DON'T BRING A WATER BALLOON TO A SQUIRT GUN FIGHT

Water fights. . . Now there's some good, clean summer fun.

And sure, water balloons are great, but that's kid stuff. When you find yourself at war, you want the security of knowing that you're packing enough raw water power to hold your own against a garden hose.

But how do you find the right water weapon for your money? Check out the Absolute WaterGuns Web site, www.everwonder.com/david/waterguns/ It's sort of like the encyclopedia of squirt guns. You'll be sure to have all the neighborhood kids on the run in no time.

Death Rays . . . Yeah. Yeah. Everybody knows prolonged sun exposure increases the risk of skin cancer.

But did you know that unprotected skin can burn in as little at 15 minutes? Or that serious sunburns, especially those that occur in childhood and adolescence (that's us, you know) can increase the chance of developing a malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has launched a campaign this summer called "Choose Your Cover" to encourage teenagers to protect themselves from dangerous ultraviolet rays. For more information, check out the Web site: www.cdc.gov/ChooseYourCover

Amazing Lawnmower Boy . . .There is a 14-year-old from Utah named Ryan Tripp who is spending his summer mowing lawns, and not just for extra pocket cash. Spurred by his desire to help people in need of organ and tissue donations, Tripp pledged to mow the lawn of every state capital in the United States in 75 days to increase public awareness of organ donation.

I don't exactly know what the connection is between organ donation and lawn mowing; nonetheless, I think what Tripp is doing is awesome. There are more than 1,000 people in our region awaiting organ donation.

For more information on organ donation, call Life Center Northwest at (877) 275-5269.

Rake it in. . . So you've decided to graduate from running the neighborhood lemonade stand and are ready to make some serious dough. How about starting your own small business? Be your own boss! All you need is a great idea and the right marketing skills.

There's a book called Whiz Teens in Business (Truman Publishing, $19.95) that will teach you everything from legal stuff to how to put your business on the Internet. You also can go to www.whizteens.com for more information.

What I learned on my summer vacation: If you're on a roller coaster and you have to throw up, remember to lean over the edge.

Copyright 1999 Cowles Publishing Company
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.