Liberty Star

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LIBERTY STAR * september 2013

Free money for Road To college Happily tuition Ever After take the stress out of back to school P.7 Ask Lisa Anne

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liberty star ••• Copyright © 2006, New York Liberty Star

HEALTH WATCH

7th Heaven mom helping families curb drug abuse

C FDA warns against Tylenol and other drugs.

FDA issues warning about pain killers and skin reactions

T

he Food and Drug Administration warned consumers recently that popular pain reliever acetaminophen may cause serious skin reactions in some people.

The FDA will now require a warning about the skin conditions to be added to the labels of prescription drugs containing acetaminophen and will ask manufacturers of acetaminophen products to add warnings to their over-the-counter medications. Acetaminophen is found in numerous prescription and over-the-counter products like Tylenol, designed to treat pain and reduce fever.

According to the FDA, the skin reactions, known as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, toxic epidermal necroylis and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis are rare but can be deadly. These conditions can cause blisters, serious rashes, reddening of the skin and the detachment of the upper surface of the skin known as the epidermis.

atherine Hicks, 7th Heaven star and parent advocate, is working with Safeguard My Meds to teach Americans what they can do to help prevent prescription medicine abuse and potential addiction.

Easy-to-find medicines can be abused by anyone entering a home, especially teens and young adults.

“As the parent of a teenager, I know how important this issue is. Every day, more than 2,500 teenagers abuse prescription medicine for the first time, and they don’t even need to leave the house to do it,” says Hicks.

If used moderately and as

directed, prescription medicines help ease many health conditions and cure others. But some people don't know the risks of keeping medications unsecured in the home, especially medications that have a high potential to be abused, such as stimulants, tranquilizers and pain relievers.

Government statistics show that 70 percent of people age 12 and older who abused prescription pain relievers say they got them from a friend or relative.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 20 percent of teens have taken prescription drugs without a doctor's order.

Hicks says certain simple steps can make a huge difference: * Keep medication in a locked container out of reach of visitors, children and pets; * Keep a list of medicines at home;

Continued on Page 5

Safe

Behind The

YMCA Swimming Youth Swim Lessons

Ages 6 to 12 Classes begin in September. Register Now! 6050 Y Street, Cumming, Georgia 30040 770-888-2788 | ymcaatlanta.org

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Semper Fidelis Liberty or Death

Printed On Recycled Paper

Catherine Hicks encourages everyone to do their part in preventing prescription drug abuse.

Six Ways to Keep Your Teen

YOUTH SPORTS

Coming This Fall

september 2013

| NYLIBERTYSTAR.COM | VOL. XII ISSUE 245

I

f you worry about the kind of car your teen will drive, you’re not alone.

In a survey commissioned

by USAA, 81 percent of parents put reliability first when choosing a vehicle for their teens, fol-

lowed by a high safety rating.

The good news is that teens also want cars with the latest safety features.

“Being safe is the new cool,” says Shelby Fix, a 21-year-old safer-driving advocate and automotive journalist.

“There are cool colors and op-

Wheel

tions, but side-impact air bags and hands-free devices - that’s what’s in the new, cool cars.”

Fix, known as The Car Coach 2.0, says new technology turns teenagers’ heads almost as fast as slick makes and models.

The daughter of automotive expert Lauren Fix, Shelby

raced go-karts at age 7 and was raised on talk of crash-test ratings. She grew up hearing the mantra of a mother who loves cars, but loves her kids more “You can replace cars, but you can’t replace a child.”

Continued on Page 5

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september 2013 * LIBERTY STAR

What’s Playing At The Movies

Hiroshima’s Legacy The Obsolescence of War

By Robert Dodge

Planes

Dusty is a plane with dreams of competing as a high-flying air racer. But Dusty’s not exactly built for racing -- and he happens to be afraid of heights. So he turns to a seasoned naval aviator who helps Dusty qualify to take on the defending champ of the race circuit. Dusty’s courage is put to the ultimate test as he aims to reach heights he never dreamed possible, giving a spellbound world the inspiration to soar.

Elysium

In the year 2159, two classes of people exist: the very wealthy, who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth.

The people of Earth are desperate to escape the planet’s crime and poverty, and they critically need the state-of-theart medical care available on Elysium - but some in Elysium will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve their citizens’ luxurious lifestyle. The only man with the chance bring equality to these worlds is Max, an ordinary guy in desperate need to get to Elysium. With his life hanging in the balance, he reluctantly takes on a dangerous mission one that pits him against Elysium’s Secretary Delacourt and her hard-line forces - but if he succeeds, he could save not only his own life, but millions of people on Earth as well.

O

ur world changed forever 68 years ago this week. Tuesday marks the day that the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, followed by the bombing of Nagasaki three days later.

The repercussions and lessons of these bombings at the end of WWII that resulted in the deaths of more than 200,000 people in the months that followed are still being realized today. Most significantly, these events marked the end of war as a legitimate means of resolving conflict as man now controlled the fate of humankind and the planet itself. War had become obsolete.

What was now needed was a new way of thinking. War was the old way of thinking.

This was and is the new reality.

Einstein and the early adopters realized this early on. Einstein famously said, “The unleashed power of the atom has changed everything save our modes of thinking and we thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe.” He recognized that we must change our thinking or face possible extinction.

President Kennedy also realized this fact and probably said it most presciently when he said to the UN General Assembly in 1961, “Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind.”

