Senator Bill Nelson’s CPSIA Response January 29, 2009

In recent weeks, I contacted my representatives regarding the impact of CPSIA. Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) replied via snail mail letter dated January 9, 2008, with a less than impressive response. Since my scanner is on the fritz, I can’t upload that yet.

Today (Jan 29, 2009) I received the following email response from Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL):

Dear Mrs. Xxxxxxx:

Thank you for contacting me regarding concerns about the implementation of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).

As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, the safety of consumer products — especially those intended for infants and young children — is one of my top priorities. Last year, I cosponsored the CPSIA because I believed the public had lost confidence in the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC’s) ability to protect consumers. The legislation contained a number of provisions intended to restore that confidence, including new safety standards, a substantial increase in funding for the CPSC, and a new CPSC laboratory testing facility.

However, I also understand your concern that the CPSC’s implementation of this law may have unintended consequences that negatively affect small manufacturers, retailers, and consignment shops. The CPSIA was drafted in a manner that provides substantial flexibility for the CPSC to deal with the concerns of small business entities and manufacturers of products that are “inherently safe.” On January 16, 2009, the chair of both the Senate Commerce Committee and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce sent a joint letter to CPSC Acting Chair Nancy Nord requesting that she use the existing authority in the CPSIA to issue guidance on: 1) the applicability of testing requirements to children’s books and certain children’s apparel; 2) consignment store resellers of children’s products; 3) component part testing; and 4) testing guidance to small business entities. The letter further calls on Acting Chair Nord to issue guidance on these issues as soon as possible.

I share the concerns of the committee leadership, and will continue to work with the CPSC to ensure that they implement the CPSIA according to congressional intent, and in a manner that does not unduly penalize small business entities. Should you have further concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me in the future.

P.S. From time to time, I compile electronic news briefs highlighting key issues and hot topics of particular importance to Floridians. If you’d like to receive these e-briefs, visit my Web site and sign up for them at http://billnelson.senate.gov/news/ebriefs.cfm

If you need to send another message to Senator Nelson, please use the form on his Web site: http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm#email

My Find of the Week! January 3, 2009

Recently, I came upon another homeschool site/blog HomeSchool With Index Cards and I had the biggest DUH moment of my homeschooling career.

For years I have been stockpiling a variety of flash cards…you know…for the kids, of course. I would excitedly purchase them for educational purposes. Once home, I locked them safely in the cabinet in the mudroom with all their other flash card friends. After all, what good is a flash card deck of 23 letters or 45 states? And that’s exactly what happened IF I dared to let the children use them.

Well, Molly has liberated me with her ingenious homeschooling method.

Today, I made 13 of these ring books (named for the Book Rings used to hold them together) from the unopened flash cards I had.

Ring Books

I’ve also embarked on creating some of my own (I think Words for Writing is visible in the photo).

This is such a GREAT idea that I just could not believe that I hadn’t considered it before. I’m so thankful for finding Molly’s website. She offers freebies index cards to print and sells others that she has created (for pennies when you consider her effort). We’re already having fun with these books.

I also want to share the Classical Astronomy website find too. Jay Ryan has inspired us to look at the stars. And it was a link on his blog that led to me to Molly’s website.

Check them both out!

Top 10 Things We Need Less of in 2009 January 1, 2009

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2009 (with 2010 closing in…fast) !

For many, it’s resolution time again. Personally, I’m not good at resolutions. It’s too overwhelming. First, I have to think of things to resolve to do or not do…and then I have to remember those things for 12 months!

However, observation is a hobby of mine, so here are my observations for making 2009 a great year: Top 10 Things We Need Less of in 2009.

10. Pre-Approved Credit Offers Enough already! Need I say more?

9. Household Appliances with Short Lives Why does everything we buy have a 1 year limited warranty? Take some pride in the products, manufacturers! Wait. Does anyone know how to say that in Chinese?

8. Speaking of Chinese Products Made in China I still get a thrill when I see a Made in the USA label. But on most occasions I will settle for products to be made somewhere other than China. Where’s the cultural diversity we keep hearing so much about?

7. The UN The only thing that “unites” them is their hatred…for America and for Israel.

6. The Media Prior to the 2008 election, I was sitting in my doctor’s office waiting room being tortured by CNN. The CNN reporter actually said, “It’s our job to keep them (the candidates) honest.” I’m still twitching as I type that. Uh…no, sir. Your “job” is to report the news!!! What a concept, eh? News reporter reporting news. That could be tomorrow’s headline in the NYT and Wash Post.

5. HFCS High Fructose Corn Syrup. Why is this stuff still in our food? I know I need to start making more stuff at home and buying less commercial and/or processed foods, but it’s a process to move into that sort of freedom. I’m not quite there yet. However, I was very happy to see that the Arnold bread I bought yesterday said it did not contain HFCS (not all Arnold products are HFCS free though).

4. Selfishness This is a personal reminder as well as a hope for the world. There’s too much “me” culture out there. It’s a world full of self-centered two-year olds. The writing was on the wall years ago when video rental stores had to remind people “Be Kind, Rewind”. It’s only gotten worse…much worse. We need a return to common courtesy, good social manners, and right thinking. I know. I know. Save some hope for next year.

3. Rap Crap aka Rap Music Run DMC was cool when I was 14. And the Superbowl Shuffle…okay, it was a little lame in hindsight, but we won the Superbowl because it united the fans. Rap was almost kind of fun in the beginning. But oh my goodness, look at the ugly monster that it has morphed into. It was already ugly when I was in high school with songs like Cop Killer and groups like Two Live Crew. Just when you think it can’t get any more vile and disgusting…it does.

2. Public Schools Yes. I am a very strong advocate for the collapse of the public school system and especially the NEA. Mark Twain said, “I never let school get in the way of my education.” and my life reflects that as well. These days, though, school is detrimental and diabolical. High school graduates can’t read and no one notices? Public schools are indoctrination camps bent on creating a population dependent on government welfare. Don’t believe me? Look around and see if you can use up all your fingers to count the productive members of society from your local high school. Better yet. Get a copy of the Humanist Manifesto and see if any of it corresponds to the condition of our schools.

1. Government I admit it. This is lofty thinking for 2009, but if we really want a return to the financial heydays and personal freedom then we need to work more diligently than ever to scaling it back…holding our elected officials (who work for us) accountable, demanding that they spend less and stop pandering to special interest groups.

There you have it, my Top 10 Things We Need Less of in 2009. So, what’s on your list? Leave your comments below.