Category: Uncategorized

Posted on by

Did Your Points Arrive?

Do you belong to airline miles programs, hotel rewards programs, rental car loyalty programs, or any other program where you receive points for using certain companies?

Do you check those statements or online after returning home from a trip? You should. Now is the time to check with the airline or hotel if your points aren’t there within a few days of use. Make sure you have your receipts. You can scan and email them if need be.

No sense belonging and not getting credit for your points.

Posted on by

Who Writes Notes?

If you write any thank you notes, thinking of you cards, or any other type of note…these great cards fit the bill.

Check out dandmcards.wordpress.com to see how this great mother, daughter combo makes their cards and what they do with the profits.

I’m sticking a few in my travel bag. You never know when you might need a cool looking card.

Posted on by

Travel Bags Review

When I travel, I organize everything. I repeat…everything. With that in mind, I use several see through and other bags. I like to know where everything is.

Recently, I reviewed these handmade pouch-like bags from TeresaMade. As bags, they’re cute, classy, and functional. As travel accessories, they’re fantastic. So, I interviewed the creator of the TeresaMade bags. I know her well.

They come in several different sizes, which is handy for whatever size purse or bag you’re using. Teresa tells me she can custom make them to just about any size. Need one for your tablet, your Nook, or your phone? She can do it.

With a zipper closure, nothing will escape. That’s nice.

They stand up and are winder at the bottom than the top. When I need my bottles to stand up, this is just the bag I need. You can’t use these bags for your TSA liquids, as that bag needs to be clear. But, I use them to hold my bottles when on a driving trip.

They also work great for organizing your cords and chargers, international plugs, camera batteries and extra memory cards, pens and paper, snacks, laundry detergent pods…the list keeps going.

If something were to spill on the bag or in the bag, it’s good to know it’s completely machine washable. Pull the lining so it sticks out of the bag and either dry gently or air dry.

For more information or to order your own, go to teresa@vanhatten.com or on Etsy check for TeresaMade. By the way…she is also the creator of Green Bag Lady,www.greenbaglady.org. You receive a free Green Bag Lady bag with every order, too.

Posted on by

Treacherous Obstacle to Mariners…Point Reyes

Drive along California’s coast and you’ll catch glimpses of lighthouses. Some are just a few steps away…others require a hike. All provide spectacular views of the coast.

Point Reyes is the windiest place on the Pacific Coast and the second foggiest place on the North American continent, according to the National Park Service. Built in 1870 it was retired from use in 1975 when the Coast Guard installed an automatic light.

The lens and mechanism were crafted in France and shipped to the US on a steamer around the tip of South America.

Since our National Parks turn 100 years old in 2016, plan a visit to this part of the National Seashore Monument. Be prepared for a winding drive to the observation parking lot. Then…308 steps lead you down the side of the cliff to the lighthouse. It’s worth it…even the 308 steps back up to the top.

For more information, directions, and hours of operation visit the National Parks website. http://www.nps.gov/pore/learn/historyculture/people_maritime_lighthouse.htm

Posted on by

Love Rose Wine?

Love Rose?

Join fellow Rose wine fans for Rose Rendezvous at SIMI Winery in Healdsburg celebrating the Gold Medal winning wines from The Rose Competition.

August 1st  2:00 – 5:00 PM

This will be an afternoon of fun, food and delicious Gold Medal winning Rose wines.  Guests can enjoy more than 25 Gold Medal winning Rose wines, meet some winemakers and celebrate all things Rose on the glorious SIMI Winery patio.  SIMI’s Executive Chef Kolin Vazzoler will be cooking up tasty noshes while music will be provided by the eclectic band, Full Chizel.

$35.00 per person includes all sips, bites plus a custom souvenir Rose glass to take home.

See the link to register: http://roserendezvous.bpt.me/

SIMI Winery is located at 16275 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, California, a few miles north of downtown.

For further information contact:

Bob Ecker
Director: Rose Rendezvous
Wine Writer
(707) 421-1701

Posted on by

Images and Experiences with Afghan Women

Check out this upcoming event…

Diane LeBow: Images and Experiences with Afghan women

July 13, 2015, 3 p.m. at The Redwoods, 
Diane LeBow, Ph.D., BATW President emerita, women’s rights activist, writer, photojournalist, and professor emerita, will talk and show photos from her three trips to Afghanistan, where she participated in conferences with Afghan women, assisting them in writing a “Declaration of the Essential Rights of Afghan Women” that was eventually signed by Kofi Annan and Bill Clinton and parts of which were included in the new Afghan Constitution.
Diane traveled to the Tajik border with Afghanistan in 2000, as well as Kabul in following years driving through villages past mined fields north of Kabul up to the Panshir Valley and the Salang Pass in Northern Afghanistan. Her experiences and friendships she formed there were life-changing.
She continues to be active with women’s rights organizations based both in Afghanistan and in the USA.
The talk is sponsored by the Redwoods Seniors for Peace and guests are welcome.

