Small Things Count

This video is both a tribute to teachers but a pretty good explanation of the impact they make.

Today is National Teacher Appreciation Day. Please watch this video, then tell a teacher, “Thank you for all you do.”

This is just too beautiful not to pass on.

What you see here is something rare that’s being described as what happens when a rainbow falls apart. It’s actually a rainbow being diffused by scattered raindrops which reflect off the clouds behind it. If the clouds were gone it would just be a regular rainbow. (By Stephen O Colean— with Juananas Odell and Sharyle Lyndon.)

Don’t toss out your home Covid tests until you read this. When a product first comes out, the FDA requires a conservative expiration date. As time goes on, though, and data shows that the product is effective longer, the company is allowed to extend the date. That is happening. To determine if your kits are good longer, go to https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/verify/when-do-at-home-covid-19-tests-expire/65-ae768a50-b341-40ed-9923-d6bfcfbffc79, choose  the product (in my case iHealth), and put in the lot number listed on test’s box. It will tell you how long the date has been extended (in my case, 3 months). In any event, do NOT use tests that have expired, but DO check to see if your tests are still good.

Tomorrow is Arbor Day. It seems appropriate to offer this Thursday Thought quote/picture:

Maybe not sexist. Maybe just your point of view. But, despite the groaning belief of school kids throughout the world, punctuation can not only make a difference but, in itself, express your opinion. As this “Punctuation is Powerful” mini-chart shows:

This Earth Day, take some impactful actions to clean up our environment and air and get toxic chemicals out of our food and water. Click on these links to add your support for positive change.

 Send a message to your members of Congress to give you the right to repair.

 Help support better emissions controls for the manufacturers of these big trucks going forward.

require food-packaging manufacturers to stop using PFAS,

Today’s Thursday Thought quote/picture goes back to a man born in 1622. Back then, like today, the idea of accountability wasn’t always understood.

Money for scholarships for kids who are not legal citizens?!  Their parents brought them here illegally when they were small children.  They went through school, graduated, and formed dreams of further education and meaningful, productive careers.  They didn’t join gangs or break any laws.  Instead, many worked alongside their parents for the good of the family and formed friendships with the “non-alien” kids around them.  In short, they grew up acting like decent American citizens.

There are those who want to send these “illegals” home.  The trouble is, Mexico or Canada or India or wherever else their family came from is NOT “home.”  These kids have known no other home than right here, on U.S. soil. They’re willing to join the service to protect that home, and they’re determined to use their education and talents to make that home an even better place for all residents.

But why not give the money to “real” American kids?  I would argue that these young people ARE “real” Americans in soul and spirit.  Besides, each year there is a multitude of scholarships that go unused: these kids’ status disqualifies them from applying, and those who do qualify simply don’t bother.

Since it’s tax day, I thought you might enjoy a little tax-related American historical trivia.  See if you are playing with a full deck.

Card games have always been an American pastime.  ‘Way back, some politicians decided that cards should be taxed—but only (politician logic here) the ace of spades. Of course, people can always find a way around paying taxes, as they did in this situation: they bought decks with only 51 cards (no ace of spades).  Trouble is, how many games can be played with only 51?  Not many.  True card-players thought this was absurd, that the people pulling this tax ploy were stupid or dumb—because they weren’t “playing with a full deck.”

Like the politicians who dreamed up that tax in the first place….????

Plug-in air fresheners contain chemical perfumes.  Wash and dry the old one and fill it with water and a few drops of essential oil.     

[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).