Archive for August 30, 2017

How to Tell if that Organic is Worth It

August 30, 2017 Comments Off on How to Tell if that Organic is Worth It

Organic or not, always wash fruit and veggies before eating them. But first you have to buy them. There’s so much hype about how much healthier organics are.  Sometimes, though, paying for organic isn’t worth the money.

A rule of thumb is  whether or not the fruit or vegetable has a thick skin that chemicals can’t get through.  If so, call them the “Clean Ones.”  If not, call them the “Dirty Ones.”  Here’s a helpful list.

“Dirty Ones” (buy organic)

  1. Strawberries
  2. Spinach
  3. Nectarines
  4. Apples
  5. Peaches
  6. Pears
  7. Cherries
  8. Grapes
  9. Celery
  10. Tomatoes
  11. Sweet Bell Peppers
  12. Potatoes

“Clean Ones” (don’t waste $$$ on organic)

  1. Sweet Corn
  2. Avocados
  3. Pineapples
  4. Cabbage
  5. Onions
  6. Sweet Peas
  7. Papayas
  8. Asparagus
  9. Mangoes
  10. Eggplant
  11. Honeydew
  12. Kiwi
  13. Cantaloupe
  14. Cauliflower
  15. Grapefruit

Enjoy!

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Avoid Theft of your Child’s Identity

August 29, 2017 Comments Off on Avoid Theft of your Child’s Identity

It can happen when your child is a newborn, or as a teenager, or anytime in between: identity theft.  In fact, 1/4 of our kids will have their identities stolen before they reach their 18th birthday.

Morgan Stanley has published an important “Guide for Parents” that addresses this issue.  It gives warning  signs and strategies.  Topics include

  • A Target Even at Birth
  • Watch for these Warning Signs
  • Key Strategies for Parents

The commercial for Morgan Stanley doesn’t come in until their last topic, Helping to Keep Your Family’s Identity Secure.  Even that section contains ideas that are useful whether or not you’re a Morgan Stanley client.

If you’re a parent of a baby–whether newborn or teen–this article is worth a read.

 

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There’s a “Service Dog” in Every Home

August 28, 2017 2 comments

I felt like starting the week on a lighter note. No message or  moralizing.  This is just about dogs who perform services for us every day.  But you just need to be an animal-lover in general to enjoy it.  (If it doesn’t play right, go to https://www.facebook.com/thepetcollective/videos/1804173109597486/.)

 

 

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Some Info. if You Drink Nestles Brands of Bottled Water

August 26, 2017 Comments Off on Some Info. if You Drink Nestles Brands of Bottled Water

You may not even know that you do.  Nestle brands include Arrowhead, Calistoga, Deer Park, Ice Mountain, Ozarka, Poland Spring, Zephyrhills, Perrier, San Pellegrino, and Pure Life.

Nestle pays $524 a year (that’s all!) to fill bottles that cost us $2.00 each.  They take the water from the San Bernadino National Forest, draining our public watersheds.  They claim that they can do that because water doesn’t belong to anyone, ignoring the fact that the PUBLIC NATIONAL forest that is trying to recover from drought is sustained by that very water.  Topping that, they’re taking the water on an expired lease!

A group called Courage Campaign has taken Nestle to court over this in what, so far, has been a two-year battle.  Nestle is spending an unimaginable amount to fight this–at $2.00 a bottle they can afford it.

If this bothers you as much as it does me, boycott all Nestle products, especially water, and let Nestle know why you’re doing it. You can find their phone number and a contact form at https://www.nestleusa.com/info/contact-us.

We’re talking about OUR water and OUR forests!

 

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Oddball Fact…With or Without Pepperoni

August 25, 2017 Comments Off on Oddball Fact…With or Without Pepperoni

Every once in awhile, I like to break things up by passing on an oddball fact that I, with my sideways  mind, find interesting.  Try working this one into a conversation.

Every single second in America, 350 slices of pizza are being sold.

Now, chew on that!   

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I’m Re-Thinking

August 24, 2017 4 comments

Today’s Thursday Thought, along with a discussion with my son, is causing  me to re-think my support for bringing down those statues.

“I don’t think it is wise or possible to hide from history.” — Andrew Young

 

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Are They Selfish or a Narcissist?

August 23, 2017 2 comments

“Narcissist” is the new buzz-word-label for people we find hard to get along with.  To clarify, psychologists say that a person is a narcissist if he/she has AT LEAST FIVE of these symptoms.  Otherwise, they’re probably just self-centered, which, of course, is also hard to deal with.

Here are the symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder:

  • Exaggerates own importance
  • Is preoccupied with fantasies of success, power, beauty, intelligence or ideal romance
  • Believes he or she is special and can only be understood by other special people or institutions
  • Requires constant attention and admiration from others
  • Has unreasonable expectations of favorable treatment
  • Tkes advantage of others to reach his or her own goals
  • Disregards the feelings of others, lacks empathy
  • Is often envious of others or believes other people are envious of him or her
  • Shows arrogant behaviors and attitudes

Side note: 50% – 75% of narcissists are male.

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Have Some Fun on Eclipse-Day

August 21, 2017 Comments Off on Have Some Fun on Eclipse-Day

Who shot arrows into the sky to rekindle the sun?  Who eats the sun but, burning his mouth, spits it out? Who thought that the sun and moon were lovers and the eclipse happened because of, well, the heat of their passion?  Should pregnant women wear metal to protect their baby during the eclipse?

Find  the answers to these and other burning (sorry about that) questions at https://www.almanac.com/content/solar-eclipse-folklore-myths-and-superstitions.

 

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Statue Weigh-In

August 18, 2017 Comments Off on Statue Weigh-In

I feel compelled to weigh in on the issue of removing Southern Civil War statues.  I’m on the bring-’em-down side.  It isn’t a Northerner thing, or an anti-Southern-history thing. It’s the significance of many of the statues themselves.

A good number of them weren’t erected to commemorate the bravery of the Southern soldier or the grand leadership of a Confederate general.  Nor were they erected to celebrate all  that’s good in the Southern soul.

Instead, they went up during the Jim Crow era and as a reaction against the Civil Rights Movement.  They were meant to be reminders that some sections of our nation were still not prepared to consider Blacks as equals–and to promote the superiority of Whites and defeat the efforts of the Civil Rights Movement.

That’s why I want the statues taken down or moved to private places or at least places where they aren’t given prominence and reverence. I’m deeply saddened by these reminders that bigotry still exists in my country.

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Sippin’, Sunnin’, and Ponderin’

August 16, 2017 Comments Off on Sippin’, Sunnin’, and Ponderin’

Recipe for a nice summer day: sunshine, a comfy lawn chair, a cool drink, and a good book.  Combine relaxation with something worthwhile–read up on a social-justice issue.  The library is filled with great novels with social-justice themes and biographies of fascinating people like Dorothy Day and Mother Teresa. Explore a major issue you’ve been struggling with, like elder care, hunger, ethics in business, poverty, war, abortion, violence.  Ponder our responsibilities as part of the human family.

I have a  long list of titles to get you started.  Most  have annotations to give you an idea of what they’re about.  Email me at [email protected] and I’ll gladly send it to you.

Think about it: while you’re laid back sippin’ and sunnin’, you can learn how to simplify your life and make a better world at the same time.

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