding of these major cities will go? They will be forced to move further inland into cities such as Dallas, Reno, Kansas City, Orlando, and Atlanta. Can these cities handle an extra 10,000 plus residents overnight? Remember, that this flooding is permanent so they will not be leaving to return to their former homes.
This is just the tip of the problem. You really should educate yourself by visiting the www.climatecrisis.net website and renting "An Inconvenient Truth".
Do you enjoy the change of seasons? Do you enjoy endless water usage? Do you enjoy all your electricity privileges? Do you love to travel to multiple destinations, anywhere you want from hot to cold climates?
These are just a few of the luxuries we have today that are in danger!
Take an active role. One person and One Household Can Make A Difference!
~Dawn
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