Newtown, CT School Shooting - Remember the Victims (12/14/2012)

As tragic and as heartbreaking as what happened in Connecticut on Friday was, I am baffled by some people's response that gun control is the answer. As long as the world has been, there has always been evil. There has always been mentally disturbed individuals, individuals with a twisted outlook on life and those who they view as responsible for what has happened to them. Individuals who are selfish, spiritually with no guidance or accountability to other human beings or a sense of morals. This is devastating to me that we, as a society, would glorify these individuals by parading them across our T.V.s and news feeds and then that we would blame the guns and wonder "How could this happen?"

When a drunk driver goes the wrong way on the highway and kills a dozen people, we do not turn around and try to take away every one's right to drive or own a car. We punish that individual. We grieve for the lives lost and families suffering, those who can send money to help with funeral costs or volunteer with charities who raise awareness of the severity of driving under the influence and what can happen when we act selfishly. It would be ridiculous to blame the car or all drivers because of the minority of people who only think of themselves and become murderers. 

Let us stay focused on the victims.

Let us not be blinded by our pain and shock into believing that this can solved by stripping away our Constitutional right to gun ownership and the right to protect ourselves. 

You can click  here to read about where to send donations to as well as a number for those who would like to volunteer. You can also go directly to the Newtown Parent Connection, Inc. site and make donations there as well as see about trauma support sessions for those in the Newtown area. 

You can participate in honoring the victims today by wearing blue and yellow/gold in their memory.

As always, thank you for reading.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Find out more information, donate, or find a Making Strides Walk near you by clicking the link below:

Making Strides 2012

I Still Believe in New Discoveries

It's amazing to me how many people don't care about something until it happens to them. Personally, I believe that everyone should be involved in something they are passionate about! Something they care about. Something for others. Something that can make a difference, even if it's only to one other person. 
My friends and family know how important Diabetes research and funding are to me. I am hopeful that together we can make a difference and discover a cure in my lifetime! I care, not just because this disease runs in my family, but because Diabetes is more deadly than Breast Cancer and AIDS combined. This is a scary disease but knowledge is power. If we can get information into as many hands as possible maybe it will become less scary. Knowledge about advancements in research and how to manage it and live a long, successful life. I want every American to have that chance.
Every 17 seconds someone like me and you is diagnosed with Diabetes. Please help me by donating today.

Whether it's $5 or $100, you can get involved!

Please follow the link below to read my story and make a donation to the American Diabetes Association:

http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=5227937&pg=personal&fr_id=8373&s_src=signature&s_subsrc=step2012

2012 ADA Walk for a Cure!

It's that time of year again!! I am so excited to have been a part of all the strides that have been made since I first became an advocate in 2010. THANK YOU to all those who have supported in the past by walking and/or donating!! I appreciate it so much! Every little bit helps in the fight! Raising awareness is so important! Not only is diabetes a life-altering disease, it is a life-threatening disease as well. Diabetes is more deadly than breast cancer and AIDS combined! That is huge! But we can ALL get involved in some way.

Please support me this year as I join others on September 23rd, 2012 to walk for a cure! All proceeds go to diabetes research. Thanks in advance for your help!


Click here to partner with me in the 2012 ADA Step Out: http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR?px=5227937&pg=personal&fr_id=8373&et=JQe_q0NkKXHzxoyn2seZJg

Until There's a Cure

Cancer treatment, statistics, and results from the Cancer Treatment Centers of America website:

http://www.cancercenter.com/cancer-statistics.cfm

This is a great site that answers questions directly and honestly, including the quality of life and speed at which each type of cancer will progress.

Learn more about cancer and find out about local cancer resources in your area by visiting the American Cancer Society's site:

http://www.cancer.org/

This is the Orlando Sentinel website and it offers a multitude of great articles covering statistics, latest news, and research on the prevention of cancer:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/health/sns-health-cancer-gallery,0,1493801.storygallery

The CafePress online gift shop is a great way to purchase cancer awareness items, including t-shirts, mugs, throws, posters, pins, stationary, and so much more!

http://shop.cafepress.com/cancer-awareness

Never to Early to Register!

This is a great time to check your area to see if/when there is a 2012 ADA Walk to support Diabetes and finding a cure, if there isn't you can start one today!
You will also be able to vote on the design for the 2012 Walk Tee Shirt. Just follow the link below to register:

http://stepout.diabetes.org/site/PageServer?pagename=OUT_so_wherewewalk&utm_source=email&utm_medium=stepout&utm_content=032212-a&utm_campaign=SO&s_src=email_stepout&s_subsrc=032212-a

2012 Alert Day

Today is the 24th Annual American Diabetes Association Alert Day, this is held on the 4th Tuesday of every March! It is the day when every American is asked to take the diabetes risk test to find out if they are at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes. The reason for this is that people are often diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes years after it has settled into their system, it is a disease that you can be walking around with for a long time before you even realize it. Unfortunately, if that happens the major symptoms have already developed and harmed the body. It's a disease but it is treatable.