Yet we still have approximately

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W

There are two main types of teeth whitening techniques, professional teeth whitening treatments ( performed by the dentist in their office) and at home teeth whitening, where the bleaching treatments are performed, unsupervised, by the person on their own.

Professional Teeth Whitening - Procedure is performed by a dentist in his or her office.

- The whitening effect is seen immediately.

- The procedure takes approximately one hour.

At Home Teeth Whitening - Patient brings home a kit and wears trays with gel several hours per day for several weeks.

- Does not get consistent result , it depends on the patient’s motivation to do the self treatment.

- Is usually less expensive than the one- hour in office procedure.

Procedure for Professional Teeth Whitening 1. Dentist document the pre-treatment shade of the patient’s teeth.

2. A professional cleaning and polishing is done first to remove stains and tartar.

3. Teeth are isolated using cheek retractors or rubber dam.

4. Eye protection placed on patient.

up the cause. Even Rotary International is taking on the cause in their Rotary Action Group for Peace and War Prevention Initiative. (www.warpreventioninitiative.org) Yes, ultimately war will end or mankind will end. The choice is ours. We have the tools and we have the means. We must persevere and work together until this challenge is met. The Hibakusha—survivors of the atomic bombings—remind us daily of the responsibility each of us has to work for the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons and war. We owe this to their legacy and to the future of our children.

Robert F. Dodge, M.D., serves on the boards of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Beyond War, Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles, and Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions, and writes for PeaceVoice.

Lisa-Anne Ray-Byers dwight williams, dds, mph Contributing Writers CONTACT: Telephone:

(678) 956-STAR 7 8 2 7

Fax: (215) 294-5903 Submit Articles: nylibertystar@yahoo.com www.nylibertystar.com NEW YORK CITY CORPORATE OFFICE 397 Rockaway Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11212

Tooth whitening

hich is better, in office or at home teeth whitening?

Robert F. Dodge, M.D

IVROL HINES, Publisher Leonardo Harrison, Webmaster Orville Taylor. Associate Editor

just Ask the Dentist

By Dr. Dwight Williams, DDS, MPH

20,000 nuclear weapons in the world today with more than 95 percent in the arsenals of the U.S. and Russia. The human and financial costs of these programs are real and devastating. The U.S. alone has spent in excess of $5.5 trillion on nuclear weapons programs since 1940 and continues to spend in excess of $54 billion annually.

Such expenditures rob our future of so much and provide nothing in return except unacceptable risk.

Recent scientific studies have demonstrated the devastating humanitarian effects of even small limited nuclear war with catastrophic climate changes resulting in global famine.

There is no adequate response or recovery from these types of attacks. Prevention is the only response. There is no safe number of nuclear weapons. A complete ban and elimination of these weapons is the only sane response. The framework and steps to realize this have already been worked out. A majority of people around the world in poll after poll agree that abolition is the goal. What is needed is the political will.

Although there remains a shrinking group who feel that nuclear weapons and war play a role in resolving conflict. They cannot imagine a world without the institution of war. They are incorrect in their thinking just as those in the past who felt that slavery and apartheid would always be with us—and woman’s suffrage would never happen.

Today the idea of war prevention and resolving conflict without war has moved to the mainstream as people, faith communities, organizations and civil societies take

5. Peroxide whitening gel is applied to the patient’s teeth.

6. A light source is used to activate the bleaching compound.

7. Procedure is usually completed in 60-90 minutes.

8. Whitening compound is washed off when the procedure is completed.

Recommendation Professional teeth whitening and at home whitening trays both work. However the in office procedure is more predictable and the result is seen after one hour. The professional teeth whitening is convenient and efficient and can be done predictably before a big occasion when someone wants their smile to look its best. Teeth sensitivity for a few days is a common complaint but otherwise the procedure is painless and most patients get satisfactory results with an improved brighter and whiter smile.

Dr. Dwight Williams is a member of the New York State Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and a Fellow of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. He is an accomplished oral surgeon who has over 13 years experience in the full scope of oral surgery. In addition to routine dentoalveolar surgery, Dr. Williams has placed more than 1,000 dental implants in private practice and is one of the most experienced Implant Surgeon practicing in New York. At Harlem Hospital he trains residents in the treatment of maxillofacial trauma, major pathology and reconstructive surgery.

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LIBERTY STAR * september 2013

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Marmaduke by Brad Anderson

word fit

education

How to find free money for college:

The scholarship hunt

Can you fit the words correctly into the grid? (Solution, Page 4) ABYSS AGILE ARENA AWARE EDGES ETHER

EXITS GAUZE GIFTS IRATE SAUNA SOBER

TWILL WAGER EASILY KARATE SWERVE UNTRUE

EARNEST ELEMENT FEATHER ILLEGAL INSIGHT NARRATE

OBELISK OUTLINE RAILWAY WARRIOR

Wordsearch

police mystery

Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.

ALIBI, ARREST, CAPTURE, CAUTION, CHARGE, CLUE, CRIME, CRIMINAL, DETECTIVE, EVIDENCE, FORENSIC, INVESTIGATION, MOTIVE, MURDER, MYSTERY, OPPORTUNITY, PERPETRATOR, PLOT, POLICE, PURSUIT, SENTENCE, SOLVE, SUSPECT, WEAPON

W

h i l e c o l lege can be one of the best experiences of your life, it can also be one of the most expensive.

The average cost per year for a four-year degree at a state-sponsored school currently runs $22,261 for in-state students and $35,321 for out-of-state students, according to a 2012 College Board report. With a few tips and strategies, you can ease your financial burden by applying for scholarships.