The Redwoods is located at 40 Camino Alto, Mill Valley
Posted on by

REAL ID and How it Might Pertain to You

This long post is worth reading… The information is from the website for Homeland Security; http://www.dhs.gov/real-id-public-faqs

What is REAL ID?
REAL ID is a coordinated effort by the states and the Federal Government to improve the reliability and accuracy of state-issued identification documents, which should inhibit terrorists’ ability to evade detection by using fraudulent identification. REAL ID implements a 9/11 Commission recommendation urging the federal government to “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses.”
DHS is implementing REAL ID through a period of phased enforcement over the next several years. In particular, the date for implementing the prohibition on boarding aircraft travel will be set after an evaluation of earlier phases and will not occur sooner than 2016.
What does the REAL ID Act require?
The REAL ID Act of 2005:
·         Establishes minimum standards for the production and issuance of state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards and authorizes grants to assist states in implementing the requirements;
·         Prohibits Federal agencies from accepting for official uses driver’s licenses and identity cards from states unless the Department of Homeland Security determines that the state meets the standards. Official uses are defined as accessing Federal facilities, entering nuclear power plants, and boarding federally-regulated commercial aircraft.
Which states, territories, and tribes are affected?
The REAL ID Act covers 56 jurisdictions, including the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Territories of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
The current list of states from which a Federal agency may accept driver’s licenses for an official purpose is found at REAL ID Enforcement In Brief.
Is REAL ID a national identification card?
No. REAL ID is not a national identification card. States and territories will continue to issue driver’s licenses and identification cards, and there is no Federal database of driver information. Each jurisdiction will issue its own unique license and maintain its own records.
Does REAL ID mean that I must use a driver’s license for official purpose?
No. Each agency determines whether identification documents are needed for the purpose it oversees and, if applicable, which documents are acceptable. REAL ID only applies if a person is presenting a driver’s license or state-issued identification card for official purposes.
For what uses will I need to show a driver’s license?
For the first two years of enforcement, REAL ID primarily affects persons seeking to access Federal facilities where identification is required to be presented.
What are the different phases of REAL ID enforcement?
Phase
Location
Enforcement Date
Phase 1
Restricted areas (i.e., areas accessible by agency personnel, contractors, and their guests) for DHS headquarters in Washington
April 21, 2014
Phase 2
Restricted areas for all Federal facilities & nuclear power plants
July 21, 2014
Phase 3
Semi-restricted areas (i.e., areas available to the general public but subject to ID-based access control) for most Federal facilities
January 19, 2015
3a
Facility Security Levels 1 and 2
January 19, 2015
3b
Facility Security Levels 3, 4, and 5, and  military facilities
 
