Top Ten Reasons Not to Text While Driving-And Now It's Illegal in MN

Did you hear the news? It is now illegal in Minnesota to drive while distracted.


Quoting the first part of the law: "It is illegal for drivers of all ages to compose, read, or send electronic messages or access the Internet on a wireless device when the vehicle is in motion or part of traffic. This includes being stopped at a traffic light. It is illegal for drivers under age 18 to use a cell phone, whether hand-held or hands-free, except to call 911 in an emergency. ..... Cell phone use is totally banned for school bus drivers."  See the statute here: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/laws/Pages/distracted-driving.aspx

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Distracted driving includes doing anything else (applying makeup, reading, eating, reaching for something, adjusting something for a child or a pet, getting a cigarette or smoking, looking at the phone while listening to the guided GPS) that takes your eyes and/or hands away from controlling your car--people sometimes are actually watching videos on their phones while they drive--texting is the #1 problem. Besides,


10. Your knees are actually not the best appendages to use for steering.

9. How can you talk to your dog (who's riding shotgun) when you're texting someone?

8. When you get slammed into, it might ruin your phone. And your nails and your outfit and your brain.

7. While you're trying to position the screen to avoid the sun's glare, you might miss that train approaching.

6. Autocorrect. Need I say more.

5. You don't need to know you missed an incoming text to tell you your friend is currently standing in line at the DMV while chewing gum and texting you.

4. The phone doesn't realize that you only get one lane to drive in, and it won't alert you when you're in danger.

3. You got an alert that you have a text. This does not mean the car can be on 'hold' while you answer.

2. There is just something wrong about texting someone who is sitting in the back seat of your car.

And the #1 reason not to text while driving:

and...

and....

Sending or receiving a text takes a driver's eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent of being blind and driving the length of an entire football field at 55 mph.

Talking on a cell phone while driving can make a young driver’s reaction time as slow as that of a 70-year-old.

Over  3000 deaths and almost 400,000 injuries in car accidents were attributed to texting and driving in 2017.

4 out of every 5 accidents (80%) are attributed to distracted drivers. In contrast, drunk drivers account for roughly 1 out of 3 (33%) of all accidents nationally. Please do not do either!

Almost 50% of all drivers between the ages of 18 and 24 are texting while driving. And there are plenty of drivers older than that who are texting and driving as well.

According to the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, drivers talking on cell phones are 18% slower to react to brake lights. They also take 17% longer to regain the speed they lost when they braked. Often, a distracted driver looks away from the road and doesn't see that a traffic light has turned red, and fails to stop.

Here is a simple way to turn off text messaging when you drive: IPhone- https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=how+to+set+an+'im+driving'+automatic+message&docid=608028636117467305&mid=01BF51AE40C90DA3E29901BF51AE40C90DA3E299&view=detail&FORM=VIREHT

Or on Android: https://gizmodo.com/how-to-set-up-auto-respond-texts-when-youre-driving-1794911685


You can also set up an 'auto reply' with your own words: 'Not answering right now, driving.' Turn on this feature before you even start your car. You can also use this in situations where you don't want to be disturbed (studying) or are asked to turn off your phone. Or, you could simply turn off the phone if the temptation is just too strong. Your friends will understand when you explain to them why you didn't respond right away.


Check this out at the government's Dept. of Transportation website about distracted driving:

http://www.distraction.gov/

More about It Can Wait:
http://www.itcanwait.com/all

Still not convinced that being distracted while operating a 2000 pound weapon is a bad idea? Read these: http://www.textingndriving.com/stories.html  

What will it take to make you stop?

Earth Day 2019

Here are links to Earth Day videos selected for 2019:

This gives some cheering information about how we have helped the planet, and also some endangered species: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=earth+day+videos+&&view=detail&mid=2AE28C7AC09274129E972AE28C7AC09274129E97&&FORM=VRDGAR  

 A company that makes shoes from recycled materials: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=shoes+from+recycled+materials&&view=detail&mid=A7689B4F3B15CE4E5EAAA7689B4F3B15CE4E5EAA&&FORM=VRDGAR

This video is from 2018 and especially highlights the ocean: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=earth+day+videos+&&view=detail&mid=CD6DCB483E2ED85B73E3CD6DCB483E2ED85B73E3&&FORM=VDRVRV

 

There's  great full length film called Wings of Life, by Disney. Here is a trailer for the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VRvhFLRCk0 *Earth Day hint: This is available at both Hennepin County and Anoka County Libraries: The ultimate in being kind to the earth, your local library.

