Many college students are going off to spring break starting this weekend. I would like to highlight some safety tips that help you have a memorable spring break without a disaster, broken ankle or arm or conclusion as the memorabilia you return with from this vacation.
The number one conclusion for disaster during spring break is the use of Alcohol.
According to the Center for Disease Control 90% of alcohol consumed by the under 21 years of age group are binge drinkers. Meaning they over consume to the point of getting stupid just because they can. Spring Break vacations seem to be the most active time for this behavior. Binge drinking causes alcohol poisoning, unintended pregnancies, Sexually transmitted diseases, firearm injuries, sexual assaults, car crashes, drowning, just to name a few hazards that follow excessive binge drinking. Now if you are not aware of what constitutes binge drinking let me inform you that most local authorities will consider that anything over 4 drinks of beer in one evening will get you arrested if you are operating a vehicle after said consumption and your license will be taken away form you for about a year. If you should crash into someone and hurt them could mean jail time as well. So you think long and hard while sipping on that beer number 4. Take your time now! Don’t forget to be aware of what you drink and who serves it to you. We have all heard stories about date drugs and slipping drugs into drinks. Don’t be foolish and think it won’t or can’t happen to you.
Stay with the ones you go with.

Never ever leave on your own with someone you just met during spring break. Watch out for each other as you are partying. Especially if you are travelling to a strange city for vacation with friends, remember “All for One and One for All” rule. And this goes for young men and women. No exceptions to this rule.
Respect others’ property and take care of your own.
Remember to protect your passport and other personal belongings like credit cards, cameras etc.. Michael Korrs bags by leaving them in a safe at the hotel. Carry only a one credit card and an old purse with your makeup in it, mirror, perhaps, mace if you have a license for it. Find a clever place on your body for the one credit card and perhaps driver’s license on your body for ID. When at a hotel or bar don’t get stupid and bullish and break furniture in either place. Treat others property as you would want your own apartment treated. Avoid horse playing or wrestling while on other people’s property, like hotel rooms. They are not play pins or wrestling rinks. These kinds of show off activities mixed with alcohol use leads to scenarios that are highly prone to the destruction of property.
Sun Bathing.
Please, please people of all skin coloring should use sun block lotions. You have been indoors for several months now. Your skin is very sensitive to over exposure to the sun which will result in painful sunburns. Drink plenty of water! Let me suggest at least three bottles whether you think you need it or not. To drink water in between beers will help you keep your senses about you. Sun and Sand and Salt water will dehydrate you quickly. If you feel light headed or vision gets blurred while in the sun chances are you are dehydrated. Go to a shaded area and drink a couple of glasses or bottle of water immediately. Stay calm, breath through most anxieties during your vacation and have fun!
By Yovette Mumford

After todays elections in Iraq, my mind wonders to the face of Saddam Hussein, President of Iraq from July 16, 1979 until April 9, 2003. He was overthrown during the 2003 invasion of Iraq by U.S.-led Allied Coalition.He was sentenced to death by hanging, after being found guilty and convicted of crimes against humanity by the Iraqi Special Tribunal for the murder of 148 Iraqi Shi’ites in the town of Dujail in 1982, in retaliation for an assassination attempt against him, not for hiding weapons of Mass Destruction. The execution of Saddam Hussein took place on December 30, 2006. Is America safer now that Saddam Hussein is a distance memory as Obama and General McCrystal declared successful democratic election held in Iraq this past weekend? After 8 years of being at War and several thousand Americans and Allied forces killed or wounded to affectuate said democratic elections are we safer? or have we merely fed the hungry beast of war economics, ergonomics, engnimas of continuous propaganda pandemics.What is your opinion? Are Americans safer?Yovette Mumford, CEO safetyissues.com

Yovette Mumford-Markey makes annual donations to the non-profit Women of Means organization.

Woman of Means is celebrating it’s tenth year in service to Boston’s impoverished women and children who need free quality health care, education and advocacy. Women of Means has organized a team of volunteer medical professionals and provides transportation for Boston inner residents who can afford healthcare. Needs medicine, vaccinations and diagnostic tests are performed to assist in identifying diseases that would otherwise go undiagnosed. The volunteer doctors work with patients that have HIV/AIDS, Hep. A,B,C, asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid conditions and a host of other mental disorders.

I feel that contributing to this organization is a necessity not only because these women and children are without healthcare insurance but because to make diagnosis and even in some cases resolve diseases before they become terminal is healthy for the entire city. Personally I was tired of seeing so much of our economic and personal gift giving go overseas while there is so much strife and poverty right here at out doorsteps in America.

