Small Things Count

I’ve figured out how to create world peace instantly.  You’re aware, I’m sure, of all the devastating fires, floods, and earthquakes and the damage they’ve caused to people’s lives; atrocities such as those happening in the war in Ukraine; human trafficking even in the US; people facing death and disease because of polluted water and poverty; children not having enough to eat. What if everyone in the world just dropped their guns, put aside their political and religious differences, rolled up their sleeves, and got to work to help people caught in these situations, whether in their own country or across the globe?  After all, helping each other is mandated by every holy book and lauded as a virtue by all cultures (whether they practice it or not). If everyone were involved in humanitarian efforts, Mother Nature would be happy, we’d all be better people, and there wouldn’t be any time for the pettiness and cruelty that got our world where it is today. 

Okay, okay. So the Pollyanna in me sometimes peeks out….

To much bad stuff going on in the4 world occupying our minds. Time for a stress-relieving chuckle. As a retired teacher and dog-lover, this cartoon struck my funny bone. I hope it does yours, too.

For language-lovers and the curious:

If you ever say, “I’m drawing a blank,” your listener understands that you can’t remember something.  Back in the era of Queen Elizabeth I, in the 16th century, when the phrase originated, the person you’re talking to would think you’d lost  out.

To raise money the queen devised a national lottery.  There was a “lot pot” with tickets containing people’s names, and a second one with other tickets, some listing a prize, some blank.  In other words, a person could draw a prize or draw a blank.  How the phrase gravitated toward its current meaning is part of the mystery of ever-changing human language, and proof that, as semanticists say, “Meaning is in the mind of the hearer.”  A good reminder for us always to think before we speak.

That cable box gobbles up more energy than a fridge, AC, or heater, because it stays on when the TV is off.  With Xfinity, go to Tools/Device Settings/Power Options/Power Saver and set the box to go off after an hour of inactivity. Have another provider? Check for that option and use it.

[For more easy, money-saving, Eco-friendly tips, download a FREE copy of Green Riches: Help the Earth & Your Budget. Go to https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/7000, choose a format, and download to your computer or e-book device. For a description of the book go to My Free Books.)

The Thursday Thought quote/picture I offer you today just struck me as basically a good idea, a happy way to live:

Slavery is running rampant today, right here.  It’s a problem that many people think went out with the Civil War and abolishing of slavery.  The point is, slavery has never been abolished from our world.  We see it in various parts of the world, in many supposedly civilized countries, including our own. In fact,  27 million people in our world live in slavery.

All over the world, children are held in slavery—1.2 million under the age of 18 are sold every year into some form of slavery.  Of the 211 million kids aged 5-14 who are laborers, almost half work full time and more than half work in dangerous conditions.

“Reward!”  There’s a word that captures people’s attention. It does mine, because I don’t understand why rewards are offered.  Morally, of course, I should report any information I may have about a kidnapping, a child who has disappeared, an assault, or any other crime.  It’s a part of my obligation to help protect vulnerable individuals around me.  A reward, then, doesn’t enter into my decision as to whether or not to help–nor should it.

Take a look at the stereotypical reward-seeker.  Movies and books depict them as unscrupulous, greedy, morally corrupt, and even physically unattractive.  Their only motive is to get the money and run before the authorities discover that their information isn’t all that valuable.  In fact, an offer of a reward typically causes a human tsunami of useless phone calls with weak, bogus, or conflicting “facts.” Who would want to be part of that group?  And how trustworthy are they and their information?

Granted, in real life there are moral souls who earn the reward and really need the money to save their home, pay medical bills, or whatever.  However, those are a small number.

Rewards may generate publicity to keep a tragedy in the news, but they do little else but bring out the worst in people.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), people lost more than $442 million in 2021 due to government imposter scams. Since 2019, FTC has received more reports for the Social Security Administration (SSA) than any other government agency.  

In a government imposter scam, someone claims to be a government employee and may ask for personal information, demand payment, or make threats, primarily over the phone, but also through email, text, social media, and mail.

For additional details, including how to protect yourself and report a scam, go to https://blog.ssa.gov/slam-the-scam-how-to-spot-government-imposters/.

Yes, you SHOULD use your dishwasher. It uses less water than hand-washing (save 20 gallons a day). But–and here’s where most people make a big mistake–DO NOT pre-rinse those dishes. Tests show that pre-rinsing is not necessary with modern machines and wastes 2.5 gallons of water per minute. Just scrape off the chunks and place the dishes in the washer. Of course, you’ll also do only full loads, use the lightest setting to do the job, and open the door to let the dishes air-dry rather than wasting electricity on the drying cycle.

[For more easy, money-saving, Eco-friendly tips, download a FREE copy of Green Riches: Help the Earth & Your Budget. Go to https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/7000, choose a format, and download to your computer or e-book device. For a description of the book go to My Free Books).

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April is Autism Awareness month. It’s a condition that affects so many of our children. The term “Autism Spectrum” is used because the degree to which children are affected can range from totally non-verbal through high-functioning. It doesn’t mean a child is unintelligent–many earn advanced college degrees and have successful professional lives. The key, though, is early diagnosis (before age 2) and treatment. They’ll always have autism, but they’ll learn how to deal with it and improve.

Here are some causes and risk factors to watch for in your child:

• Autism has a strong genetic component as demonstrated by twin studies
• A child has an approximately 19% higher risk of autism if an older sibling is on the spectrum
• A growing body of evidence investigating maternal infection, drug use, and age (there is also evidence linking advanced paternal age to an increased risk) as potential causes of autism
• Health complications during pregnancy and in childbirth may raise a child’s autism risk significantly, a baby experiencing complications both during and before birth may have a 44% increased risk of autism 
• Toxins in the environment, especially heavy metals like mercury and lead, have also been associated with an increased risk, but most of these studies have various methodological limitations