BULLETIN BOARD:  Advice, Tips, and Notices!   Wednesday June 8/11 This Inquiring Mind Wants to Know... Why we are not spending more time educating our young people to sharpen their instincts and STAY SAFE!! I was going to write about the movie, Bridesmaids, (which I will next week) but I am too frustrated and angry about yet another college student gone missing: Lauren Spierer, an Indiana  University Sophmore was last seen walking barefoot from a friend's apartment at 4:30am on Friday, June 3rd. The Mama Bear in me comes out loud and furious every once in a while, and this is one of those times!  We have colleges full of wonderful, bright, engaging young people who know squat about keeping themselves safe!!!! This is ridiculous! Come on young people!!!!! Wake up and smell the danger!!!! I grew up in New York City. It is a street city. I learned street smarts by walking, getting on and off subways and buses, having to mingle with people all day. And I developed  sharp instincts about what did not feel or look right. I also worked in the music business. I had to go and listen to bands until 3 in the morning. I would take a cab home and have him wait until I was in my apartment building. And I had a fellow late nighter call to make sure I got into my apartment. Lots of college kids, however, grow up in small towns or suburbs. When kids go everywhere by car, there is no way to develop street smarts.  It is hard enough to learn how to deal with heavy pedestrian traffic! Put all that together with drinking and partying, and we end up with a clueless, naïve, seriously endangered species-no matter how intelligent they may otherwise be!!!! This Inquiring Mind Really Wants to Know why we are not spending more time educating our young people to sharpen their instincts and STAY SAFE!!  Think about it! When they are very young, we hold their hands while crossing the street. Why? Because the cars and traffic are dangerous.  We tell them, ad nauseam NOT to talk to strangers. Why? Because who knows what that stranger really wants. We pick them up from parties and drop them off at activities.  But somehow when they grow older, we disconnect, and fail to teach them how to keep themselves safe.  And while there are a myriad of ads, articles, interviews about the consequences of smoking, doing drugs, sexting, and unprotected sex, why isn’t there also a concerted campaign to educate our teens about personal physical safety? And if we can walk for Breast Cancer awareness, raise money for impoverished children around the world, be door to door activists for all sorts of environmental and social policies, why can we also figure out how to keep our college kids in the USA safe!!!!! We are going to have to come together as a concerned community and look out for high school and college kids when they are out and about on their own. We do not let our friends drive drunk. We should not be letting any young girl walk home alone at 4:30 in the morning!!!  No world is safe at 4:30am! I do not care where it is!!!! Parents must to prepare their teenagers. The community needs to watch college kids. College peers have to start sharing responsibility for each other’s safety.   In middle school start conversations about staying safe and continue to have them all through high school.  I’ll bet a 6th grader has more of an idea of how to stay away from a car than a high school senior or college freshman! BEFORE your daughter goes off to college:  1) Insist she enroll in a self-defense course. A  5 ft, size 2 freshman better know how to get away from a much bigger and heavier predator! 2) Have a serious ‘What-if ‘conversation: -What if you drink too much and you are in a bar, and the bar is closing and you need to get back to your apartment, what should you do? -What if you are driving home late at night and an unmarked car with a siren tells you to pull over?  What should you do? -What if you think someone is following you, what should you do? 3) Let your daughter know the DO NOTS of Bar Life!    As in: DO NOT EVER leave your drink! If you have to, get a new one.               NEVER let someone go to the bar and bring back a drink for you at the table.               Only a waiter or waitress should serve you a drink.  It takes two seconds to slip a pill into your glass.               DO NOT EVER go off with someone you just met! This is dangerous stupidity! If you are too drunk to be smart then a friend needs to intervene!               FRIENDS should NOT let FRIENDS get into some strange guy’s car, or go to some strange guy’s apartment. If the guy is nice, there will be a second chance. We parents need to get our kids' heads out of their high school diplomas and into streets smarts!!!  We can organize to have the local police department come and give high school seniors a crash course on personal physical safety.  This talk should be mandatory for all college freshmen. It is now summer. Time to get ready for college. Get involved in your teen’s safety! Get your teen involved in her own safety! Get the college involved in student safety. Get the community at large involved in young people’s safety. I do not want to roar like this! It doesn’t feel good, but I care too much to see another girl go missing when it can be prevented! Let's create a watchful community instead of having to form a search party! Go onto  Safety Bulletin Board for more tips on how to stay safe. Margo@MomOpinionMatters.Com   (FORWARDED EMAIL) While driving on a rural end of the roadway on Thursday morning, I saw an infant car seat on the side of the road with a blanket draped over it. For whatever reason, I did not stop, even though I had all kinds of thoughts running through my head. But when I got to my destination, I called the Canton PD and they were going to check it out. But, this is what the Police advised even before they went out there to check.... "There are several things to be aware of ... gangs and thieves are now plotting different ways to get a person (mostly women)to stop their vehicle and get out of the car. "There is a gang initiation reported by the local Police Department where  gangs are placing a car seat by the road...with a fake baby in it...waiting for a woman, of course, to stop and check on the abandoned baby. "Note that the location of this car seat is usually beside a wooded or grassy (field) area and the person -- woman -- will be dragged into the woods, beaten and raped, and usually left for dead. If it's