Summer
2010
Koalas
asking for water...
AT 120
DEGREES IN AUSTRALIA , IT WAS SO HOT FOR A
WEEK THAT KOALAS WERE
ASKING PEOPLE FOR WATER.
IT'S NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE.
ONE WENT TO A HOUSE TO TRY TO HIDE FROM THE HEAT
AND TO
GET A BIT OF SHADE AND HERE'S
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE
OWNER GAVE HIM SOMETHING TO DRINK. IT'S REALLY CUTE.
"Until one has loved an
animal,
part of their soul remains un-awakened."
After tossing her books on the sofa,
she decided to grab a snack and get on-line.
She logged on under her screen name
ByAngel213. She checked her Buddy List
and saw GoTo123 was on. She sent him an
instant message:
ByAngel213: Hi. I'm glad you are on! I thought someone was
following me home today. It was
really weird!
GoTo123:
LOL You watch too much TV.. Why would someone be following you?
Don't you live in a safe neighborhood?
ByAngel213: Of course I do. LOL I guess it was my
imagination
cuz' I didn't see anybody when I looked out.
GoTo123: Unless you gave your name out on-line.
You haven't done that have you?
ByAngel213: Of course not.. I'm not stupid you know.
GoTo123: Did you have a softball game after school today?
ByAngel213: Yes and we won!!
GoTo123: That's great! Who did you play?
ByAngel213: We played the Hornets. LOL. Their uniforms are so gross!
They look like bees.
LOL
GoTo123: What is your team called?
ByAngel213: We are the Canton Cats. We have tiger paws
on our uniforms.
They are really
cool.
GoTo123: Did you pitch?
ByAngel213: No I play second base. I got to go. My homework has to be done
before my parents
get home. I don't want them mad at me. Bye!
GoTo123: Catch you later.. Bye
Meanwhile.......GoTo123 went to the member menu and began to search
for her
profile. When it came up, he highlighted it and printed it out..
He took out a
pen and began to write down what he knew about Angel so far..
Her name: Shannon
Birthday: Jan. 3, 1985
Age: 13
State where she lived: North Carolina
Hobbies: softball, chorus, skating and going to the mall.
Besides this
information, he knew she lived in Canton because
she had just told him. He knew
she stayed by herself until 6:30 p.m.
every afternoon until her parents came
home from work.
He knew she played softball on Thursday afternoons on the school
team,
and the team was named the Canton Cats. Her favorite number 7
was printed
on her jersey.
He knew she was in the eighth grade
at the Canton Junior High School.
She had told him all this in the conversations they had on- line.
He
had enough information to find her now.
Shannon didn't tell her parents about the
incident on the way
home from the ballpark that day. She didn't want them to
make a scene
and stop her from walking home from the softball games.
Parents
were always overreacting and hers were the worst.
It made her wish she was not
an only child. Maybe if she had brothers
and sisters, her parents wouldn't be so
overprotective.
By Thursday, Shannon had forgotten about the
footsteps following her.
Her game was in full swing when suddenly she felt someone
staring at her. It was
then that the memory came back. She glanced up
from her second base position to
see a man watching her closely.
He was leaning against the fence behind first base and he smiled
when she looked
at him.. He didn't look scary and she quickly
dismissed the sudden fear she had
felt.
After the game, he sat on a bleacher while she talked to the coach.
She noticed
his smile once again as she walked past him.
He nodded and she smiled back.
He
noticed her name on the back of her shirt.
He knew he had found her.
Quietly, he walked a safe distance behind her.
It was only a few blocks to
Shannon 's home, and once he saw
where she lived he quickly returned to the park
to get his car.
Now he had to wait. He decided to get a bite to eat until the time
came to go to
Shannon 's house. He drove to a fast food restaurant
and sat there until time to
make his move.
Shannon was in her room later that evening
when she heard voices in the living
room.
"Shannon, come here," her father called. He sounded upset and
she couldn't
imagine why. She went into the room to see the
man from the ballpark sitting on
the sofa..
"Sit down," her father began, "this man has just told
us a most
interesting story about you."
Shannon sat back. How could he tell her parents anything?
She had never seen him
before today!
"Do you know who I am, Shannon ?" the man asked.
"No," Shannon answered.
"I am a police officer and your online friend, GoTo123."
Shannon was stunned. "That's
impossible! GoTo is a kid my age!
He's 14. And he lives in Michigan !"
The man smiled. "I know I told you all that, but it wasn't true.