The fact is, the more money you can get in scholarships, the less you'll need to borrow. Scholarships are awarded by universities, nonprofit organizations, corporations and private i n d i viduals.

There a r e many

different kinds of scholarships - some are needsbased while others focus on what a student's interests are - so start searching early and be persistent.

Do your research Fortunately, there are plenty of helpful ways to find scholarships. Look online by conducting a simple keyword search or by using free scholarship search services such as Fastweb, CollegeBoard or Edvisors.

Visit your high school counselor or college resource center If you are still in high school, counselors can give you directions for what types of scholarships you should apply for. If you know where you're going to college, be sure to talk with the financial aid office and see if they can assist you with your search. The admissions office may be able to

help you determine if there are any school-specific scholarships.

Be community-minded You can also look for scholarship sources within your own community. Check with your local newspaper, community organizations, and your parents'/guardians' employer. Religious organizations, banks or other civic organizations often offer scholarship programs. Enroll in Wells Fargo's CollegeSTEPS program to get additional information on finding scholarships as well as college planning tips and for tools and other resources. Once you enroll, you'll automatically be entered into the Wells Fargo CollegeSTEPS-sweepstakes for high school and college students.

Students will have the chance to win one of 40 $1,000 c a s h

prizes that may be used for college or other expenses.

Beware of scholarship scams Scholarships are "free money," so you should never have to pay money to get them. Watch out for scholarship scams or companies that require a credit card number just to perform a search. Save the money and do it yourself.

Once you identify the scholarships and grants you want to apply for, take careful note of the due dates, then complete and submit the applications accordingly. Give yourself plenty of time to devote to the scholarship hunt and application process. It may seem like a lot of work when you don't have a lot of time to spare, but in the end, it's worth it to secure college money that doesn't need to be repaid.

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september 2013 * LIBERTY STAR

Advertise Your business in Liberty Star (678) 956-7827 money

matters

How to keep your health up and costs down

No matter your age, you can help keep your body healthy and your money out of the health care system by eating right, exercising and avoiding habits that contribute to chronic illness. Having the appropriate insurance may also help your bottom line more than you think.

Follow this guide to see if you have what you need at various stages in life.

20s Younger people tend to have fewer medical issues, but that doesn't mean you should ditch health insurance altogether. To save money while making sure you're covered, consider a qualified highdeductible plan. Also known as a catastrophic health plan, this type of insurance typically covers costs for serious illness or unexpected accidents. But you're responsible for minor or routine expenses. You'll pay a lower monthly premium and a higher deductible than with a traditional plan.

"It also comes with a powerful triple tax benefit: Not only are contributions tax-deductible, but earnings and qualified withdrawals are tax-free, too," says J.J. Montanaro, a certified financial planner at USAA. Here's another option: If you're an unmarried dependent who doesn't have access to employer-sponsored health care, you can stay on your parents' health plan until you turn 26.

30s Consider broadening your coverage. You may want to supplement your regular health insurance with accident insurance. It can help cover emergency treatment and related expenses, such as transportation and lodging, if you or covered family members are injured.

While a health plan may cover much of your treatment costs, a critical illness plan typically pays a lump-sum benefit if you're diagnosed with a significant illness or suffer a heart attack or stroke. It may provide extra money for things like child care and housecleaning while you're on the mend. "The benefits provided by accident and critical illness insurance help take away the financial stress so you can focus on recovering," says Greg Galdau, USAA assistant vice president of health solutions.

Health insurance can pay some of your medical bills, but what about

the income you could lose if you become seriously sick or are injured and can't work? That's what disability insurance is for. Your employer may provide some coverage, but it usually isn't portable, so consider a personal policy you can take with you if you quit or lose your job.

Consider a flexible spending account. Your employer may offer one of these tax-advantaged plans that let you use pretax dollars to pay for medical expenses and dependent care, too.

40s While it's smart to begin saving for retirement in your 20s, most people start to focus a little more on the specifics once their 40s roll around.

"As you start crunching the numbers more seriously, be sure to factor health care costs into your assumptions about your spending needs in retirement," Galdau says. Out-ofpocket expenses for a 65-year-old couple could suck hundreds of thousands of dollars from a retirement nest egg, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

Start learning about long-term care insurance. If you equate longterm care insurance with nursing home coverage, think again. While it can cover those costs, it generally does something even more appealing - help give you the resources you need to stay in your home.

50s Stop putting off long-term care insurance. Long-term care expenses can pose a real threat to your retirement savings and lifestyle. This insurance can be flexible in its design - you can typically vary the features of the policy to stay within a budget while still reducing risk to your assets.

If you've become a caregiver for a parent or other family member, tap into information resources such as care.com or those provided by the National Alliance for Caregiving to make your role as easy as possible.

60s Don't go without. If you retire early and lack employer-provided health insurance, don't be tempted to cut costs and skip insurance until you're eligible for Medicare at 65. Consider buying an individual policy to bridge the gap, if you have no other option. To avoid making important decisions under pressure, learn about your Medicare choices well before you have to make them.

Did you know?

Georgia’s Aquarium is the world’s largest indoor aquarium with more than 8 million gallons of water, 100,000 animals, and 500 species.

Word Fit Puzzle solution, from Page3

Six simple steps to financial success

A

fter watching the stock market soar to record highs over the first half of the year, many investors are wondering if they should make changes to their investment portfolios.