a man, they’re usually beaten and robbed and maybe left for dead, too. DO NOT STOP FOR ANY REASON!!! DIAL 9-1-1 AND REPORT WHAT YOU SAW, BUT DON'T EVEN SLOW DOWN. "IF YOU ARE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND EGGS ARE THROWN AT YOUR WINDSHIELD, DO NOT STOP TO CHECK THE CAR, DO NOT OPERATE THE WIPER AND DO NOT SPRAY ANY WATER BECAUSE EGGS MIXED WITH WATER BECOME MILKY AND BLOCK YOUR VISION UP TO 92.5%, AND YOU ARE THEN FORCED TO STOP BESIDE THE ROAD AND BECOME A VICTIM OF THESE CRIMINALS. THIS IS A NEW TECHNIQUE USED BY GANGS, SO PLEASE INFORM YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES. THESE ARE DESPERATE TIMES AND THESE ARE UNSAVORY INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL TAKE DESPERATE MEASURES TO GET WHAT THEY WANT." Please talk to your loved ones about this. This is a new tactic used. Please be safe. Get started NOW -- SEND THIS MESSAGE TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES TO BE CAREFUL AND AWARE OF EVERYTHING AROUND THEM SO AS NOT TO BECOME A VICTIM. Ladies! Do not have anyone buy you a drink, bring it to the table, and hand it to you! Buy your own drink and watch it go from the bartender/waiter to your hands .If you have to use the ladies room, then order a fresh drink when you get back.  If you are dancing, and leave your drink on the table, do not go back to it.  while this might be expensive, it is the safest way to go clubbing and avoid anything being slipped into your drink. Never, never, never go off with a guy you just met!  This is dangerously foolish!  Most likely, you will be a little tipsy.  You might not be focused enough to know where you are going, and you certainly won't be able to write anything down! Take a taxi to another club. Always have a friend/partner.  Never allow a friend to go alone with someone strange, because your friend thinks he's nice and cute he's cute and she wants to have some alone time. Even if you have been socializing with a guy for several days at the beach-HE IS STILL A PERFECT STRANGER.  YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HIM. AND YOU WOULD HAVE NO IDEA IF HE IS LIEING THROUGH HIS TEETH! Please have a healthy suspicion about anyone you meet for the first time.  That means having healthy mistrust. I want you street smart and safe!!!!NOT SEXUALLY ASSAULTED OR DEAD! REALITY CHECK::  IF YOU GET WASTED OR HIGH YOU CANNOT PROTECT YOURSELF. YOU WILL HAVE NO CONTROL OVER YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. THINK ABOUT THIS BEFORE YOU GO OUT TO PARTY. HAVE A PLAN.     ALERT ALERT ALERT-WHO TO CALL? 3 Dickinson State softball teammates disappear in North Dakota.  They make frantic calls to a friend that they need help.  They are near water.  They are found dead in their car in a pond not far from campus. Ok.  I think that when we turn the clocks back, and change the batteries in our smoke detectors, we should also update safety measures with our children young and older.  We are always telling our very young children not to talk to strangers, not to get near a car, not to go off with anyone.  Right? What do we tell our teenagers or our college kids? Nothing a lot of the time. So, I am proclaiming Spring Break safety check time.  Teenagers and college kids please read! Parents, please have this conversation with your sons and daughters. 1) WHO TO CALL? If you feel you are in danger- DO NOT CALL home/parents/relatives/or friends CALL THE POLICE!  You might only have time for ONE CALL It should be TO THE POLICE who HAVE THE RESOURCES TO FIND AND RESCUE YOU. 2) WHERE ARE YOU? You should always KNOW YOUR SURROUNDINGS If you are in a strange area- LOOK FOR DETAILS OR SIGNS.  ANYTHING THAT COULD HELP A RESCUER FIND YOU IF NEEDED If you get into a car with friends or strangers- Make sure you KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING. ALWAYS HAVE A PEN AND PAPER in order to write something down and/or leave a note.  KNOW THE LICENSE PLATE of any car you are in--JOT IT DOWN. WATCH FOR STREET/ROAD SIGNS. If you have car emergency, CALL A POLICE OPERATOR (911) say: I'm alone, I'm out of gas, I'm nervous, and what do I do? Also, if you are driving alone, on the road, at night, and you see flashing lights, maybe even a siren behind you, DO NOT PULL OVER!! Call the police # (911) on your cell phone, Tell the OPERATOR that there is a car with lights and siren behind you, and you're not sure if it is real— The OPERATOR will check, and tell you, and, if need be, SEND A PATROL CAR to your immediate rescue. *STREET SMARTS 101 for all our daughters! DESIGNATED CHECK-IN FRIEND! Two girls who plan to go out to bars and clubs, need a third person to act as a contact—who will know where they are, where they are going, etc. Friends don't let friends drive drunk. Friends don't let friends go out and get drunk without another sober friend who can keep track of their whereabouts. Please let your daughters think about a "designated check-in friend" who can make sure they are safe. #2 HOW TO AVOID A CARJACKING FOR ALL WOMEN** FROM: Shannon LaForge Courtroom Deputy to Judge Robert Junell U.S. District Court Subject: FW: Women take heed Because of these recent abductions in daylight hours, refresh yourself of these things to do in an emergency situation... This is for you, and for you to share with everyone you know.. After reading these 9 crucial tips, forward them to someone you care about. It never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in. 1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do! 2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you.... chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION! 3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives. 4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS!) The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE. (continued below)

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. C.) Look at the car parked on the DRIVER'S side of your vehicle, AND the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY.. (And better paranoid than dead.) 6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!) 7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then , it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, Preferably, in a zig -zag pattern! 8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP. It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim. ** *** ******** Here it is *******  (continued below