You see,
Shannon , there are people on-line who pretend to be kids;
I was one of them.
But while others do it to injure kids and hurt them,
I belong to a group of
parents who do it to protect kids from predators.
I came here to find you to
teach you how dangerous it is to talk to people on-line.
You told me enough
about yourself to make it easy for me to
find you.
You named the school you went to, the
name of your ball team
and the position you played. The number and name on your
jersey just made finding you a breeze."
Shannon was stunned. "You mean you don't live in Michigan ?"
He laughed. "No, I live in Raleigh . It made you feel safe to think
I was so
far away, didn't it?"
She nodded.
"I had a friend whose daughter was like
you... Only she wasn't as lucky.
The guy found her and murdered her while she
was home alone.
Kids are taught not to tell anyone when they are alone,
yet they
do it all the time on-line. The wrong people trick you into
giving out
information a little here and there on-line. Before you know it,
you have told
them enough for them to find you without even
realizing you have done it. I hope
you've learned a lesson
from this and won't do it again.. Tell others about this
so they will be safe too?"
"It's a promise!"
AN ACCURATE 2010
HOROSCOPE
ARIES - The Aggressive
Outgoing. Lovable. Spontaneous. Not one to mess with.
Funny.. Excellent kisser EXTREMELY adorable. Loves
relationships, and family is very important to an aries.
Aries are known for being generous and giving. Addictive.
Loud. Always has the need to be 'Right'. Aries will
argue to prove their point for hours and hours. Aries are
some of the most wonderful people in the world.
TAURUS - The Tramp
Aggressive. Loves being in long relationships. Likes to
give a good fight.
Fight for what they want. Can be annoying at times,
but for the love of attention.
Extremely outgoing. Loves to help people in times of
need. Good kisser.
Good personality. Stubborn. A caring person. They can
be self centered and
if they want something they will do anything to get
it. They love to sleep
and can be lazy. One of a
kind. Not one to mess with.
Are the most attractive people on earth!
GEMINI - The Twin
Nice. Love is one of a kind. Great listeners. Very Good at
confusing people... Lover not a fighter, but will still
knock you out. Gemini's will not take any crap from anyone.
Gemini's like to tell people what they should do and get
offended easily. They are great at losing things and are
forgetful. Gemini's can be very sarcastic and childish at
times
and are very nosey. Trustworthy. Always happy. VERY
Loud. Talkative.
Outgoing. VERY FORGIVING. Loves to make out.. Has a
beautiful smile. Generous. Strong. THE MOST IRRESISTIBLE.
CANCER - The Beauty
MOST AMAZING KISSER. Very high appeal. A Cancer's Love
is one of a kind. Very romantic. Most caring person
you
will ever meet in your life. Entirely creative person, most
are artists and insane,
respectfully speaking. They perfected sex and do it
often. Extremely random.
An Ultimate Freak. Extremely funny and is usually the
life of the party.
Most Cancers will take you under their wing and into their
hearts where you
will remain forever. Cancers make love with a passion
beyond compare.
Spontaneous... Not a Fighter, but
will kick your ass good if it comes down to it.
Someone you should hold on to!
LEO - The Lion
Great talker. Attractive and passionate. Laid back.
Usually happy but when unhappy tend to be grouchy and
childish.
A Leo's problem becomes everyone's problem. Most Leos
are very predictable
and tend to be monotonous. Knows how to have fun. Is
really good at almost
anything. Great kisser. Very predictable. Outgoing. Down to
earth.
Addictive. Attractive. Loud. Loves being in long
relationships.
Talkative. Not one to mess with. Rare to find. Good
when found.
VIRGO - The One that Waits
Dominant in relationships. Someone loves them right now.
Always wants the last word. Caring. Smart. Loud. Loyal. Easy
to talk to. Everything you ever wanted. Easy to please. A
pushover. Loves to gamble and take chances.. Needs to have
the last say in everything.. They think they know everything
and usually do. Respectful to others but you will
quickly lose their respect if you do something
untrustworthy towards them and never regain respect. They do
not forgive and never forget. The one and only.
LIBRA - The Lame One
Nice to everyone they meet.. Their love is one of a kind. Silly, funny
and sweet.
Have own unique appeal. Most caring person you will
ever meet!
However, not the kind of person you want to mess with...you
might end up crying.
Libras can cause as much havoc as they can prevent.
Faithful friends to the end.
Can hold a grudge for years. Libras are someone you
want on your side. Usually
great at sports and are extreme sports fanatics. Very
creative. A hopeless romantic.