My philanthropic perspective: By acting locally we are contributing globally to better healthcare.

Safetyissues.com

More to Skiing and snowboarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ice fishing, & pond skating. Pick your winter sport, but be conscious of safety regulations and good old common sense by following these safety tips for outdoor winter sports:
Cell phone, walkie-talkies & mini-flares: Always have at least one of these on you while roaming on a winter sports adventure. Even though phone coverage can be inconsistent in ski areas it is important to carry one anyway! Walkie-talkies are shorter ranged but most ski resorts have them for rent so make sure to get a set to stay in touch. Flares are a good signaling device just in case you get into trouble in a snow bank or hurt and in an out of heavy traffic areas.

Solar glare: Sunlight glaring off the white of snow can be blinding causing you to lose balance or bump into someone causing an accident. Solar glare can also cause sunburn to the whites of your eyes, which can be painful. So either wear sunglasses with protective lenses or non-fogging goggles made with solar glare lenses. Nothing worse than having goggles fog up while skiing. Want to see where you are going guys!
Weatherproof watch: You need to be able to keep track of time while you are out there having fun.
Water, sunscreen & Chap Stick: Hook a water bottle on to your ski jacket or zip it in one of your pockets. Keep hydrate. Think you are out in the snow you don’t need water? Think again! Dry and cracked lips can shorten your fun time and be painful for days so make sure to remember the sunscreen and Chap Stick.
Safety clothes & guards:  Helmets are an absolute must have; make sure it is properly secured on your head, not around your neck! Also make sure that you wear a knitted cap directly on your head before placing the helmet on. This will help not only keep the helmet cushioned on your head but also your body heat inside close to your body. Spend the time to get properly fitted in fishing gear, snow pants, toe warming socks (I love those things. I wear them around the house). Dress in layers and find snug fitting gloves with Velcro wrist tightness. Make sure a professional properly fits you with comfortable ski boots, and snowshoes. No, your big brother, weekend Dads or Moms who may know how to fit you are not the professionals I am suggesting. But this is just a suggestion!
There are all kinds of new technology out there for thin insulated materials to make your body movements enjoyable so that you not constricted with bulky clothing.  Getting frost bitten burns and is no fun to recover from. Let us not see a YouTube video or Twitter posting about you losing a finger or toe to frost bite. OK?
Pond skating: Make sure the weather has been cold enough for at least a weak before attempting to skate on a pond. Please call the local authorities to ask permission to skate on a lake or pond. Make sure you get your skates properly sharpened before skating on raw lake or pond ice. Wear knee and elbow guards.
Having fun means balancing common sense safety practice with your desire to have the thrill and excitement of doing the sport. Think Safety, because life has no reset button!

Yovette Mumford, Executive Director of the non-profit www.safetyissues.com, mother of three, attorney, inventor of safety medical products at www.safetymedicals.com, writer, lives in New England.

LET US REMEMBER  THE SELF PROCLAIMED “PITBULL WITH LIPSTICK” as shown in the cartoon above, she birdied Biden with Pit-bull propaganda bites during the 2008 Presidential campaign. The Press and other media noted her as all muzzle with no muscle politician. She resigned her governorship to travel the US unleashed.

The Pit-bull propaganda bites have become rancid with book tours, sarcastic disinformation like false claims that (government had death sentence for senior citizens written into the National healthcare bill); and (“How’s that HOPPIE CHANGE STUFF WORKIN FOR YA!”) etc. all on the platform of so called renaissance Tea Party.

Are we to remember the Tea Party as a bunch of irrational commoners who did not understand why they were starting a revolution or will there be a Tea Party political platform?

Am I the only one wondering what is the Tea Party’s position is on anything. What is the Tea Party’s position on new nuclear plants development, funding? What is the Tea party’s position on Wall Street restructuring, Central banking policies? What is the Tea Party’s position on stopping the mortgage crisis that is still devastating american citizens; What is the Tea Party’s position on any of our public safety issues?

Am I the only one wondering? The Republican party does not seem to know what the Tea Party is about and seem afraid to embrace it’s present political image. This republican convention this past week seemed very cautious about Palin place as a future Republican candidate.

As a blogger focused on tracking political issues as they relate to public safety, I came up with the image above to capture the present humor in Palin’s world. Tea party or not, ya gotta love her guts!….only in America…..SafetyIssues.com political satire. If you would like to have this image on a poster, cup or T-shirt go to TaoOfAmerica and order….

Holla back!

Yovette Mumford, safetyissues.com