Perhaps - but not because of what the stock market has done. Investment decisions based on short-term market moves are often short-sighted. A better approach is to stick to a long-term strategy built on proven investment fundamentals, and aligned with your goals and objectives. Here are six simple steps from Thrivent Financial that can help put your financial plan on the right track.

1. If your employer offers a 401(k) plan, use it. For a variety of reasons, it is often going to be your most attractive investment opportunity. Most employers will match a portion of your contributions, making your effective returns higher. If you contribute $1,000 to your plan, for example, and your employer matches that at 50 cents on the dollar, your contribution is actually worth $1,500.

A 401(k) also offers tax advantages on contributions and investment gains.

Finally, it puts your contributions on autopilot via systematic payroll deductions. That makes it less likely you'll skip contributions, and also lets you take advantage of the powerful benefits of dollar-cost averaging.

(Dollar cost averaging does not ensure a profit, nor does it protect against losses in a declining market. Because dollar cost averaging involves continuous investing, investors should consider their long-term ability to continue to make purchases through periods of low price levels.)

Simply put, your regular, fixeddollar contributions buy more shares when prices are low, and fewer when they're high.

2. Understand your investment horizon. Many people underestimate how long their retirement savings will need to last, which can lead to a host of mistakes. Some invest too conservatively, making it hard for their portfolios to keep pace with inflation. Others draw down their assets too quickly in retirement, boosting the odds that they'll run out of money in

Many people underestimate how long their retirement savings will need to last. old age. The average 65-year-old in good health today can expect to live about 20 more years. Your investment strategy should reflect the possibility that you will not only meet, but perhaps exceed, the life expectancy averages.

3. Don't underestimate the corrosive effects of inflation - even at low levels. At a rate of just 2 percent, inflation cuts the buying power of a dollar by a third in about 20 years. At 3 percent, it does the job in 14 years.

Make sure your portfolio includes some assets, like stocks, that historically have outperformed inflation over long periods of time.

4. Diversify your investment portfolio, but understand that you will need to do more to mitigate longevity risk. Diversification is the simplest and most effective approach to managing investment risk, but is ineffective at managing many other threats to your financial security. Longevity risk, for example - the risk of outliving your savings - is best managed by pooling your risk with other investors. One way to do that is with an annuity contract issued by an insurance company. Certain annuity contracts work like old-fashioned pension plans, paying a fixed income for life.

(Guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.)

Some include escalation clauses that increase your payout over time to keep pace with inflation. Knowing that you have provided for your basic living expenses with an annuity can provide the reassurance you need to

take a long-term perspective on stocks and other growth-oriented investments - the ones your portfolio needs to keep pace with inflation.

5. When investing in stocks, don't confuse where a company is headquartered with where it earns its money. Many people are looking to capitalize on investments in the fast-growing emerging economies of Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Often, though, emerging-market companies are not fueled by growth in their own economies. Many are mining or other natural resources firms whose results are driven by global commodity prices. Rather than investing directly in emerging markets, a better alternative for many people is to invest in U.S. companies that do business globally. Many of these companies have brands that are household names in emerging markets, and some even earn more overseas than they do in the U.S. In fact, a large share of the profits of the companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index is generated outside the U.S. Bottom line, you already enjoy substantial global diversification with U.S. stocks.

6. Don't be afraid to ask for help. The ever-expanding array of alternative investments can seem overwhelmingly complex, and may require frequent and ongoing attention. Rather than trying to do it yourself, consider working with a financial professional. Getting their advice on matters critical to your financial wellbeing will usually make good fiscal sense.

LIBERTY STAR * september 2013

5

Road To Happily Ever After

(BPT) - Your wedding is supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life, but what happens when the caterer closes, the head count is wrong and the band is a no show? More than one couple has experienced these types of wedding disasters. Make sure your wedding day is only filled with blissful memories by taking a few steps to do what you can to protect yourself from the financial and emotional impact of weddingday dilemmas and put your mind at ease.

1. Solidify a budget The average wedding costs a whopping $28,427, according to theknot.com, which means couples are spending big bucks to say "I do." Whether you're able to spend $5,000 or more than $50,000, it's important to create a realistic budget and stick with it throughout the wedding-planning process.

A good way to stay within budget is to set priorities. Do you care more about the food and not so much about the flowers? Allot more funds for catering and keep the bouquet modest. Create a spreadsheet and involve your partner so you both are on the same page. No one wants to be mid-wedding planning and realize they can't afford what they promised guests, or worse, have a huge bill at the end that risk delays to other goals, such as buying a home.

2. Purchase wedding insurance Imagine it's two weeks before the wedding and you just found out the reception hall suddenly closed, the tailor lost your dress and the photographer was in a car accident and therefore can't attend the ceremony. There's always an element of the unknown, and when so much money and emotion are involved in an event like a wedding, it's crucial to get wedding insurance.

"Wedding cancellation insurance can help cover losses for deposits sent to businesses who have unexpectedly closed, replacement of damaged wedding dresses and attire, and restaging of photos if a photographer is a no show," says Steve Lauro, vice president of Aon's WedSafe wedding insurance program. "It may even cover up to the full cost of your wedding if your event is postponed due to unforeseen circumstances such as extreme weather or a venue shutting its doors."

"Event Liability insurance, required by many venues, is another type of coverage you may be required to obtain in order to adequately protect your wedding," adds Lauro.

3. Investigate venues and vendors National average wedding costs: $2,379 for a

Keep Your Teen Safe Behind The Wheel Continued from Page 1 That's why the decision parents and teens make about that first set of wheels is so crucial. "Your car is like your outside shell when you're in it," Shelby says.

