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Vacations

Venereal Disease

Voting

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Vacations

Time Off! Finally! You have wonderful plans to travel across the country or maybe you are just happy to have a chance to be able to stay home and catch up on all the things that have been put off ‘until tomorrow’. If traveling a long distance or chores aren’t what you had in mind, maybe you plan to rest and relax.

If your budget is limited but you would like to at least get away for a few hours consider day trips to attractions that are within a few hundred miles of home. You could either make the trip in one day or if it’s affordable stay at a hotel for a night.

Your local Chamber of Commerce will have free brochures on attractions both in your local area and your state. For surrounding states search the web and you will find many things to do.

Air Travel:

Air travel has changed a great deal since the events of 9/11. Before then when departing we could be walked all the way to the gate by friends and family who were wishing us farewell and they could welcome us on arrival. Today? They usually drop us off at the terminal entrance or pick us up there if we're cisiting friends and family.

There are many more restrictions today about what can and cannot b e carried on board. Be careful how you pack. Everything should be organized neatly so that when your luggage goes through x-ray everything can be easily distinguished. Don't lock your luggage as it may be inspected in baggage. If so, usually you will have a notice inside your luggage to show that it has been inspected.

Make sure you have luggage tags with your name and number on your luggage in case it should be lost or for some reason not be on the same flight you are on. If it is delayed many times the airlines will deliver it to you when it does arrive. If you have a business card that would be the most secure way for you to put your name and numbers and an address in the luggage tag.

By using your business card, your home address is not on the tag. Why would this matter? Well, say an unscrupulous character reads your tag, makes a note of the address, assumes you aren’t going to be home soon and decides to visit during your absence.

Just be sure your cell phone number is on the card in case you are traveling weekends and the luggage is lost and the airlines needs to reach you before Monday.

Liquids, gels and aerosols must be in 3 ounce containers or smaller and placed in one zip
lock quart sized bag.

No scissors or knives

No guns

No wrapped gifts in case you happen to be taking gifts

No beverages purchased prior to the check point

Before going through the check point you will need to remove your coat and shoes and those will need to be in a separate bin from your purse or brief case. Keys and change will need to be put in a tray before going through the metal detector.

Be prepared to show identification documents and your boarding pass at the check point. These are now being screened by the Security Transportation Administration (TSA) Officers. No matter how tired you may be or aggravated about something don’t be rude, make bad jokes, be belligerent or make threats. These actions could get you in serious trouble, the police may be called; you could miss your flight and even worse, be arrested!

For more information regarding air travel requirements about other items that you are not allowed to carry on board the plane or through the check point either talk to the airlines with which you have made reservations or go to the Security Transportation Administration website at

www.tsa.gov .

Passports for Traveling Outside The United States:

If you have the opportunity to travel outside the country you have many destination opportunities to consider. New laws will require you to have a passport when you do travel outside the country even to Canada or Mexico. You will need a passport in order to return to the United States.

Depending on where you may be traveling you may also need vaccinations to insure that you are protected from certain diseases. Check with the health department in your area for requirements and discuss with your doctor what you will need and when. You may need to get the vaccinations many weeks prior to your travel date so that you are protected.In many areas of the country you can obtain a passport at the US Post Office.

This year changes were made regarding passports for traveling outside the United States as well as returning. Websites for further information are:

www.usps.gov and www.travel.state.gov

Venereal Disease

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

An excellent source of information on sexually transmitted diseases can be found by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov .

When the first page comes up, click on Diseases and Conditions which will probably be in one of the top left boxes. When the page for Disease and Conditions comes up you can click on various topics such as, Chlamydia, Genital Herpes, Gonorrhea, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

There are many other topics that you can also investigate.

If you suspect you may have a sexually transmitted disease you should see your doctor.

The best protection you can have against any sexually transmitted disease is protection that YOU control yourself! This means that if you feel you are responsible enough to handle intimate relations then you must be responsible for your actions. And the MOST responsible thing you can do is to make sure that you and your partner are protected from disease. Diseases that in some cases can cost you your life.

Voting

Voting is a major responsibility and your right as a legal American Citizen as long as you are of age and are not a felon. People have been imprisoned because they fought for the right to vote. People have died for the right to vote. Don’t ignore your right and responsibility.

It is important to learn as much as possible about the people running for public office. Listen to their speeches, and debates when broadcasted either on television or radio. If possible attend rallies and events where the candidates are speaking. Read as much as you can to learn where candidates stand on issues that will affect you and everyone else in your community, state and the country.

When you read, read as many publications as you can and be judgmental.Some reports may be slanted and written in the viewpoint of the writer or publication itself. This not correct journalism because journalists are supposed to be unbiased and report the facts not personal opinion. However on occasion they do interject their opinion so that it why it is important to find as many sources as possible and then decipher what is fact and what isn’t. The same goes for the electronic media. Listen to as many as possible. The rhetoric can be slanted either for or against, unfortunately, rather than just what it is. Hey, nobody said this was easy! It’s a responsibility, remember?

The reason all of this is so important is because the person you are voting for today as city councilman, mayor, district representative, senator, governor or any other posts filled by voter elections may one day have their finger on the direction of the nation.

Vote based on what you have learned and believe is best for your city, county, state and country as a whole and for you. Try not to vote only on what you think is in your best interests alone but vote for what you believe in the long run will be best for everyone as well as you.

While you may not agree with one candidate on a particular issue but do with every other issue then, is it better to vote for that candidate or for the candidate that says they will fight for the one issue you care about, but is against everything else that might be best for the whole in the future?

Register to Vote. Your Voter Registration Office in your county will usually be located in be located in the Administrative Building or possibly the County Court House. The easiest way to find out is to check your local telephone directory. Look under the listing for your county and then find the Voter Registration Office. Call to find out what identification you will need to bring with you in order to register and the hours the office is open.