Jacques Cousteau was a great explorer of the oceans.  https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=film+oceans&&view=detail&mid=C684E771DB17F0714C8EC684E771DB17F0714C8E&&FORM=VRDGAR  There are several Cousteau films available at your local library.

 

A Clip from Chasing Ice, which is available as a full length film at Hennepin and Anoka County Libraries: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=film+chasing+ice&&view=detail&mid=0B8211E771A63DC05D760B8211E771A63DC05D76&&FORM=VRDGAR

What causes air pollution? Here's a short National Geographic video that explains it: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=air+pollution&&view=detail&mid=BF4FB807702A85A9AE44BF4FB807702A85A9AE44&&FORM=VRDGAR

Let's start by doing a small thing like using less or no plastic bags when we buy something. Pick up that piece of litter you see on the sidewalk and put it in a trash bin. Don't be the person who just leaves garbage in a parking lot. Walk when you can to save on the emissions from your car as well as the gas you 'need.' And the old saying: 'Use it up, fix it, or go without' is still valid today.

What is the EPA?

The United States Environmental Protection Agency, established in 1970, says this about its mission:
Our Mission
The mission of EPA is to protect human health and the environment.

EPA works to ensure that:

• Americans have clean air, land and water;
• National efforts to reduce environmental risks are based on the best available scientific information;
• Federal laws protecting human health and the environment are administered and enforced fairly, effectively and as Congress intended;
• Environmental stewardship is integral to U.S. policies concerning natural resources, human health, economic growth, energy, transportation, agriculture, industry, and international trade, and these factors are similarly considered in establishing environmental policy;
• All parts of society--communities, individuals, businesses, and state, local and tribal governments--have access to accurate information sufficient to effectively participate in managing human health and environmental risks;
• Contaminated lands and toxic sites are cleaned up by potentially responsible parties and revitalized; and
• Chemicals in the marketplace are reviewed for safety.

Visit their website for more info: https://www.epa.gov/

Keeping the environment clean and safe includes...

• Cutting down on dangerous emissions from vehicles, from cars to buses to trains to planes
• Eliminating substances such as lead from drinking water, and updating old underground infrastructure of pipes as well as water processing plants
• Setting standards for monitoring and removing mold from homes
• Encouraging testing for Radon in homes
• Making sure soil is safe for growing food
• Prohibiting waste emissions from businesses that pollute the air we breathe
• Promoting alternate energy such as electric-powered cars, large windmills, or solar energy for homes

 

We can thank the EPA for....

• A ban on lead in paint, and standards to remove lead paint from existing homes
• A ban on the pesticide DDT
• Protection of the Great Lakes from pollution
• Removing lead from gasoline
• Clamping down on factory pollution
• The Clean Air Act
• Safer storage of toxic chemicals
• Studying the efffects of second-hand smoke

There are some areas not covered by the EPA but by other agencies, such as workplace environments (handled by OSHA) or testing of cosmetics (handled by the FDA). Here are some further examples: https://publicaccess.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/212071687-Does-EPA-handle-all-environmental-concerns-


Possible career paths with the EPA

• Science: Biology/Marine Biology, geology
• EPA Law
• Education
• Statistics/trends
• Engineering - finding ways to combat pollution with technology
• Alternative energy
• Communications
• Meteorologist
• Public affairs
• Budget management

https://www.epa.gov/careers This part of their website also talks about student internships!


Did you know they have a Pinterest page? They do, and it's called Green Your Dorm or Your Home https://www.pinterest.com/epagov/green-your-dorm-or-your-home/

What Do You Know About......Minneapolis?

 

 

• The Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St Paul combined), if viewed as one metropolitan area, rank the 14th largest in the country.
• Minneapolis is the 46th largest city in the country.
• It covers 58.4 square miles.
• There are 20 lakes in the city limits of Minneapolis, including Lake Calhoun, Lake of the Isles, Lake Harriet, Cedar Lake, and Lake Nokomis. There is a bike/walking trail of over 13 miles winding around this 'Chain of Lakes' so you can enjoy them all.

                                             Lake Calhoun




                                      Lake Harriet Bandshell

 

 

Minneapolis' summer celebration, the Aquatennial, also makes use of its lakes with lots of activities, including the milk carton boat races: all boats are made of empty milk cartons...

 

 

Read more about the Aquatennial at: http://www.aquatennial.com/




And there are plenty of winter activities as well....

 

 

            Pond Hockey tournament on Lake Nokomis: 

          It's a long winter: you have to embrace the cold.

