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10 things to do before summer ends!

This thought sent me straight into list mode, noting down things that I want to do before the days start to get shorter and cooler. (Daylight savings ends this year on Sunday November 2nd.)

Caffeine and Teens' Sleep: An Eye-Opening Study

You may have spotted your teen staying up later than he used to. Activities that could be filling his late hours might include computer games, TV shows, phone calls, or music. Have you ever thought about caffeine intake as one of the reasons your teen is a night owl?

According to a recent study, eating foods, drinking beverages, or taking medications that have caffeine may lead to daytime sleepiness and breaks in sleep at night. Almost 200 high school students took part in this 14-day study. They reported on the time they went to bed and woke up, any caffeine intake, and any naps they took. At the end of the study, the researchers found that teens with higher caffeine intake slept fewer hours at night and took more naps during the day than those who had less caffeine.¹

New Study Reveals More Than 3 Million Adolescents and Young Adults Have Used Non-Prescription Cough and Cold Medicines to Get High at Least Once in Their Lifetimes

Date: 1/10/2008
Media Contact: SAMHSA Press Office
Telephone: 240-276-2130

The level is comparable to LSD, and more than the reported use of methamphetamines, among those aged 12 to 25. White youths were more than three times as likely as Black youths to have misused these drugs during the past year.

Know the Warning Signs—Prevent Suicide in Young People

Suicide is a serious problem among young people. You may be surprised to learn that it is the third leading cause of death for 15- to 19-year-olds in the United States. Only accidents and homicide are more common causes of death for this age group¹. A far greater number of youths attempt suicide each year. Suicide attempts are not easy to count because many may not be treated in a hospital or may not be recorded as self-inflicted injuries. Survey data from 2005 show that 17 percent of high school students had seriously thought about suicide, 13 percent had made plans to attempt suicide, and more than 8 percent had made a suicide attempt during the year before the survey.²

What Power Do You Possess??

'Power is the basic political concept'

Powers that you have:

1. The Right to Vote

2. The Right to run for office

3. The Right to personal space

4. The Right to Free Speech (within limits)

5. The Right to choose your job, where to live, car to drive, etc.

Marriage or Civil Union??

Many people are too hung up on the word "marriage". Marriage was/is a religious institution and our government does not belong in the church. Everyone: man and woman, man and man, woman and woman, should be allowed to enter into a union together as a couple regardless of what others beliefs are; if they are together its their business, no one elses. If people then want to get "married" they can go to church and have a ceremony. If your religion doesn't support a marriage between same sex couples then people can convert or just remain as they are-- legally bound in a union. Every couple in the US that gets "married" has to get a legal document stating that they are wed in a legal relationship that is recognized by the state. That is why when people get divorced they have to legally dissolve the relationship. People can get "married" all day long in a religious ceremony, but that doesn't mean it will be recognized by the state until they apply for the license legalizing their union. That doesn't mean that the person you are in a union with is not your husband or wife; because when two people enter into a union, whether they chose or do not chose to have a "marriage" ceremony in the church, they then become one another's spouse with all the legal connotations associated with it. The battles being fought here are becoming too wrapped up on the language of who and who should not get "married". The state, or the government's, only place is to help us govern the legal rights and obligations that come when two people agree to join their lives. Many politicians say that they agree with civil unions, but disagree with same sex "marriages", but the government's only concern should be with the legal union regardless of the sex of the individuals entering into it and allow the churches to decide on which individuals should be allowed to "marry".

Person of the Week

No matter how you feel about the war in Iraq, the troops need our support. This is just a reminder of how important it can be. Now presenting the "Person-of-the-week" according to ABC news.......

Choices

Just remember, there are always choices in life, but choosing not to do something is still a choice; it is still a course of action. Choosing not to participate or stand up for what you believe is still a choice that you consciously make.

                    Inaction or Passivity is still an action that people choose to do. Make your choices and actions count, it is one of the most important things you can do. Be educated in your decisions to the best of your ability, they may come back around some day.   

Monogramming Rules

Been wondering how to do that stationery you have been meaning to buy? Want to buy towels with your monogram on them, but don’t know how to do the letters?? Then read on…

     Monograms can take on a number of different forms. The simplest monogram is the single initial: using the initial of your last name is traditional, your first name fun and informal. Three-letter monograms get a little more complicated. Here are some generally accepted standards:

16 Numbers You Must Have in Your Cell Phone

In todays society the cell phone is no longer a luxury but a necessity. With the decrease of pay phones, finding a way to call for help if it is needed can be  difficult. In addition, with the cell phone there are Sixteen number that you must have in the phone address book so that the phone can be all it can be.