9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her "Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door." The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, "We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door." He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night. Please pass this on and DO NOT open the door for a crying baby ---- This e-mail should probably be taken seriously because the Crying Baby theory was mentioned on America's Most Wanted this past Saturday when they profiled the serial killer in Louisiana. I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle. I was going to send this to the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to pass it onto them, as well. Send this to any woman you know WHO may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it a nd it's better to be safe than sorry... END     GPS A couple of weeks ago a friend told me that someone she knew had their car broken into while they were at a football game. Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football fans. Things stolen from the car included a garage door remote control, some money and a GPS which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard.   When the victims got home, they found that their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen.   The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house. They then used the garage remote control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house. The thieves knew the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean out the house. It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of its contents. Something to consider if you have a GPS - don't put your home address in it. Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so you can still find your way home if you need to, but no one else would know where you live if your GPS were stolen.   MOBILE PHONES I never thought of this... This lady has now changed her habit of how she lists her names on her mobile phone after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet... etc...was stolen.   20 minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling him what had happened, hubby says 'I received your text asking about our PIN number and I've replied a little while ago.'   When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text 'hubby' in the contact list and got hold of the pin number. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.   Moral of the lesson: Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your contact list.. Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom, etc.... And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked through texts, CONFIRM by calling back. Also, when you're being text by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came from them. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to meet 'family and friends' who text you.  ALERT ALERT ALERT   STATIC ELECTRICITY Shell Oil Comments - A MUST READ!   Safety Alert! Here's some reasons why we don't allow cell phones in operating areas, propylene oxide handling and storage area, propane, gas and diesel refueling areas.   The Shell Oil Company recently issued a warning after three incidents in which mobile phones (cell phones) ignited fumes during fueling operations. In the first case, the phone was placed on the car's trunk lid during fueling; it rang and the ensuing fire destroyed the car and the gasoline pump. In the second, an individual suffered burns to their face when fumes ignited as they answered a call while refueling their car! And in the third, an individual suffered burns to the thigh and groin as fumes ignited when the phone, which was in their pocket, rang while they were fueling their car. You should know that: Mobile Phones can ignite fuel or fumes. Mobile phones that light up when switched on or when they ring release enough energy to provide a spark for ignition Mobile phones should not be used in filling stations, or when fueling lawn mowers, boats, Etc. Mobile phones should not be used, or should be turned off, around other materials that generate flammable or explosive fumes or dust, (i.e., solvents, chemicals, gases, grain dust, etc.) To sum it up, here are the: Four Rules for Safe Refueling 1) Turn off engine 2) Don't smoke 3) Don't use your cell phone - leave it inside the vehicle or turn it off 4) Don't re-enter your vehicle during fueling   Bob Renkes of Petroleum Equipment Institute is working on a campaign to try and make people aware of fires as a result of 'static electricity' at gas pumps. His company has researched 150 cases of these fires. His results were very surprising: 1) Out of 150 cases, almost all of them were women. 2) Almost all cases involved the person getting back in their vehicle while the nozzle was still pumping gas. When finished, they went back to pull the nozzle out and the fire started, as a result of static. 3) Most had on rubber-soled shoes. 4) Most men never get back in their vehicle until completely finished. This is why they are seldom involved in these types of fires. 5) Don't ever use cell phones when pumping gas 6) It is the vapors that come out of the gas that cause the fire, when connected with static charges. 7) There were 29 fires where the vehicle was re-entered and the nozzle was touched during refueling from a variety of makes and models. Some resulted in extensive damage to the vehicle, to the station, and to the customer. 8) Seventeen fires occurred before, during or immediately after the gas cap was removed and before fueling began. Mr. Renkes stresses to NEVER get back into your vehicle while filling it with gas. If you absolutely HAVE to get in your vehicle while the gas is pumping, make sure you get out, close the door TOUCHING THE METAL, before you ever pull the nozzle out. This way the static from your body will be discharged before you ever remove the nozzle.   As I mentioned earlier, The Petroleum Equipment Institute, along with several other companies now, are really trying to make the public aware of this danger. You can find out more information by going to <http://www.pei.org/ > Once here, click in the center of the screen where it says 'Stop Static'. I ask you to please send this information to ALL your family and friends, especially those who have kids in the car with them while pumping gas. If this were to happen to them, they may not be able to get the children out in time Thanks for passing this along. END