She's learned six key factors to look for: * Newer cars with newer technology. A used car may lack the technology that could save your child's life. In addition to electronic stability control - which helps drivers keep control of the vehicle - and side-impact air bags, base prices for newer cars are including builtin rearview cameras and park-assist systems. * The right size. Avoid sport utility vehicles, which have higher rollover rates and can prove tougher to maneuver; and tiny cars,

which may offer less protection in a crash. Shelby recommends moderate-size vehicles for more stability and easier, more predictable handling. * Sedan style. Don't give your teen more power than he or she can handle. "Even though sports cars have a strong performance image, a lot of accidents are speed-related," Shelby says. * Crash-test ratings. Check the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Picks each year on its website, www.iihs.org. * Accident history. If you're in the market for a used car, get a vehicle history report. It can alert you if a car's been in an accident or damaged in a flood. * Mechanic's signoff. Have an Automotive Service Excellencecertified mechanic check the vehicle to make sure the used vehicle you're purchasing is a good one.

Under Watchful Eyes How do your kids drive when you’re not in the passenger seat? A new program from USAA gives you the chance to find out.

USAA is now offering “Young Drivers IntelligenceTM” to members with insured teen drivers free for one year - that’s a $279 value.

“USAA is striving to promote having a conversation with teens about driving habits,” says Shel-

by Fix, The Car Coach 2.0.

Participants in the voluntary program get a GPS-enabled device that plugs into the teen’s vehicle. It records driving data, such as acceleration, braking, routes, time of day and speed. Then parents and teens can review the data online, offering a chance for parents to coach safe driving behavior and track their child’s progress.

“I had a tracker on my car since the first day I got it,” says Shelby, adding that her mom was notified if she exceeded 60 mph.

“My friends said, ‘Your mom is stalking you!’ But if I was ever stuck on the side of road, I would want her to have that information. It taught me to be

photographer, $1,997 for a florist, $12,905 for a reception venue, $63 per guest for catering. When investing so much money into a wedding, you want to make sure the businesses you select are the best of the best. Spend time researching different venues and vendors before you sign on the dotted line.

When researching, ask and make sure each business carries liability insurance. Get references and spend time emailing and making calls - a real person will give you the best insight into what type of experience to expect. Check out every business on BBB.org and read online reviews.

4. Stay organized and confirm details one month out Many couples plan a wedding a year or more out, so it's important a month prior to confirm all the details to ensure a smooth and beautiful wedding day. Call vendors and event sites to verify times and services.

You'll receive lots of paperwork during the wedding-planning process. Keep copies of all contracts in a specified folder. Record how much was put down on deposits and when additional amounts are due so you don't miss a payment.

Keep a spreadsheet of all important numbers in one document for easy reference. Give this document to several trusted people so if you need assistance calling, particularly on the day of the wedding, your mother-in-law or best man can step in and help.

Make sure your special day ends in wedded bliss rather than a wedding disaster. These simple tips can help ensure a beautiful experience for you and your guests, and protect you should you encounter an unexpected surprise.

safer.”

USAA will not use the program to modify insurance policies or premiums.

Check out the vehicles that made USAA’s 2013 Top 10 for Teens list.

They had to be USAA Preferred vehicles and have an MSRP below $25,500.

In addition, each vehicle’s safety, reliability, insurance cost and overall value were considered. The cars are: 1. Dodge Dart 2. Dodge Avenger 3. Honda CR-Z 4. Chrysler 200 5. Honda Insight 6. Volkswagen Golf 7. Hyundai Elantra 8. Nissan Versa 9. Kia Optima 10 Chevrolet Malibu

7th Heaven Mom To Help Families Curb Drug Abuse From Page 1 * Never share prescription drugs with anyone or mix them; * Talk to your local pharmacists about the best way to store and get rid of old medicines; * Tell friends and family to keep their medications secure.

"When we keep prescription medicine in our homes, we need to keep those medicines safe," says Keith Hodges, pharmacist and executive committee member of the National Community Pharmacists Association.

"We can all make a difference by storing and disposing of our medicine in the right way."

6

september 2013 * LIBERTY STAR

NE W S MA K ER S

Yes, Usain Bolt dazzled again

H

e usually does on the biggest of stages, taking all suspense out of races early and leaving everyone else to compete for medals other than gold.

Unlike Bolt’s races, however, these world championships packed plenty of drama. Some of it wasn’t so much for race finishes as the finish on the fingernails of two Swedish athletes. To show support for Russian gays and lesbians in the face of an anti-gay law, they went with rainbow nail polish during competition.

That prompted a complaint from Russian pole vault great Yelena Isinbayeva, who said she supported Russia’s law and that Russians have ‘’normal’’ heterosexual relations.

Isinbayeva later backed off her remarks, saying she may have been misunderstood because she was speaking in English instead of her native language.

On the track, Bolt was the show once more. When is that not the case?

He picked up three more titles and is now the most decorated male athlete in world championship history with eight golds and two silvers, moving past Carl Lewis (eight golds, one silver, one bronze).

What a sweet snapshot: Mom, dad ... the baby prince

I

t’s one of two photos released recently by Kensington Palace of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their newborn son, Prince George.

The photos were shot by Michael Middleton, Catherine’s father, in early August in the garden of the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire.

One portrait shows Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, beaming while holding the swaddled George, who is third in line to the British throne.

The happy husband, Prince William, is beside them, all smiles.

