After that I looked around for something that would help if I lost my bags again. I found call uma which are offer travel services. They have a unique service which actually fights lost luggage by tracking luggage. I have used the Call Uma bag tag tracking service each time I have been away for 12 months. I have thank god only lost my luggage once in that time but I had it delivered back to me within 24 hours thanks to Call Uma’s luggage tag tracking; if you worry about lost luggage I really suggest visiting calluma.com

You can effectively control the sparrow population though aggressive shooting (with care). It’s a bit harsh, but it may be easier than trapping.

The rewards, however, are so worth it.

After our campaign began, we noticed an immediate increase in the numbers of native birds and species coming in to the feeder. The downey woodpeckers and chickadees seems to show the largest increases.

There are two caveats for shooting however. You MUST be able to differentiate house sparrows from other small brown birds, like house finches and native sparrows. You also need to make sure you aren’t putting your neighbors or their windows at risk (nor make them feel they are at risk).

If shooting is a problem, trapping works quite well. There are ample resources for both on the web.

I don’t know about any compensation and stuff or if that is just another illusion like customer service. I have spent over 5 hours on the phone now still unable to make any progress with them

No one had ever explained the story of the insignia to me, so I wanted to thank you for your entry. There is so much to learn about NSDAR. My great-aunt, who died many years before I was born, was briefly a member, and she gave my grandmother–who died the year my parents married–an outline to encourage her to join. Of course, I think the information came from the chapter regent at the time and other members who were from our family. I used the information as a touchstone for my own research.

I’m doing some research for a graduate class I’m taking in which we are to select three photographs that represent meaningful aspects of our culture, and when I searched DAR (my great aunt was a member), I found your blog and the photo of the pin, which I too now possess since my great aunt’s and parents’ passings. I hadn’t realized until I read your post that there was anything engraved on the back of the pin. I will have to look and see if the number identifies my great aunt or her mother, my great grandmother. Thanks for the info!

Kathy