Today, nothing heavy, no suggestions for action. Today, on the first day of Spring, I just want you to enjoy this picture and immerse yourself in the beauty, new life, and promises of the season. Then, spring headfirst into a joyous day.
Archive for March 20, 2017
Empower Them
Here’s a Sensible Saturday idea worth thinking about:
My Irish Blessing for You
I, Jackie O’Donnell, nee Kelly, hereby proclaim each and everyone of you an honorary Irish person today. Here’s my Irish blessing for you:
May the roof above us never fall in. And may the friends gathered below it never fall out.
An Equalizing Thought
Today’s Thursday Thought is an equalizer. Instead of putting people on pedestals or ignoring them as beneath us, we’re reminded that, essentially, we’re all traveling the same road.
A Failure of a Scam
Oooooooo…..I’m SOOOOOO scared and intimidated. Not! Whoever devised this scam is pretty stupid.
I got a phone call in which a halting, mechanical voice said this:
“This is in reference to a criminal lawsuit filed against you. Your case number is [gives a number]. The moment you receive this message I need you to return the call. The issue at hand is extremely time sensitive. The hotline to my desk is [gives number]. I repeat it’s [number again]. Don’t disregard this message. Do return the call. Now, if you don’t return the call and I don’t hear from your attorney either, then the only thing I can do is to wish you a good luck as the situation unfolds on you. Good bye.”
Who says “criminal lawsuit” instead of “criminal case” or “hotline to my desk”? How intimidating is “I need you to…call”? And who can take seriously the childish threat of “I wish you [with ‘a’ stuck in here] good luck”?
DUMB! This is one bad guy who will do much better if he gets a real job instead of trying to pull off clumsy scams.
Get Money Back for Grandma
Do you have a grandparent or elderly friend who was deceived into sending money to a relative overseas to, say, keep them out of jail? The elderly are the ones most often taken advantage of by such scams, sending part of the money they need to live on off to a scam artist. And how do they send it? Western Union usually.
Western Union has admitted to the federal government that they have been letting these scams happen–aiding and abetting fraud, which is a felony. As a consequence, they’ve agreed to several measures they’ll take, including paying $586 billion They will refund “fraudulently induced money transfers.”
For more details, go to https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/western-union-admits-anti-money-laundering-and-consumer-fraud-violations-forfeits-586-million.
If you know someone who got caught up in this, especially an older person who may find it difficult or confusing applying for a refund, keep going back to https://www.justice.gov/criminal-afmls/remission#wu to check on the progress of the settlement. Right now, the Dept. of Justice is looking for a claims administrator to oversee the program. Once a person is hired, it won’t be long before the website will have instructions for filing claims. The DOJ moves slowly. Don’t give up.
Observation on Communication
The experts already know this, and I suspected it, but now I’m seeing it. That is, the effect of Twitter and texting on people’s ability to communicate in writing.
I edit everything–resumes, PowerPoint presentations, college application letters, MA/PhD dissertations–you name it. I’m constantly finding that, often, even highly educated people’s spelling, grammar, and punctuation are on a junior-high level. Yet prospective employers, colleges, and PhD boards expect far better.
As a retired English teacher, I’m appalled. As a person, professionally and personally, trying to translate what people sometimes write, I’m frustrated.
Sigh…………………….
Damn Feminists!
The Women’s March in January. Yesterday’s Day Without a Woman. I’ve been hearing cries of, “Those damn feminists! They’re all man-haters!”
Today’s Thursday Thought explains exactly what a feminist is.
“A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men.” — Gloria Steinem
New Sweetener Stevia Not Such a Sweet Deal
We’re seeing more and more products containing a “new,” natural sweetener, Stevia. Companies–especially Coca Cola–are reaping billions of dollars because of it. But they didn’t invent it. It occurs in nature; in Paraguay and Brazil, the Guarani people discovered it and have been using it for generations. Coca Cola uses the plants but doesn’t pay those indigenous people for their knowledge–in violation of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
These groups of people live in poverty, a life-situation that stevia could alleviate if Coca Cola at least shared the profits that legally and morally belong to the people. According to international law, the traditional knowledge and use of stevia belongs to them. That makes what Coca Cola is doing simple theft.
Watch this short video to get a picture of the situation. Then read Public Eye’s “Stivia” for more details.
Stop Being Plugged for a Day
On this National Day of Unplugging (March 3-4) we’re urged to take an electronic Sabbath, a day of rest from anything that’s plugged into the wall—or into our ears, whether through ear buds or that invisible cord leading from a device into our minds: phones, iPods, computers, tablets, TVs, etc. The period is sunset last night to sunset today, so it won’t interfere with work for most of us. Doing this will remind us how dependent we are on electronic devices, how much they control our lives and often take precedence over interacting with other people.
So, slow down your hectic world, and enjoy it more. Share an uninterrupted dinner with your family, undivided attention at your child’s ball game, more focused listening to what your spouse is saying, more time to read that little one to sleep, a chance to discover what’s going on in the lives around you, the peace of just being. The plugged-in addiction isn’t easy to de-tox from, but…who knows? After doing it once you might want to make it a weekly habit. And the Earth will appreciate the energy-savings.
Start now, by turning off the device you’re reading this on.