Please follow this link to take the online test now:
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/prevention/diabetes-risk-test/

It is fast (only a few simple questions), easy, and free!

In America there are 26 million adults and children with Type 2 Diabetes. Don't wait for it to be too late.

Chardon, Ohio - School Shooting

What happened at Chardon School is a tragedy. It's absolutely awful and it bothers me when people call the shooter a victim, it's insulting to the families of those with children in the hospital fighting to live.

I'm not saying that bullying is ever OK, please don't misunderstand me. I know that kids can be cruel and it's wrong. At one point or another I think every child has been picked on, myself included. You're not going to be friends with everyone and not everyone is going to like you - just like there will be people that you don't like. That doesn't justify mistreating anyone, to any degree. It's not right and we need to fix it, but the truth is there are lots of kids who are picked on every day who would never dream of killing someone because of it. This wasn't a feud, the shooter didn't go in the school and confront a bully he's had issues with or repeatedly been abused by, he walked in and shot recklessly at groups of innocent students. This was premeditated, he bragged about it online and he wanted people to fear him. He wanted attention and to be remembered. What these shooters don't think about is the aftermath. They don't think about it because they don't care. Until they are sitting in cell at 17 and it hits them that they will probably never live outside of a cell again.

I heard a spokesman for the family of the shooter this morning on the radio state that he was "remorseful". Yes, I'm sure he is.

His actions speaks volumes to what damage he wanted to inflict. What is the progression from being picked on to wanting to be a murderer?

Another interesting thing about this student is that he has good grades, he wasn't struggling there, in fact he was known as a smart kid. He was also "Gothic", which by interpretation is usually someone who wants to be seen as different, and separate. On December 20th he wrote this chilling post on Facebook:

"Now! Feel death, not just mocking you. Not just stalking you but inside of you. Wriggle and writhe.Feel smaller beneath my might. Seizure in the Pestilence that is my scythe. Die, all of you,"

I find this very disturbing!

He lived with his grandparents who, I'm assuming but can't say for sure, were not aware of this posting, so where were his friends who saw this? The spokesman this morning also made a statement that there was no way this could have been predicted. I beg to differ.

There has got to be more courage in young people today, why didn't they inform the school? A counselor? Their own parent who could have contacted the grandparents and let them know or warned someone of how potentially dangerous this young man was BEFORE he acted on his threat.

A posting like this is not normal. It shocks me that no one was alarmed enough by it to do something. Whether it be reaching out to him, to his grandparents, to a school official, to the local police, ANYONE.

I hope that schools and students everywhere will learn from this and past shootings and realize that putting metal detectors in the entrances and sending a grief counselor in AFTER an incident are not enough. There needs to be communication and awareness before something tragic happens and before more lives are lost and ruined.

I hope you will keep the students and families of those hurt in this incident in your thoughts and prayers. I cannot imagine what they are going through. I cannot begin to understand all that is happening but I hope that this does not become a familiar headline. There has to be some prevention steps taken.

A Hero in the Midst of Terror: http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/133622/chardon_high_school_shooting_already

The Daily Record's article on the media being to blame (GREAT article!!):

http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/5161843

WOIA News Report:

http://www.woai.com/news/national/story/Police-Shooter-doesnt-attend-Chardon-High-School/FdAGUendiEi8sSLRdC_0rA.cspx?rss=70

**Update: Current status is that three have passed away and one is home with her family now, there is only one remaining student in the hospital.

Health Care Reform Act's 3.8% Tax - Know Your Facts

"The PPACA creates a new Code Section 1411, which will generally impose a 3.8 percent tax on the lesser of "net investment income" or the excess of modified adjusted gross income over a "threshold amount" (generally, $250,000 for taxpayers filing a joint return, $125,000 for married taxpayers filing a separate return and $200,000 in all other cases). Net investment income generally means the excess of (i) interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, rents, income from passive activities, income from trading financial instruments and commodities, and gain from the disposition of certain non-business property, over (ii) allowable deductions properly allocable to such income. In determining the amount of net investment income, special rules apply with respect to dispositions of equity interests in certain partnerships and S corporations, and to distributions from certain qualified plans. This additional tax applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012"

