Small Things Count

The U.S. is in the midst of a mind-warping, highly divisive 3-pronged plague, misinformation/mal-information/disinformation. It leads all the way from poor decisions to deadly violence. Finland, recently rated Europe’s most resistant nation to fake news, has an answer. Two years after the 2014 Russian spreading of this plague it began teaching kids in schools how to recognize and respond to it.

Having been a teacher, I’m seldom one to ask schools to take on one more task, but I think this is important. There should be funding for classes so that our kids can grow into alert, critical-thinking adults.

Read about Finland’s program at How Finland starts its fight against fake news in primary schools.

[Don’t go postal on me–I haven’t inflicted one of my phrase-origins on you in quite awhile.]

If your friend is so stressed out that he suddenly flies into a violent rage, you may accuse him of “going postal.” What does the post office have to do with it?  A lot.

In the late 1980s, there were several deadly events involving U.S. Postal Service workers.  In 1986, the first event, an Oklahoma postal worker shot 20 fellow workers, killing 14; then he shot himself.  After that, and up to 1997 there were 20 other similar events, killing 40 people, including some regular citizens.  In the middle of this, in Dec. of 1993, The St. Petersburg Times reported that some people were referring to what was happening as “going postal.”  Thus, the term was born.

By the way, long-term studies indicate that working for the Postal Service isn’t any more or less stressful than most jobs.

An interesting (ingenious) way to make an important point:

How dirty are our Levi jeans?  

Levi’s estimates it adds the equivalent of 1.1 million cars worth of pollution every single year to the atmosphere. And a lot of it is from the dirty fossil fuels (like coal)  that powers their Chinese and Indian factories. It would only be right if Levi’s took some responsibility.  After all, these countries are an important part of their supply chain. It’s in  their power to work toward use of renewable energy in their industry.  But they’re doing nothing.

Ask Levi’s to take the courageous next step to clean up its supply chain and become a climate leader.

Today, with the UN, I remember 6M senseless, horrific deaths. I think about one man filled with hate and power-hunger and how, by promoting fear of differences, he convinced so many of his countrymen to buy into that hatred. I look at our world today and see similar men in power with similar malice, and I am afraid. 6M killed in The Holocaust, and we didn’t earn our lesson?

Today’s Thursday Thought quote, coming from a movie, is a change of focus on life:

“OUR JOB IS IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE, NOT JUST DELAYING DEATH.” – ROBIN WILLIAMS AS PATCH ADAMS IN PATCH ADAMS

I’ve been wondering something. With (so far) several ex-US Presidents and an ex-US Vice President discovering Top Secret/Classified documents in their possession, isn’t there a check-out, reminder, and return system in place? Maybe the government should hire a public librarian to straighten things out.

Happy National Compliment Day. I know it sounds silly, but it’s a good thing. We can always (yes, even with that &%#@*! Person) find something good, even if it’s just how they handled something or has a nice shirt on. Giving and receiving a compliment brightens both the giver and the receiver. And it helps drive away the negativity that too often surrounds us. Try it.

When you get your nails done, your room cleaned on vacation, or have your table cleared at a coffee shop; or you glance at farmworkers along the highway, construction workers, nannies tending children in the park; or open a can of fruit or buy clothing—are you supporting human trafficking?  These are all industries that use people who have been abducted or are being forced to work or who were deceived about what they would be doing or how much they’d be paid.  Many work under the threat of being deported or having loved ones harmed.  These people are, in essence, slaves…and people you can help.  During this Human Trafficking awareness month, go to https://www.acf.hhs.gov/otip/about/ways-endtrafficking to learn how to recognize victims, common myths about it, and ways you can help. Then keep your eyes open so you can live your faith by helping these vulnerable people we meet in our daily lives.

How does global warming affect our food supply, or does it at all?  Take a short quiz–“Food and Global Warming”–and you’ll know.

[For more easy, money-saving, earth-friendly tips, download a FREE copy of Green Riches: Help the Earth & Your Budget. Go to www.Smashwords.com/books/view/7000 or your favorite e-book seller and download to your computer or e-book device. Totally free, with no strings attached.]