 

Other waterways include the Mississippi River, creeks, and waterfalls-all within the city limits

                                                         St Anthony Falls

                                                               Minnehaha Falls

  

                                              Minneapolis and the Mississippi River, sunset

• Minneapolis has the 5th highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies* including Medtronic, Target, University of Minnesota, Allina Health, General Foods, 3M, Wells Fargo, and Bancorp.

                     

                             3M Headquarters, Cottage Grove, MN; there are over 30 3M locations in the U.S.

• The name "Minneapolis" means water city; it was coined by a teacher.
• The Sioux tribe of Native Americans were the major inhabitants of Minnesota until about 1680, when French settlers arrived.
• Flour mills were one of the first large businesses in the state, including Minneapolis.

*a  Fortune 500 company is one of the 500 largest companies in the United States as listed by Fortune Magazine.

• The average annual temperature in Minneapolis is 45.4 degrees Fahrenheit (7.4 degrees Celsius). It is 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-17 degrees Celsius) about 30 days out of the year.
• In terms of rain and snow, the average precipitation in Minneapolis is 30.64" and average snowfall about 50". This past February was unusually snowy, breaking old records at 39" of snowfall for February alone, and a cold snap that saw temperatures of -40F, forcing many schools to close.
• The city has over 100 days a year with an inch or more of snow on the ground.  However, Minnesota enjoys four distinct seasons-it is not cold all year as some people think. In fact, in the summer, temperatures often are in the mid-90s with high humidity.

A narrow city street after a snow. But the trees are pretty, right???

In an attempt to make the city more 'walkable,' skyways were built so people can walk from building to building and not need to go outside in bad weather.

If you're interested in attending college in the Twin City area, you have lots to choose from-among the choices:

• University of Minnesota
• Macalester College
• Hamline University
• Augsburg College
• Minneapolis Community & Technical College (MCTC)
• St Thomas University
• College of St. Catherine
• Bethel College
• Concordia College
• McNally-Smith School of Music
• Minneapolis Community & Technical College
• Anoka-Ramsey Community College
• Anoka Technical College
• Dakota Technical College
• Hennepin Technical College
• North Hennepin Community College
• Inver Hills Community College

There is a very busy cultural scene in Minneapolis--it is second only to New York City in theaters, and the third largest theater market (ticket sales) after New York and Chicago. Here is just a partial list of Minneapolis Theaters:

The Guthrie Theatre

Ordway Center for Performing Arts, which is also home to the Minnesota Opera
Illusion Theatre
Mixed Blood Theatre  http://www.mixedblood.com/   
Penumbra Theatre
Cowles Center for Dance and Performing Arts
Minnesota Performing Arts
In The Heart of the Beast Theatre http://hobt.org/
Childrens Theatre Company  http://www.childrenstheatre.org/     
Hennepin Theatre Trust, including the State, Orpheum, and Pantages theatres, which host touring Broadway plays

                                                   State Theater

And these music venues:

First Avenue 

http://first-avenue.com/

7th Street Entry
Minnesota Orchestra at Orchestra Hall
The Cabooze
Fine Line

http://finelinemusic.com/

Dakota Jazz Club


And these museums:

Walker Arts http://www.walkerart.org/

                                               Walker Art Center

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

http://new.artsmia.org/

Weisman Museum
Museum of Russian Art
Bakken Museum

Into dance? Minneapolis has....

Cowles Theatre
James Sewell Ballet http://jsballet.org/    
Minnesota Dance Theatre http://mndance.org/performance-calendar/          
Minnesota Ballet http://minnesotaballet.org/

Up for some comedy? Here are a few places you can enjoy a laugh:

Acme Comedy Club

http://acmecomedycompany.com/the-club/calendar/

Comedy Sportz
Stevie Ray's Improv
Brave New Workshop  http://theatre.bravenewworkshop.com/  

• Minneapolis is the 3rd most literate city in the U.S.
• More than 40% of all adults in Minneapolis volunteer in some way, the highest percentage of any metropolitan area in the U.S.

The ethnicity of Minneapolis is mostly white, and those people are largely of German and Scandinavian descent: 20% of all white people in the city are either Norwegian, Swedish, or Danish in heritage.

Minneapolis' other cultures include
Black 18%
Hispanic  10.5%
Asian 5.6%
Native American 2%

                                 Cherry Spoon Bridge-Sculpture Garden, Walker Arts
  There are over 40 works of sculpture in this display located across from the museum