A lot of people have been talking, emailing, and warning each other about this part of the health care reform bill that passed seemingly, unnoticed. Today, I was "informed" via email that this was a "ploy to steal billions from unsuspecting homeowners". It is commonly explained as a sales tax but that is not correct, the best way to describe it would be a tax on profit. Basically, if you sell your home for a profit of more than $250,000.00 you will be required to pay a tax of 3.8%. The amount is $500,000.00 for couples selling a home. In reality, only a small percentage of Americans will be affected by this. The question then is, do you think it is right to be penalized for making a high profit.
Personally, I know that this tax will never apply to me however, I am able to look past myself and do believe that it is wrong. Based on the idea that no one should have to owe the government for making a large profit on their $400,000.00 home. However, this is not a perfect world and America is in a financial crisis. I do believe that compromises have to be made for sure and yes, certainly it is easy to say that those in the upper class should pay more than anyone else simply because, they can. Last time I checked though, they already do. So how far are we as a people willing to let that go? This was not something that was "snuck in", the America people have not had the "wool pulled over their eyes" by President Obama, this was open to the public and could have been discovered and researched by all. The problem is, no one thinks of that. No one cares until they are unhappy with something that effects them and then they decide to depict and study things. If even then, most of the time people never research things on their own, they simply hear about it from one of their friends and react how they are told based on the half-facts they were given. I'm sure we have all been guilty of that at one time or another, myself included.
I believe the majority of America needs to wake up and stop complaining about things after the fact. Actually research a candidate, bill, or issue for yourself before forming an opinion or making a decision, or God forbid, voting.
These are confusing times and we can't make decisions based on what we have been taught or what sounds good on the surface.


Learn about the Health Care Reform Bill:

http://www.healthreform.gov/index1.html

http://www.healthcare.gov/

Read the President's budget for the 2012 fiscal year:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/

"Top 10 Pros and Cons" of the Health Care Reform Bill:

http://healthcarereform.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=003725

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:

http://ppaca.com/


Quote taken from the "Boulder Real Estate Blog" (http://www.boulder-buzz.com/health-care-bill-and-real-estate-tax/). Sources include Eons.com, (http://www.eons.com/groups/topic/2208705-REal-Estate-Sales-Tax?page=1), CNNMoney.com, (http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/22/news/economy/medicare_tax_increase/index.htm), sorry FOX fans... and, Bloomberg (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&tkr=IP:US&sid=a70ouHuhCn5Y).

Sallie Mae Applying An "Unemployment Penalty"

Recently I heard about Sallie Mae's "Unemployment Penalty". This is a $50.00 fee applied every three months per loan to those who have student loans that they need to pause payments on because they are out of work. This strikes a personal chord with me since I have student loans through Sallie Mae as well as many of my friends.
This is a tough economy with a frustrating and for some, crushing job market. Life is uncertain, especially now. You never know what will happen and anyone can find themselves without a job. Loan companies already make money off of interest, this added fee punishing those who can least afford it is greed at it's simplest.
Per Change.org "...the company administers federally-funded loans too, but those are subject to additional regulation that means people can pause repayment without penalty. The forbearance fee charged to private loan customers is just extra profit for Sallie Mae..." Click below to sign the petition on Change.org to have this penalty fee removed. If enough people get involved, change can happen.
Thanks in advance for your help!

Change.orgStart an Online Petition »

American Diabetes Association 2011 Accomplishments

In the spirit of wrapping up 2011 take a look at all the great things the ADA, it's volunteers, and all your donations were able to accomplish this year!
Check out this link, http://www.diabetes.org/assets/pdfs/advocacy/2011-advocacy-accomplishments.pdf to see the see the full list of 2011 highlights. Below are a few of my favorites:

~The "Advocates in Action" initiative celebrated it's first year anniversary.
~The ADA expanded it's "Safe at School" campaign for children with diabetes.
~Instead of restricting access to glucose monitoring for children in Washington State, due to advocacy efforts access was expanded.

Hopefully the win against cutbacks in this area will discourage future attempts! Here's to a successful 2012!

The Compassionate Friends

While we are all celebrating the holidays and enjoying time with family and friends eating great food and finding amazing deals, I wanted to take a moment to share with you about this special day coming up! So many families have suffered from the loss of a child and I can imagine that during the holidays is it especially hard.

Recently I learned about a national self-help support organization, The Compassionate Friends. Fifteen years ago they created a Worldwide Candle Lighting to be held on the second Sunday of December in honor of all families grieving the loss of a child. Services are held in communities across America and the globe that you can attend and/or light a remembrance candle in memory of a lost child. You can visit their website (http://www.compassionatefriends.org/), to find the service nearest to you. The event officially begins at 7 p.m. on December 11th!

September is World Alzheimer’s Month!

Follow the link below to see how you can turn your Facebook page purple on Sept 21st to help raise awareness!

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alz.org%2Fwam&h=9AQDgxnQvAQDOBNBPBTQgjThc2pqYpTyjPxHtgLhq7oaMOw

Join the tee shirt design challenge by going to the site below!

http://atrium.threadless.com/wam/

Alzheimer's -

5.4 = the millions of people who have Alzheimer's.
183 = the billions of dollars in annual costs.
6th = the rank of Alzheimer's in leading causes of death.
14.9 = the millions of unpaid caregivers.

Every little bit helps! Click the link below to donate or join a walk near you!

http://alz.org/index.asp