PLEASE: don't be rude

In these hard economic times, many organizations including schools and churches are asking for donations for the school year to help children get off to a good start. With cuts hacking and slicing into school budgets, parents and teachers are trying to find ways to get children the items they need.

Granted, everyone is feeling the pinch in their wallets and people are watching unnecessary spending. But when you are contacted either in person or on the telephone, it's not necessary to be rude. A simple, polite "Sorry, but I can't help you at this time" or something similar will do. It's hard enough to ask for a donation without having people just hanging up on them or slamming the door in their faces as they are only doing this for the children. Please: don't be rude.

shopping at Zappos.com = PATAGONIA brand

Are you looking for a fabulous, fun shopping experience with a great selection of items, styles, colors, prices and a lifetime guarantee? Then look no further.

All this is available at Zappos.com where you'll find their PATAGONIA brand. The Patagonia brand was started by people who liked the outdoors and wanted to stay outside as long as possible so some of the items like their underwear have moisture wicking properties. Organic cotton is used in their clothing along with recycled polyester. With their commitment to environmental work, 1% of their sales ($25,000,000.000 to date) is donated to environmental groups in the United States, Europe and Japan.

There is a wide range of items available for men, women and children including tops, bottoms, shoes, coats, jackets, swimwear, briefcases and underclothing. The trench coat pictured is the Patagonia Women's Rain Shadow Trench Coat for $249.95. It's available in sm, md, lg and xl and comes in black or sesame.

Heat, Automobiles and Children

Now that hot weather is here, people need to be especially aware of the damage high temperatures can do. Children should NEVER be left alone in a car, even for a few minutes, but every summer, you hear horror stories about children dying after being left alone in a car with little or no ventilation.

A recent study done by San Francisco State University revealed that from 1998-2007, 365 children nationally died from heatstroke after being left in cars. Most were 3 years of age and under. Additional sad statistics from this study revealed that more than 1/3 of the children who died were accidentally left behind by a parent or caregiver. Another 1/3 were trapped while playing in an unattended vehicle.

Registered nurse Cathy Coleman of Hurley Medical Center Flint, MI says that when the outside temperature is 86 degrees, the internal temperature (in a vehicle) quickly reaches 134-154 degrees. Animals are also often left in vehicles without ventilation and/or water. The same holds true for them with the heat.

Some tips on preventing a summer tradgey include:

Never leave a child unattended even with a window slightly open

Always keep the car and trunk locked and keep keys out of a child's reach

Call 911 immediately if you see an unattended child in a vehicle