They are accompanied on the left by Tilly the retriever, a Middleton family pet, and on the right by Lupo, the couple’s cocker spaniel.

The other portrait shows the royal couple alone with the young prince.

In his first official interview since George’s July 22 birth, William told CNN’s Max Foster that Lupo is taking the addition to the royal family in stride.

“He’s coping all right, actually,” William said.

“As a lot of people know who have got dogs and bringing a newborn back, they take a little bit of time to adapt, but he’s been all right so far. He’s been slobbering around the house a bit, so he’s perfectly happy.”

Lupo will be a perfect playmate for George, whom William calls “a little bit of a rascal.”

“He either reminds me of my brother or me when I was younger, I’m not sure, but he’s doing very well at the moment,” William told CNN, in describing the youngest member of the royal family.

“He’s growing quite quickly actually. But he’s a little fighter -- he wriggles around quite a lot and he doesn’t want to go to sleep that much.”

America’s First Canine

T

he White House revealed the first photos of The Obama family’s new puppy - Sunny.

Sunny is a female Portuguese Water Dog, just like The Obamas longtime canine companion -- Bo. She was born in Michigan in June 2012, according to The White House.

She has been described as Bo’s perfect little sister, “full of energy and very affectionate,” per The White House. Sunny joined the family on August 19.

DIY or DI-don't?

When to do it yourself, when to hire a pro (BPT) - When it comes to home improvement, homeowners aren't afraid to get their hands dirty; 64 percent who plan to make improvements this year say they will do it themselves, according to an American Express Consumer Spending and Saving Report. But not all home decorating or renovating projects are suitable for the average DIYer. So how do you know when to DIY or when to call in a professional?

You can quickly assess if a DIY project is achievable. Consider if you need special knowledge or expertise beyond what you could acquire with online research or a class at your local home improvement store. Does the job require specialized tools that would be very expensive to buy or that aren't available through your local rental center? Lastly, consider the amount of time and money you have to devote to the project.Whether painting or building, the good news is every job can be considered a DIY project. Here are three popular home projects with suggestions for when to DIY and when to call in a pro: Adding new window treatments Custom window treatments that offer multiple colors, styles and light-filtering options can transform any room. Cellular shades are a great option for DIYers who want a professional-looking result without the hassle and expense of hiring a professional. Simple Fit Custom Cellular Window Shades install in seconds and require no special tools - no drill, screws or brackets - or expertise to securely install your shade.

Simple Fit shades give you a polished look quickly and easily with the push of a button that activates a patented compression-mount system. View a video on installation and learn more at www.simplefitcustomshades.com.

Go pro: Installing wooden blinds or shutters typically requires tools and precise abilities. If screw drivers, lev-

el surfaces and detailed instructions are not your thing, call for help. When assessing the windows, you may notice that some windows are in need of repair. Before installing, consult with a professional to ensure the window is in proper condition.-

labor intensive and errors could result in ruined planks.

Installing wooden flooring With a variety of flooring on the market to choose from, quality laminate can provide you with the look of wood at a fraction of the cost, labor and hassle of the real thing. Typically, laminate offers many options and is easy to do yourself. It's easier to "float" laminate - meaning no messy, hard-to-manage adhesive is required.

Some options are as simple as cutting to size and clicking into place.

Sprucing up the kitchen Many simple kitchen enhancements are an easy job for even novice DIYers. Painting walls or cabinets and adding new hardware can impart a whole new look to a kitchen for relatively little time and money.

Go pro: Installing granite countertops are among the most desirable kitchen upgrades, but unlike other countertop installations, granite is rife with peril. Incorrectly measuring the amount of granite you'll need will result in a countertop that doesn't fit - a costly disaster. Professionals ensure proper installation to avoid breakage, cabinet or water damage and other

Go pro: Installing genuine hardwood requires an extensive list of materials and tools. If you are not confident with this type of installation, consult a professional. A pro can take the guess work out of the installation and eliminate costly mistakes.

Refinishing existing hardwood floors is also a job better left to pros unless you have extensive experience operating a sander. This home renovation is

problems. Granite countertops are an investment, and it pays to hire a professional to ensure that investment pays off in the best possible way.

When it comes to DIY projects, it's important to take on tasks that will yield great results and little to no frustration. Fortunately, it's easy to find plenty of decorating and home improvement projects that are simple, cost effective and high impact.

LIBERTY STAR * september 2013

Natural, balanced ... and beyond: Making sense of

Dog Food Labels

D

ogs are man's best friend, so it's only natural to want to give him the best care, from the veterinarian he goes to, right down to the food you put in his bowl every day.

But in a world filled with an ever-expanding array of choices, it can be hard to make sense of it all. However, getting to know the meaning behind the labels you see at the pet store will make it easier to give your four-legged friend the food he deserves.

"Making sense of dog food labels can be a challenge and many owners aren't sure where to start when it comes to choosing the best food for their pet," says Dr. Jessica Vogelsang, veterinarian, petMD contributor and author of Pawcurious.com. "A single, seemingly simple word can have a much more complex meaning. But learning the story behind those words will tell you a lot about what you're feeding your dog."

Vogelsang points out a few key words that dog owners should pay attention to: "Natural": When it comes to dog food, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), a body that sets voluntary standards for the pet food industry, defines "natural" as "a feed or ingredient derived solely from plant, animal or mined sources." In practical terms, this means that a

"natural" dog food, like Hill's Ideal Balance, contains no chemically synthesized ingredients (aside from vitamins).