October 10, 2015
Phase 4
Boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft
A driver’s license or identification card from a noncompliant state may only be used in conjunction with a second form of ID for boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft
No sooner than 2016
Is my driver’s license unsecure if a Federal agency does not accept it?
No. All states and territories have made tremendous progress in strengthening the security of their driver’s licenses since 9/11. Not being on the list of compliant jurisdictions means that the Department of Homeland Security has not received sufficient information to determine that the jurisdiction has met all the requirements of the REAL ID Act.
What happens if my state does not meet all of the REAL ID requirements?
Individuals without licenses from compliant jurisdictions may present alternative forms of identification – such as a U.S. Passport – accepted by the agency. Some agencies may have additional processes to accommodate individuals lacking the prescribed identification documents.
What does it mean if a person possesses or presents a state license or ID indicating that the document is not acceptable for official Federal purposes?
A “Not for Federal Identification” or a similar mark means that the issuing state offers its residents the option to obtain a driver’s license or identity card which is not compliant with REAL ID and that the license holder has chosen to exercise that option.  A variety of reasons may underlie that choice, including personal preference, religious conviction, or the inability or decision not to provide original documents needed to verify identity, citizenship, or lawful status in the United States.  No inferences or assumptions should be drawn about the particular reason an individual possesses a card with this mark, including inferences or assumptions about the person’s citizenship or immigration status.
May an agency, or frontline personnel, reject a particular identification document based upon an individual’s real or perceived race, ethnicity (including limited English proficiency), national origin, immigration status, or religious beliefs?
The standard for acceptance of an identity document for Federal facilities where identification is required to be presented is the same for all persons regardless of race, ethnicity, limited English proficiency, national origin, immigration status or religious beliefs.
Can I use my driver’s license to board an aircraft?
Yes. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will continue to accept driver’s licenses and state-issued identification cards from all jurisdictions at least until 2016.
DHS will ensure the public has ample advanced notice before identification requirements for boarding aircraft change. That notice will include information on the process for individuals with a non-compliant driver’s license or identification card to be able to travel by aircraft.
Will TSA accept identity documents other than driver’s licenses?
Yes. TSA currently accepts other forms of identity documents such as a passport or Permanent Residency Card and will continue to do so.
For more information on acceptable forms of identification for boarding aircraft, please see TSA’s website (http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/acceptable-ids)
May Federal agencies accept my Enhanced Driver’s License?
Yes. State Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDLs) designated as acceptable border-crossing documents by DHS under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) are acceptable for official federal purposes such as accessing a Federal facility or boarding a commercial aircraft. Individual agency policies may still apply.
Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington are the only states that currently issue EDLs. For more information on EDLs, please go to http://www.dhs.gov/enhanced-drivers-licenses-what-are-they.
REAL ID does NOT apply to the following:
·         Entering Federal facilities that do not require a person to present identification
·         Voting or registering to vote
·         Applying for or receiving Federal benefits
·         Being licensed by a state to drive
·         Accessing Health or life preserving services (including hospitals and health clinics), law enforcement, or constitutionally protected activities (including a defendant’s access to court proceedings)
·         Participating in law enforcement proceedings or investigations
Additional questions may be sent to the DHS Office of State Issued Identification Support atosiis@dhs.gov.
Last Published Date: January 11, 2015

Posted on by

Not Just Any Polo Event…

6th Annual Wounded Veterans Polo Benefit

The 1940’s  
(70th Anniversary of the end of World War II)

 Sunday, August 30, 2015 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
 Trione Polo Field; 560 White Oak Drive,
Santa Rosa (Oakmont), CA 95409 
  
Polo players, polo ponies, stunt riders, horse drawn carriages, and military dignitaries will all be part of an upcoming polo benefit for combat injured American soldiers living in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 6th Annual Wounded Veterans Polo Benefit takes place Sunday, August 30. Gates open at 10:30 a.m. and festivities begin at 11:30 a.m.

The benefit, sponsored by the Commandery of St. Francis, Order of St. John, Knights Hospitaller, and hosted by the Wine Country Polo Club, is designed to generate support for three veterans’ rehabilitation programs:

1) Pathway Home (www.thepathwayhome.org) in Yountville, providing residential treatment for veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,

2) Community Action North Bay, (www.canbinc.org) providing housing and life assistance to veterans in need in Solano County, and

3) the veterans program at BAADS, the Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors (www.baads.org) providing sail training and therapy on sailing dinghies in the San Francisco bay.
The opening ceremony includes posting of the Colors by a mounted Color Guard, the National Anthem and a salute to the 70th Anniversary of the end of World War II. Special guests will include World War II veterans.

The afternoon features two polo games played by some of the San Francisco Bay Area’s highest rated polo players and polo ponies. The Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls will lead the show at the intermission with a display of stunt riding and trick roping. Other highlights include the traditional Chandon Divot Stomp, a Ladies’ Hat Competition, a silent auction, wine tasting, and more. Premium seating includes lunch tables and a gourmet buffet. Lawn seating allows for picnics or lunch from the concession.

The Commandery of St Francis was the first Hospitaller commandery to be established on the West Coast. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, this non-profit organization is comprised primarily of serving or retired Officers of the Armed Forces of the United States of America and its Allies. The mission of this philanthropic organization, in keeping with the centuries’ old history and traditions of the Knights Hospitaller, is to support recently wounded service veterans.
Last year the 5th annual Wounded Veteran Polo Benefit, attended by over 350 spectators, raised and disbursed over $50,000.
Early Bird tickets (until August 9):  lawn seating $60, children under 12 $30. Premium seating with Preferred Sonoma Caterers luncheon $160, Premium Table for 8 $1200.
From August 10: lawn seating $70/children $40, Premium seating $185, Premium Table for 8 $1400.  For more information and to register for tickets: www.wvpb.org.