Hot & Noisy Out There

463 children have died from heat exhaustion inside cars and trucks” since 1998.  “So far this year, 18 children have died in cars…”  You can just about bet that the number of pets dying in hot cars is up too and fireworks will be blasting soon near you if they aren’t already.  Independence Day is nearly here and worthy of celebrating!

Experts say more deaths have happened since the mid 1990s, when children started riding in the back seat.”  The law of unintended consequences.  In trying to reduce one hazard for children, that of being injured in crashes, states enacted laws mandating child seats and that they be in the back seat.  The result is that children are dying from being left in cars in higher numbers.

People, passing laws that infringe personal rights and choices rarely FIX a problem; they merely trade one problem for another.  That said, it’s summer and it’s hot and about to get noisy out there.  Turn your brains on, change your habits.  Take on the responsibilities you signed up for whether it’s kids or pets or both AND don’t forget to take care of YOU so you can tend to the needs of others.

When it comes to cars, break some bad habits.  Pay attention when getting in or out of a vehicle and always, ALWAYS, check front and back seats.  Do it every time you get in and every time you get out.  It will become a habit and it SHOULD be a habit.

Do NOT leave a child who can’t EASILY get in and out entirely on their own in a vehicle EVER.  Yes, I’m a mother and YES it’s a pain.  TOUGH because it’s part of the job.  The closest I ever came to leaving my child in a vehicle was while filling the gas tank.  I always rolled the window down and had the key in my pocket while doing so.  Back then, I usually had to go inside to pay; often twice to give the deposit and then pick up change.  Dragged my kid in EVERY time.  It was a non-negotiable point until he was 8 or 9.

Lock your vehicle while you’re in it and when you’re not.  Get an extra door key and keep it in your pocket.  My truck has one of those electronic gadgets in the key but I have half a dozen door keys that don’t have that microchip in them.  These keys are incredibly handy if I need to let someone get something from my car and are easier and safer to stow in a magnet box somewhere on a vehicle.  They give one access without the ability to actually start the vehicle.

Concern for kids, pets rises with temperatures… temperatures of only 80 degrees can translate into inside car temperatures increasing by 19 degrees in just 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the car’s temperature can be 34 degrees hotter than the outside temperature.”  If it’s 80 degrees outside, it can be 99 degrees in your vehicle in under 10 minutes and 114 degrees in your vehicle in under 30 minutes.  GOT IT???

Your child’s temperature rises faster than yours and your pet is wearing a fur coat!  You weren’t comfy in there with the A/C running so what makes you think anyone else is going to be comfy in there wearing a fur coat or otherwise when you shut the A/C off?

“Our best advice is that, if your pet cannot get out of your vehicle and go in with you, leave your pet at home.”  I concur.  I’ve got several dogs who like to “go with” whenever they can but I take a non-negotiable position with them.  No amount of sad eyes and begging is going to get me to take them if it will put them at risk.  It’s too bad so few places permit pets these days though.  It contributes to their lack of socialization for no good reason.  I miss the county fairs with friendly farm dogs running about, teaching children not to fear dogs and adults teaching children how to behave with dogs.

Recently, states have begun to ease food safety rules for homemade goods.  Yippee.  That’s a win for personal rights and choices.  Maybe they’ll ease up on allowing our pets to accompany us in public again too!  The world is full of risks and it is up to each of us to decide how much risk we want to take.  Mandate information and disclosure rather than cutting out choices!

I’m rather amazed at how little attention the loss of life for kids in hot cars gets these days.  When a child dies like this now, it flies all over the internet for a day or so and then it’s gone.  I wonder how many kids and pets would be saved in local news/media ran a blurb at every newscast reminding people not to leave children and pets in cars.  I'd much rather see that than "text HAITI" in PSAs.

Yes, I’m rambling a bit.  Turns out I’m a bit dehydrated right now.  We all make mistakes :)

I’m very good at making sure the dogs and cats here have water available and I keep an eye out to see everyone is drinking as they should.  Well, everyone except me sometimes.  Turns out that walking 4 dogs in this heat causes lots of sweating and fatigue and the result for me was forgetting to inhale enough water the last few days.  So, the last 24 hours have been on a lightweight schedule for everyone while I rest and DRINK water.  I know it will take a couple of days to truly get hydrated again and, like it or not, the dogs will be doing nearly all of their walking in the yard for a few days too.