"Balanced": Pet food is formulated to be the sole source of your pet's nutrition so it's the ingredient ratios that are essential to making the food complete and balanced.

This means that it has to strike the right balance between macronutrients, like carbohydrates, fat, and protein, and micronutrients or vitamins and minerals. Macronutrients provide calories and both the amount of calories and the ratio of carbs, fat and proteins to one another are important for optimum pet health. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that the body uses in smaller amounts, but they are no less important. For example, minerals like calcium and phosphorous are essential to bone health and provided in the wrong amounts can cause health problems for your pet.

"Grain-free": Like people, some dogs have food allergies and sensitivities and can benefit from a grain-free diet.

"When you shop, read labels carefully, and consider the source," Vogelsang says. "For instance, Hill's has a long history of making leading dog foods, and their new Ideal Balance has been formulated by a team of pet nutritionists to provide your pet with natural ingredients perfectly balanced."

Providing your pup with healthy food is one of the best ways to ensure that you'll share a long, happy life together. To learn more about feeding your dog well, visit petMD.com or Pawcurious. com.

7

ASK LISA-ANNE

Take the stress out of back-to-school Q. How can my family make a smooth transition back to school. I really hate this time of year. I get stressed out and so do my kids. Any suggestions?

A. Everyone knows that kids need supplies to get ready for school. However, the emotional transition back to school is rough on everyone, too. New school clothes, supplies, forms to fill out, deadlines to meet, getting up early again, packing lunches, homework, a new teacher and in this economy, finding enough money for it all. There is also the emotional side of going back to school for children. Children who are entering a new school district, repeating a grade, entering a new building, and who are going for the first time, are the most stressed. No matter how unprepared you think you are, there are some ways to avoid back-toschool nightmares with expert tips and also learn how to make a game plan.

The GreatSchools.net website and I offer these suggestions: Talk positively about the pending school experience. Parents’ emotions are easily read by children who pick up on parental fears, sadness about separation, or concerns about their child’s adjustment.

Shop together for school supplies or clothes. Treat going to school as a wonderful new adventure.

Start getting them back on their school-time schedule slowly — about a week ahead of the first day.

The night before, prepare lunches and snacks and set out clothes and backpacks. If you're unsure of the school's snack policy, send extra food with your child just in case.

Many parents like to accompany their child to school on the first day, but that is not always possible. If this is a big issue for you and your child, you could certainly slip a note in a lunch box or backpack or in with some new school supplies.

Establish TV, video, and computer use rules before the first day of school, and stick to them.

Do not drop off your child and leave. Your job is to make sure all the child's concerns have been addressed before you leave them anywhere!

If your child is anxious about going to school, don’t freak out if your child’s anxiety escalates into screaming and crying, ‘I won’t go!’ Remain calm, cool, and collected.

Find another child in your neighborhood who may be going to school with your child and invite them over so your child has at least one friend.

Have a back to school party with your family and friends to ease the transition.

Provides lots of hugs and reassurance for your children. Let them know that you know how they feel.

Share some of your stories of when you were a kid going to school. Good

Lisa-Anne Ray-Byers luck everyone!

Lisa-Anne Ray-Byers is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist who has worked in education for over two decades. She holds graduate degrees in speech-language pathology and multicultural education. She also holds certification in educational administration. She is the author of the books, They Say I Have ADHD, I Say Life Sucks! Thoughts From Nicholas, They S S Say I'm a St St Stutterer, But I S S Say Nothing! Meet Kelly and co-author of 365 Ways to Succeed With ADHD! She is the Education Editor of the Community Journal newspaper in Baldwin, New York and a member of the National Education Writers Association.

You may contact her at speechlrb@ yahoo.com or by visiting her website at www.AskLisaAnne.com.

Weird, but true ...

Man arrested after calling 911 to report wrong McDonald’s order A Georgia man who called 911 to complain about his McDonald’s order ended up going to jail.

“I went in to order seven McDoubles and one McChicken and one fry,” Lorenzo Riggins told local station WALB-TV. But he says that's not what he walked away with.

“When I got to my truck and I got ready to leave, I looked in my bag and come to find out I had six McDoubles,” the Albany, Ga., resident said. He said he went back into the restaurant to get his other McDouble but didn’t get any satisfaction.

“She was trying to get an attitude with me, and I said

I'm going to call the police," the dissatisfied customer said. And he did, but that's when he got double trouble rather than another McDouble.

Riggins was arrested and charged with violation of the emergency 911 telephone service, according to WALB. "I called the police" he said, and thought everything was "cool." "I didn't know I was misusing 911," Riggins said.

Riggins told WALB-TV that all he wanted was respect; the police told WALB-TV that misuing 911 is no joke. The police also took Riggins to jail.

8

september 2013 * LIBERTY STAR

opinions

&

e d i t o r i als

Why won’t they tell us the truth about NSA spying?

By Ron Paul

I

n 2001, the Patriot Act opened the door to US government monitoring of Americans without a warrant.

It was unconstitutional, but most in Congress over my strong objection were so determined to do something after the attacks of 9/11 that they did not seem to give it too much thought. Civil liberties groups were concerned, and some of us in Congress warned about giving up our liberties even in the post-9/11 panic. But at the time most Americans did not seem too worried about the intrusion.

This complacency has suddenly shifted given recent revelations of the extent of government spying on Americans. Politicians and bureaucrats are faced with serious backlash from Americans outraged that their most personal communications are intercepted and stored. They had been told that only the terrorists would be monitored.

