Picking a camp

Summer is almost here and the time for choosing a day camp for the kids is here again. There are a few things to consider asking before trusting a camp with your children.

Even if you have used a camp in the past, the questions should be asked. You might be surprised at some of the answers that you’ll get.

Questions to ask:

1.How do you screen your staff?

2.What are your screening procedures?

3.Is there always more then one staff member with the children at any given time?

4.What are your policies relating to problems or complaints with staff should there ever be a problem?

5.How many campers will be assigned to a set of counselors?

Things to talk with your children about (depending on their age and maturity level) before sending them to camp.

1.General safety rules.

2.If there should be any problem with a counselor or camper, that they need to talk to you about it. (Problems could be anything from argument to major problems of any kind).

3.How to deal with such a problem should there be a need, until they can contact you. Including letting them know who the person in charge at the camp is incase they need to go to them.

4.Provide your children with all emergency phone numbers to reach you (cell, work, pager, etc.).

5.Provide a back up number and contact person should they not be able to reach you.

These are only a few things that are on my list. I am sure that the parents that read this will also have a list of their own. But I felt these things were worth listing.

Written by A. Wallace

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Computer viruses

Computer viruses are self-executing programs written specifically to change the way a computer works, without the knowledge of the owner. Viruses are so called because they behave in a similar way to biological viruses. Just as biological viruses pass from person to person, replicating themselves as they go, computer viruses pass from computer to computer. Unlike most biological viruses, however - computer viruses are entirely man made.

Viruses (including worms) are often distributed via attachments in e-mail spam and, ironically, a great deal of e-mail spam (particularly chain letters) are virus hoaxes.

Basic e-mail safety tips:
·Change your password often and keep it in a safe place
·Don’t share the password with anyone.
·Don’t open any attachments from anyone unless they are run through an anti-virus program.
·Log off when done.
·Don’t reply to spam, harassing, or offensive e-mail or forward chain e-mail letters.
·Use common sense and keep personal information personal.
·Delete all e-mails, unread, from people you don’t know
·Don’t be caught by the spammers’ favorite trick, “Remember me?”

Written by A. Wallace

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It’s that time of year

Yes it is that time of year again, time to set those clocks ahead an hour.

But that is not all it is time for. It is also time to check those smoke alarms.

As a general safety rule, you should check your smoke alarms and change the batteries every time when you set the clocks ahead or back.

Doing it at this time would make it so that you will always remember and always have a fresh battery incase of an emergency. Most people recommend the changing of the battery once a year. But for as little as the cost of an extra battery by doing it twice a year, you could help to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Should you ever need those smoke alarms to go off, you will be grateful you spent that extra few minutes and used that extra battery.

Written by A. Wallace

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At this point the situation of the complaint needs to be put to rest and we need to continue with the topic that this blog was created for.

I would like to thank my readers for their comments and support. I recieved a few e-mails and a postin on this topic.

I will be allowing the postings reguarding the complaint to remain on the board as a note for other bloggers.

A lesson I hope we all learned from the overall situation is that as bloggers we allow ourselves to have a certin level of comfort with those who we interact with. Yet we never trully know them or their situation. Minor things can easily get taken out of content and cause situations that could easily have been avoided. For this reason I am just as guilty as anyone else in this situation, reason being I allowed a comfort level that I should not have allowed.

We should (and I am including myself) all use some caution and restrictions when dealing with people over the internet. But when an issue does arise, it is also inportant that we stand up for ourselves. Cause just as I stired up support on my end within hours of the situation starting, others can just as easily stir up support against us in other situations.

So in closing, use some caution and when needed protet your name, reputation and your blog.

As a note. Posting of comments will remain available to readers and responces will only be made via. public posting, PM will only be accepted or sent form/to those that I know. All other PM's will be deleted.

Thank you all,
A.Wallace

Reguarding the complaint mentioned in the last post.

I just recieved an e-mail from the husband containing 1 word "Resolved". I assume that this means that he feels the situation is resolved.

I also recieved a reply from a staff member at BlogStream requesting that I forward the complaint to him. The responce time from BlogStream was in my eyes fast. I would like to acknowledge them for not letting this matter lay to rest. It shows that they are concerned as to what takes place through their blog service.

In responce to BlogStream, I notified them that I would take precautions to prevent being in a situation like this again.

As a result of timely responces and quick soultion to the situation, I will reopen all blogs to comments. Comments as well as responces at this point will remain as public only. There will be no acepting or sending of any comments through privet message.

Final note, the situation and precautions taken on my part are in no way a reflection on BlogStream. I still find their service the best for bloggers and highly recomend them to anyone who would like to create a blog.

Thank you,
A. Wallace