And there’s that pesky hurricane swirling around out there.  I’m so glad we were mostly ready for that before it ever formed.  We’ve learned our lessons on that one years ago when living in Tornado Alley.  Now we mostly wait (and rehydrate while we do so).  We’re far enough away that the hurricane will probably just send us some nasty rain and may lower temperatures for a few days.   My newest doggy family member is a storm phobe.  Over the past few months, she has steadily improved but the next few days will probably be a challenge for her.  This being Texas, her first Independence Day here will likely bring noise challenges as well, fireworks and gunfire.

Independency Day falls on Sunday and that means a full weekend of celebrating.  I think it really is a year to celebrate.  The United States Supreme Court seems to have been onboard with the US Constitution this past session and I find that exciting.

The Supreme Court already has said that most of the guarantees in the Bill of Rights serve as a check on state and local, as well as federal, laws.  Monday's decision did not explicitly strike down the Chicago area laws. Instead, it ordered a federal appeals court to reconsider its ruling. But it left little doubt that the statutes eventually would fall.”  Simply put, law enforcement simply can’t be everywhere at all times.  Part of defending ourselves falls to us and we NEED the tools, including guns, to do that.  As government has become ever more oppressive in recent years, I am also reminded of the original intent of the “right to keep and bear arms”; that it includes most especially our right and duty to defend ourselves from oppression by governments.  Did you know a Utah Carry Permit is good in over half the states?  Personally, I’m offended by any required permit.  I think we have a right to protect ourselves and carry those guns but at least that’s an option for those willing to cave to some government infringement on the right.

I saw another hopeful sign here in Texas recently.  “A Travis County judge ruled today that Texas public schools are required to give students truthful grades on class assignments and on their report cards… The districts argued that their policies prohibiting teachers from awarding grades lower than a certain number - typically a 50 - helped keep students from getting discouraged and dropping out of school.”  Yippee for the judge in this case.  As my mother always said, teachers don’t give grades, students earn them.  If you earn a ZERO, that’s TOUGH.  Too bad, it’s what you earned.  We’ve got 2 generations of “give me” kids out there already.  Life doesn’t give, it requires you to earn.  Truth is that public schools are a huge problem to start with.  The Constitution is incompatible with teaching.

“Not in my house” was what my mother the teacher always said when I’d try to exercise my “right” to free speech at home.  She was absolutely right.  I didn’t have such a right under her roof.  Unfortunately, public schools put the courts in the position of trying to figure out which rights students have in school and which can be impinged.  The better option would be private schools funded by donations where students and families have to earth those educations.  I know that’s harsh but it’s better than handing out diplomas that mean nothing and dumbing down education to pass students along in the current “give me” system.  Well, at least letting teachers give the “zero” grades is a move in the right direction…

And yet another hopeful case here in Texas and this one is about the death penalty.  I FAVOR the death penalty.  I think there are people who should be removed from society permanently and irrevocably for the atrocities they have committed against other humans.  However, the death penalty IS permanent and irrevocable so it should be used only when we are absolutely sure of guilt; not doled out based on nominal evidence and emotional overreaction.  On November 8, 2010, a Texas trial judge will hear evidence about the likelihood that Texas has executed and will continue to execute innocent people.  A finding that we have could very well end the death penalty (at least for a while) if it held up on appeal and that would annoy me BUT it would be correct.  We desperately need to clean up the court system from top to bottom.  Any judge with the guts to actually consider the US Constitution at the trial level and do so seriously and with deliberation has my support.  I think we need a whole lot more judges willing to do just that.

If this judge has to make such a finding, he will take some serious flack that doesn’t belong to him.  That flack should be directed at the prosecutors and even jurors who sent the innocent to death row.  Every one of us needs to take our job as part of the system very seriously and that includes seeing the courts are fair and equitable.  If you love the US Constitution as I do, give your support to Judge Kevin Fine for stepping up and doing his job.

In these days leading up to our celebration of Independence Day, remember what our Founders wanted for us, remind everyone you know what Independence Day is really about.  Enjoy time with family and friends and enjoy the fireworks but never forget what it’s really about and make an effort to teach the children in your circle of family and friends.  Put the Freedom bug in their hearts and teach them about civic rights AND responsibilities too.  Our country is a complete mess right now but we can rebuild if we get back to the fundamentals and tell government to butt out of what they have no business in.  Make some joyous noise out there!

And be wary of that potato salad that’s been on the picnic table for how long???

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