In response to this anger, defenders of the program have time and again resorted to spreading lies and distortions. But these untruths are now being exposed very quickly.

In a Senate hearing this

March, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told Senator Ron Wyden that the NSA did not collect phone records of millions of Americans. This was just three months before an NSA leaker made it clear that Clapper was not telling the truth. Pressed on his false testimony before Congress, Clapper apologized for giving an “erroneous” answer but claimed it was just because he “simply didn’t think of Section 215 of the Patriot Act.” Wow. As the story broke in June of the extent of warrantless NSA spying against Americans, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers assured us that the project was strictly limited and not invasive.

He described it as a “lockbox with only phone numbers, no names, no addresses in it, we’ve used it sparingly, it is absolutely overseen by the legislature, the judicial branch and the executive branch, and has lots of protections built in…”

But we soon discovered, that also was not true either. We learned in another Guardian newspaper article recently that the top secret “X-Keyscore” program allows even low-level analysts to “search with no prior authorization through vast databases containing emails, online chats and the browsing histories of millions of individuals.”

The keys to Rogers’

“lockbox” seem to have been handed out to everyone but the janitors! As Chairman of the Committee that is supposed to be most in the loop on these matters, it seems either the Intelligence Community misled him about their programs or he misled the rest of us. It sure would be nice to know which one it is.

Likewise, Rep. Rogers and many other defenders of the NSA spying program promised us that this dragnet scooping up the personal electronic communications of millions of Americans had already stopped “dozens” of terrorist plots against the United States. In June, NSA director General Keith Alexander claimed that the just-disclosed bulk collection of Americans’ phone and other electronic records had “foiled 50 terror plots.”

Opponents of the program were to be charged with being unconcerned with our security.

But none of it was true.

The Senate Judiciary Committee recently heard dramatic testimony from NSA deputy director John C. Inglis. According to the Guardian: “The NSA has previously claimed that 54 terrorist plots had been disrupted ‘over the lifetime’ of the bulk phone records collection and the separate program collecting the internet habits and communica-

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Ron Paul tions of people believed to be non-Americans. On July 31, Inglis said that at most one plot might have been disrupted by the bulk phone records collection alone.”

From dozens to “at most one”?

Supporters of these programs are now on the defensive, with several competing pieces of legislation in the House and Senate seeking to rein in an administration and intelligence apparatus that is clearly out of control.

This is to be commended.

What is even more important, though, is for more and more and more Americans to educate themselves about our precious liberties and to demand that their government abide by the Constitution. We do not have to accept being lied to – or spied on — by our government.

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Getting Our Priorities Straight

By Lynn Fitz-Hugh

Recently at a wedding reception I was chatting with a woman in her 60’s. She was appreciating me for my involvement in Seattle 350, a group trying to stop climate chaos.

She told me she could not be involved because of the time she was spending with her grandchildren. She stated that she did not expect climate change to be solved in her lifetime. I said: “Well, unfortunately, if we do not solve it in your lifetime your grandchildren will not have a livable planet.” She looked stricken and said: “Oh no, Lynn, is that really true?” This is not the sort of thing one wants to say at a wedding, but yes, it is true.

My friend is a reasonably well informed and caring person, but the problem is that when major media insists upon untruthfully reporting that the scientists studying climate change are not in agreement, they misinform the public and contaminate the debate. Fully 97 percent of climate scientists not only agree that climate change is real and man-made, but they also tell us that we have a very limited amount of time to do something about it before it is too late. They tell us 350 parts per million carbon is the atmosphere is the limit that we can safely live with and that we have just topped 400 ppm!

The scientists tell us that we have a very short window to turn that around before we reach tipping points that will set loose a massive cascade of carbon/hotter atmosphere/more carbon. A tipping point is something like the melting of the permafrost, thus releasing massive stored carbon, or the melting of the ice caps, raising water levels so high that sea-level cities flood and cannot be “unflooded,” or the acidification of the ocean which then kills most sea life. If we do not change the course we are on we face a future where, in just a few decades, much of the planet will be uninhabitable. It is not like a thermostat that can simply be lowered again if we change our minds or get around to changing it. Some changes are permanent.

Because the politicians always talk about climate change as a problem that we have to solve for our “grandchildren,”

Lynn Fitz-Hugh

it leaves us thinking of this as a distant problem. So let me be clear about time frames. Only if you are likely to die in the next seven years is this not an issue that will affect you. For those in their 60’s and older, this will affect your old age, your children’s and your grandchildren’s lives. If you are in your 50’s this will affect what your retirement will be like (even more than the potential cancellation of Social Security), what your children’s adult lives will be like, and intensely affect your grandchildren. If you are in your 40’s it will affect the quality of most of the last half of your life, your children’s whole lives and whether you even have grandchildren. Children the age of my 16-year-old daughter rightly face their future with a certain terror.

We are going to have to get clear about our priorities. Not just in how we use carbon. (Why are you getting in the car? Do you really need to? Do you really need a car?) But also in how we spend our time. Yes, we all have compelling things going on in our lives. But we also all waste time. As a species we are running out of time to waste. If in a not-too-distant future the youngest ones in your life are living with whole parts of the US made uninhabitable from drought, forest fires, pest invasions, massive storms and flooding, how will you feel? How will you answer their question: “What were you doing during the turning point?”

Watching Dancing with the Stars, or at least trying to stop the deadly changes?

Lynn Fitz-Hugh, Seattle, is a mother, therapist, Coördinator for 350 Seattle, and writes for PeaceVoice.