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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

The Lost Lady Bug Project......


The Lost Lady Bug Project is now in its 3rd year and they have just put out their first annual newsletter. This is a great campaign of science trying to find the lost lady bugs out in the world and classify them and figure out which ones are becoming extinct or being pushed out of their natural habitats. or which ones are doing just fine where they belong. Check the page out!

Its a fun project for the kids! All you need to do is photograph your local ladybugs where-ever they may be; on a leaf, a shoulder, or in the hand of your little munchkin.....better yet, let your little one capture the photograph for you. You can go in groups on a day hike or just on your lonesome for a leisurely stroll through your neighborhood. The point is to get that picture and download it for science sake! They will tell you what your lady bug species is and you might even get your picture featured on the site! (no promises.) All they ask is where your location is and the time and date and year. Voila! Done!

There is an entire page devoted to the kids and how to find the bugs. so have a great summer and happy fourth of July! Hoorah for independence!

http://www.lostladybug.org/

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Crafting....be back soon.




Wish me luck! I've been crafting and am about to do my first craft fair. I did some posters of my kids for the booth wearing the wrap tops I am making for the craft fair. Check it out:

The cost for the booth was low, and C's mom is an organizer so I know and trust the people running the fair. It has a good turn out each year. I don't know that I will want to do this again, but I need to get it out of my system. I made things that if it doesn't sell than either my kids can use it, or I can gift them to my family and friends kids.

Be back after the 4th of July weekend. Enjoy your Independence!

Antibloggedy

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

From a Crank Call .....to.....Cyberstalking

The First Call:

It was late on Thursday evening and I received a call from an unknown caller. I let it go, but listened soon after to the voice mail left behind. The initial shock value is actually quite ridiculous and goes from "no way" to "OMG, is this really happening to me?" , "is this a joke?", "Do I know this person?", "Does this person know me?". I thought the call would be a one time thing but after about 6 voice mails(all sex related) and 5 texts (two trying to get my name and information, 3 asking me about my underwear over and over within 5 minutes) in just this weekend. I realized things were/are getting out of hand. The calls are about 3 minutes long and in the call the caller breathes heavily while committing a sexual act upon himself. The follow up text was with a phone number that was listed, (my paranoia prevents me from posting it here, for fear the person will do a search on their own number and find my blog, and begin harassing me here!)

What I have done:
I have searched the internet to see if this number is calling others, listed as a business number or to find any information about the number. What I do know is that the call number resides in the area I am in, and that it is a Cricket number. What I still don't know is who this is.

The Police:
I take my information to the police station. I had a lovely conversation with an officer behind a glass wall who pretty much told me they could not do anything for me without physical harm being in placed upon me. If I knew who it was and if it is an ex then I could file a PFA (Protection From Abuse order). What I have found out since this interaction with the police is that the State of Pennsylvania has a Cyberstalking law that states:

Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes § 5504 —- Harassment by communication or address:

(A) A person commits the crime of harassment by communication or address when, with intent to harass, annoy, or alarm another, that person:

(1) Communicates to or about such other person any lewd, lascivious, threatening or obscene words, language, drawings or caricatures; or

(2) Communicates repeatedly in an anonymous manner;

(3) Communicates repeatedly at extremely inconvenient hours;

(4) Communicates repeatedly in a manner not covered by paragraph (2) or (3).

(F) Definitions: "Communicates." Conveys, without intent of legitimate communication or address, by written or electronic means, including telephone, electronic mail, Internet, facsimile, telex and similar transmission.


If this continues, I will have to take this back to the Police with my new knowledge of Cyberlaws as this communication on my mobile phone constitutes Cyberstalking.

The Phone Company:
I called my mobile provider and they placed a block with the known number which should stop the text messages, unless the person switches numbers or phones. This will not stop the caller from leaving me voice mails, though. I looked into having all unknown numbers blocked to my number and this can be done (for a nominal fee: sucks!) The suggestion though was to change my number (which is the direction I am leaning). The phone company cannot give you the name of the number that is harassing you (privacy laws!) BTW: I think it bites that the harasser is protected under a law they are currently breaking! I will have to contact CRICKET to see what they can do since the number is a CRICKET number.

No Call Lists: I put myself on the National Do Not Call registry and filed a complaint with this number in the event it belongs to a business then they can discuss a halt on this action to myself or others and possibly institute a fine.

I have saved the voice mails and text messages and am looking into having the messages recorded as evidence in the event this is from someone who is a future danger to me.

Beyond this horror I don't understand why someone is compelled to perform this type of act of harassment. What is the draw to me or is this a random act. Where did the person receive my number from? was it written on a wall somewhere? I also have a similar number to a popular local pizza joint and wonder if the caller accidentally called me while dialing them and that is the coincidence or initial cause. I DO NOT KNOW. The not knowing is the most frustrating part of the whole ordeal. I am in the early stages and do not want to agitate the caller as I do not know how much of my personal information this person has. From this point forward I will have to be more careful of all my personal info.

I wish this upon no one, for the feelings of insecurity it leaves is terribly unpleasant.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Go Hawaii!

Monday, June 7, 2010

Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation

I was web surfing today and found myself reading the Pepsi REFRESH project page. This started as an idea to put charitable funds into the hands of the people who drink pepsi and to give those people the power to vote on recipients of large dollar gift. The idea is genius! One such recipient of $250,000 was awarded to someone here in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania (Erie, PA) based Foundation is Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation. John Kanzius, the Founder of the invention that uses Radio Wave technology combined with nano particles to attack cancer cells without use of surgery, chemotherapy, Radiation, and other invasive techniques and medication. Watch the video below to see the full explanation yourself.
With Cancer being something that has effected my family closely I am awed by the innovations that are currently being investigated. While the Radio Wave project is in its early process the preliminary findings are promising. The more we allow ourselves to support these projects to the degree that they can become fully funded the more we can eliminate the diseases that we are passionate about. I am hopeful about this research. I am hopeful that since the family medical history I have also gives a higher risk to my children I want them to find choices and options out there that do not leave one feeling defeated before starting to fight.





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