A few days ago your cell phone number was released to telemarketing companies, and they can now begin calling to sell you something.

And if you are one of those people who pays for each of your incoming calls you could be in for a big bill.

I don’t know about you but telemarketers calling my house makes me crazy enough without them calling my cell phone also. You can call the National Do Not Call List at 888-382-1222 and have your number blocked for five years. You have to call from the phone you want blocked out. This could the best 30 seconds of time you ever invest.

Everyone I know has a “dealing with telemarketers” strategy, mine has always been to ask them to give me their home number and tell them as soon as I am through with dinner, kids errands, picking up the house and a load of laundry I will call them back.

Surprisingly enough none of them have ever believed in their product enough to give me their number. I have a friend that hands the phone to her youngest child and lets her carry on the conversation. She says that she is not going to use the Do Not Call List as it is too entertaining for her child to talk to a adult.

Also, going into effect on July 30 was a new law that affects our public school children. They are now required to receive 150 minutes of physical activity a week and 45 minutes of health education in grades from kindergarten to eight grade.

My only question is why did we have to pass a law to do this? Wouldn’t you think that we would realize the importance of this anyway since our state is often listed as the fattest state per capita?

Well certainly you cannot argue with health eduction. If you could teach kids better health habits at a younger age there are all kinds of things you could combat in our state. Health class can mean a world of things to different ages.

For younger kids it can mean different healthy foods and for older kids it can mean how to handle simple types of emergencies.

Of course the reason I can tell you my options today in my column is because I live here in the United States where we have the freedom of speech and the press. And you have the right to tell me that you disagree with my opinions for the same reason.

And since today is Independence Day, before you cookout and light your fireworks, take a minute to say a quick prayer of thanks to all the men and women who have gone before us that made sacrifices for the freedoms we enjoy. Then take a minute and say a prayer for all the men and women who fight for peace and freedom all over the world today.

Whether it is someone serving in the Armed Forces or someone who is willing to go to jail for your freedom of speech today is the day to say thank you and count your blessing.

Happy Fourth of July!

Christina Hall writes a weekly column for The Democrat. She can be reached at christina.hall@natchezdemocrat.com.