旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � 켠� � � 爐� 靈� 靈� 켠� 靈� � � 爐� 靈� 爐� � 靈� � 爐� � � � 픔� 픔 � 픔� � � 픔� 픈� � � � � � � � 픔 � � � � � 懃� 聃� � � � 聃� � � � � 聃� � � � 聃� 聃� 懃� � 突袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴� THE CAT CHRONICLE ----------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE * * July 28, 1995 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The CAT Chronicle is published weekly, every Friday by Children's Animated Television (CAT). CAT produces educational videos for children and teens on social issues such as AIDS and diversity, as well as provide a free public service computer BBS and World Wide Web site. Please note a full color printed version of this newsletter is available upon request, as well as on the Web. -------------------------------------------------------------------- CAT CURRENTS: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ The CAT Home Page on the World Wide Web is now on-line and fully operational! Try out this brand new Internet resource for information about CAT, our sponsors and volunteers, the CDC AIDS Daily Summary, the Parenting and Child Safety area and the GLB Teen Advisor. We are very excited about offering this public service to you. Please take a look and browse some of the latest CAT information and also find some very exciting Web links: http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/ This newsletter is on the Web complete with full color photos and graphics: http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/newslett/newslett.html CAT People: ~~~~~~~~~~ The CAT person of the week is Reggie Sellers. For the past 5 years he has been a Spanish teacher at the Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, MA. He has worked with the Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth here in Massachusetts. Being a photogenic type, Reggie will appear in our new video on gay, lesbian and bisexual (GLB) teen self esteem and suicide prevention. We think he is a positive gay role model and his experiences will make a real impact on teenagers who are going through uncertain and scary times. Thank you Reggie for volunteering your time to help GLB teens and CAT!!! Child Safety Corner... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Child safety tip of the week: BICYCLE SAFETY Each year, 400,000 children are treated in hospitals, and 300 children die from bicycle related injuries. Here are a few helpfu safety tips: NAKE SURE: * Your child wears an approved ANSI, ASTM or Snell helmet. * Your child's bike is the right size: - Child should be able to place the balls of both feet on ground - Child should be able to straddle a crossbar with a 1" clearance * Your child's bike is in good condition: - Wheels, seat and handlebar are secure, tires properly inflated - Brakes operate smoothly and quickly, chain is oiled and tight * Your child's bike has the right safety accessories: - Front and back reflectors, reflectors on pedals and wheels - A bell or horn, light and reflective tape for night riding * Your child knows the Rules of the Road: - Ride in the same direction as traffic - Use hand signals and look both ways before stopping or turning - Cross streets at crosswalks (Walking the bike across) - Watch out for parked cars or cars pulling out of driveways - Never ride bicycles with headphones on Almost every state has a bicycle helmet law. The mandatory age for helmets varies from state to state, Contact your local law enforcement agency for more information. Jeff Sam Volunteer Child Safety & Parents Conferences Moderator, Co-Sysop of Dr Furball's BBS and CAT's Co-Webmeister GLB Youth Advisor: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Take Your Time Coming Out Revealing your true feelings and hopes to friends and family takes a great deal of courage and risk. Predicting the reactions of even close family members involves a great deal of uncertainty. Carefully consider the people you choose to share these important feelings with. During your lifetime you will encounter supportive individuals, but prepare yourself for some disappointments. Unfortunately, many people remain intolerant of gays, lesbians and bisexuals because of their own fears, beliefs or religious upbringing. Rejection of your lifestyle by a trusted friend or family member hurts deeply. However, they may reject your choice of lifestyle and not you as an individual. The person rejecting your homosexual feelings may assume that you made a conscious choice. Discussion with such a person about the topic can change their opinion. Until people begin to understand that we are born with these feelings, you will encounter resistance and rejection from some individuals. Try not to take such rejections personally. Typically an unexpected negative reaction stems from shock. A family member might not wish to accept your homosexual feelings because they wish for a better life for you. Concern for a child can be expressed in many different ways by a parent. Do not assume that you are no longer loved by a parent who rejected your feelings. Focus on self acceptance before worrying about coming out. Once you establish your feelings and desires, the need to share your emotions will grow. Look for avenues to express these feelings by seeking out gay youth groups. These groups provide advice and experiences on coming out to friends and family. The more comfortable you become talking about your homosexual feelings, the easier the process of coming out will become. The key to happiness and success is to surround YOU with positive thoughts of yourself. Sharing your sexual identity with others can wait until you are in a secure and comfortable situation. If your parents reject your feelings, where would you go? There are too many runaways on the streets already. Take the time to love and accept yourself before coming out. Remember that many of us face the same problem every day of our lives. I will discuss other tips and personal experiences on coming out in the future. Mike Reddin Volunteer GLB Youth Advisor for Children's Animated Television Internet Address: wxman@pcix.com Editors note: Mike has an area on our Web site... Note from our Executive Director... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I just wanted to thank Congressman Barney Frank for his recent letter of endorsement. His staff has also been extremely helpful in providing me with information that I have requested. "I believe that the problem of suicide among gay, lesbian and bisexual people is a very serious one that society should be addressing. Those who are working to prevent it have my deep admiration." --- Congressman Barney Frank (letter to Bessie Hadley - June 16, 1995) The CAT Credo... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Children's Animated Television (CAT) believes in a positive future for all children... CAT's philosophy is to help solve today's complex social problems through honest and open dialogue, education, information and compromise... CAT will produce video programs for pre-teens and teens to stimulate their minds, harness their creativity and imaginations to cultivate long-lasting answers to problems in their world... As a public service, CAT will also provide educational information using all available technology including a computer bulletin board, World Wide Web site and other electronic media. CAT will supply this knowledge for children, parents and educators to enable our society to develop ideas and solutions for a better tomorrow... Claude DiDomenica & Bessie Hadley Founders of Children's Animated Television July 15, 1995 -------------------------------------------------------------------- CAT is a 501-C-3 non-profit organization and all donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Contact Information: Bessie Hadley Executive Director Children's Animated Television, Inc. 1492 Highland Ave, Suite 3 Needham, MA 02192 USA Voice: 617-449-9699 FAX: 617-449-2238 Dr Furball's BBS: 617-455-8415 node 1 617-433-0026 node 2 Internet: hadley@usa1.com Claude DiDomenica President of CAT and Sysop of Dr Furball's BBS Internet: didom@usa1.com CAT's WEB Home Page!!! http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Get CAT's latest info releases from Software Creations BBS * * "Home of the Authors" * * <<*-*-*-*->> * * Internet Access: Telnet BBS.SWCBBS.COM * * <<*-*-*-*->> * * WEB Access: http://www.swcbbs.com * * <<*-*-*-*->> * * 2400/9600/14.4 USR HST/Dual Standard Public Access (508) 368-7036 * * 2400/9600/14.4/28.8 USR V.Everything Public Access (508) 368-6604 * * 2400/9600/14.4 USR HST/Dual Standard Member Access (508) 368-7139 * * 9600/14.4/16.8/28.8 USR V.Everything Member Access (508) 368-3424 * * <<*-*-*-*->> * * At Main Menu, type: J 178 * * for "Dr Furball's Educational & Philanthropical Conference" * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * --------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 1995 Children's Animated Television, Inc. All Rights Reserved This newsletter may be freely distributed as long as it remains intact and this notice is not removed. Please do not post on USENET, FIDONET, WILDNET etc. without permission of the conference moderator. # # #