SCORPIO - The Addict
EXTREMELY adorable. Loves to joke. Very Good sense of
humor. Will try almost anything once. Loves to be pampered.
Energetic. Predictable. GREAT kisser. Always get what they
want.
Attractive. Loves being in long relationships.
Talkative...
Loves to party but at times to the extreme.
Loves the smell and feel of money and is good at making it
but just as good at spending it! Very protective over loved
ones.
HARD workers. Can be a good friend but if is
disrespected by a friend, the friendship will end. Romantic.
Caring.
SAGITTARIUS - The Promiscuous One
Spontaneous. High appeal. Rare to find. Great when found.
Loves being in long
relationships. So much love to give. A loner most of
the time. Loses patience
easily and will not take crap. If in a bad mood stay FAR away. Gets offended
easily and remembers the offense forever. Loves deeply but
at times will not show it,
feels it is a sign of weakness. Has many fears but
will not show it.
VERY private person. Defends loved ones with all their
abilities.
Can be childish often. Not one to mess with. Very
pretty. Very romantic.
Nice to everyone they meet. Their Love is one of a kind.
Silly, fun and sweet. Have own unique appeal. Most caring
person you will ever meet!
Amazing in bed!!! Not the kind
of person you want to mess with - you might end
up crying.
CAPRICORN - The Passionate Lover
Love to bust. Nice. Sassy. Intelligent. Sexy. Grouchy at
times and annoying to some.
Lazy and love to take it easy. But when they find a
job or something they like to do they
put their all into it. Proud, understanding and sweet.
Irresistible. Loves being in long
relationships. Great talker.
Always gets what he or she wants. Cool. Loves to win
against other signs especially Gemini's in sports. Likes
to cook but would rather go out
to eat at good restaurants. Extremely fun. Loves to
joke. Smart.
AQUARIUS - Does It In The Water
Trustworthy. Attractive. Great kisser. One of a kind, loves
being in long-term
relationships. Can be clumsy at times but tries hard.
Will take on any project.
Proud of themselves in whatever they do. Messy and
unorganized. Procrastinators.
Great lovers, when they're not sleeping. Extreme
thinkers. Loves their pets usually
more than their family. Can be VERY irritating to
others when they try to explain
or tell a story. Unpredictable. Will exceed your
expectations.
Not a Fighter but will knock your lights out.
PISCES - The Partner for Life
Caring and kind. Smart. Likes to be the center of
attention. Very organized.
High appeal to opposite sex. Likes to have the last
word. Good to find, but hard to keep.
Passionate, wonderful lovers... Fun to be around. Too
trusting at times and gets hurt easily.
VERY caring. They always try to do the right thing and
sometimes gets the short
end of the stick. They sometimes get used by others
and get hurt because
of their trusting.. Extremely weird but in a good way. Good sense of humor!!!
Thoughtful. Loves to joke. Very popular. Silly, fun
and sweet.
Good friend to other but needs to be choosy on who
they allow their friends to be.
John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He
is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone
would ask him how he was doing,
he would reply, 'If I were any better, I would be twins!'
He was a natural motivator.
If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to
look on the positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him,
'I don't get it!'
'You can't be a positive person all of the time.
How do
you do it?'
He replied, 'Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have
two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or...you can
choose to be in a bad mood
I choose to be in a good mood.'
Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...
I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.
Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their
complaining or...I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the
positive side of life.
'Yeah, right, it's not that easy,'
I protested.
'Yes, it is,' he said. 'Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the
junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You
choose how people affect your mood.
You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line:
It's your choice how you live your life.'
I reflected on what he said. Soon hereafter, I left the
Tower Industry to start my own business.. We lost touch, but I often
thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.
Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident,
falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.
After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released
from the hospital with rods placed in his back.
I saw him about six months after the accident.
When I asked him how he was, he replied, 'If I were any better, I'd be twins...
Wanna see my scars?'
I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through
his mind as the accident took place.
'The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be
born daughter,' he replied. 'Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I
had two choices:
I could choose to live or...I could choose to die. I chose to live.'
'Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?' I asked..
He continued, '....the paramedics were great.
They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the
ER
and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really
scared.
In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action.'
'What did you do?' I asked.
'Well, there was a big burly nurse
shouting questions at me,' said John. 'She asked if I was allergic to anything
'Yes, I replied.' The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my
reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity''
Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live.
Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.'
He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing
attitude...
I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.
Attitude, after all, is everything.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.'
After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.