More = Better?

Is more really always better? Why have Americans always had the need for things such as appliances, automobiles, and telephones to do more? Has more always been better? Going from using a washboard and a clothes line to having an electric washer and dryer we can all agree was definitely better. The laundry was cleaner and in less time, it was less physically demanding, and allowed more time to spend with family. But, because we are programmed to think we need something to do more, we didn’t stop there. Now we have these washers and dryers that can sense everything, that are so high tech that you practically have to be an MIT diploma just to start it. But did adding all the bells and whistles actually help or has it been more of a hinderance? I think the constant issues with sensors and sensitive electronics malfunctioning, the cost to have them repaired and the inconveniences when waiting to have them repaired has made many of us realize that having them do more was not better. In fact, so many households have decided to go back to the standard Lg capacity, top loader basic washers even though they had to buy used older models in the classified ads. The desire to go back to basics was so widespread that major companies are once again producing these in order to avoid losing sales. They have made sure that the washer lids either do not lock or have the option of manually locking simply because the ‘auto lock’ was not a desired feature for most.

Having the ability to contact others or to be contacted in the event of an emergency while traveling meant that going from only having a land line to also having a mobile phone was definitely a good thing. It meant truckers and traveling salesmen could speak with their families, or you could call someone if your car broke down; but as usual we did not stop there. We wanted more. So now we have cell phones that are capable of swiping someone’s entire identity and financial records. They can invade every aspect of your privacy by tracking your location, recording your conversations and video taping you, This is even possible to do remotely. And it can all be done by your spouse, boss, neighbor, or someone at the market you got too close to. Even with all of the conveniences of having a phone that is so many things, is it really making our lives better? We really only need it to make calls and receive calls, everything else should be done on a computer at home or work. This way people won’t be walking around glued to their phones while their small child is trying to ask them a question or point out something they see. Maybe people could actually verbally communicate in public so that everyone is not a total strange?. Creating something that has caused such an addiction to the human race is never a good thing and the short life span for cell phones means the disposed devices are filling up the landfill waste sites. What about automobiles? Has having them do more really been so much better? We needed them to go, stop, and be slightly comfortable. Now they do everything except serve champagne. Automobiles are mass produced no matter what the economy is like, so what happens to all of the new vehicles that are never sold? Junk yards used to be filled with rusty old metal car parts, some leftover fluids and and oils and of course rubber tires. The electronics was so minute it didn’t matter. But now, people no longer visit the salvage yard for a replacement tranny or motor, now what goes to the junk yard stays there forever and the pile of electronics from throughout the entire car far exceeds the pile of rubber or metal. So has making cars do more been better for our lives and our planet? Ok I have to ask if anyone else has the same thoughts as I do when it comes to the electric cars? Haven’t They preached to Us about conserving electricity. They say to turn off or at least reduce use during peak hours in summer months. They say we should conserve electricity by purchasing only energy efficient products. They charge Us a phenomenal amount if our usage exceeds a certain amount at home. Right? So why in the heck did they decide that making electric cars was the way to go? How could destroying the oceans’ floor just to make the batteries that go into these cars be better for anyone? Why are the Cal Trans work lights, the parking lots at the malls and auto dealers so intensely bright and powerful to the point of causing temporary blindness? They are such a waste of electricity that in this case, more is not better. Parking lots, especially those that tax payers are footing the electric bill on to light up, could easily do with those tiny clear strings of lights and would cost a thousand times less. I get that it is important for the large corporations, the politicians, the millionaires and billionaires to always be finding new ways to make lots and lots of money; but does it always have to be the only thing that is important.?

Fast food & Global warming

The idea of fast food chains having anything to do with global warming sounds utterly ridiculous I know. But fast food means drive thru service, which means idling cars; Lots and lots of cars with their engines running. The exhausts pouring out carbon monoxide and other unhealthy gasses are quickly floating into the atmosphere. In California alone there are over 38,000 fast food establishments. If you figure that the average is 1300 burgers sold per day for just one In and Out, and 70% of their sales is at the drive thru and if you guestimate 2 burgers for each car, that would come out to at least 450 cars every day at just one individual drive thru. The total number for McDonalds is extremely higher, but you get the idea. Now multiply the 450 cars by 38,000 = 17,100,000 (seventeen million, one hundred thousand) idling cars per day just in California! But we cannot put all the blame on fast food chains because there are banks, credit unions and coffee shops that must also share in the responsibility.

Is having the option to drive up to a window for burgers, coffee or even banking really even necessary? I would have to think that the consequences from the damage being done to the Ozone Layer would far outweigh the benefits of the mere convenience it brings. Especially now with all of the food delivery services and online banking options available. Shouldn’t our politicians assigned to the Environmental PROTECTION Agency be addressing such simple solutions to saving the planet? Or is the trillions of dollars in revenue more important? Others are thinking the same thing, I just happen to be the one who said it’.

A Leader is…

I recently read an article that referred to those in charge as leaders. This in my opinion is not correct. Just because you are the supervisor, manager, or boss does not mean you are a leader. Leadership is not a title, Leadership is about how others perceive you. A true leader is someone that others look up to and respect. They have knowledge, experience and are competent in performing the tasks of those they oversee. A leader makes it a group effort and participates in achieving the goal. A boss maintains a level of separation and displays an attitude of superiority that a leader never would. Leaders are those who set the example. They motivate and inspire and are seen as part of the team. The article I read was an excellent one but I felt that clarification was needed in defining the term of a leader. Supervisor, Boss, Manager are titles, Leadership is a role. The titles and the role are not always synonymous. For example, if you came to the school during P.E. you would see most of the teachers standing nearby giving instructions to the students. Then you would see that one teacher who has included herself in the activity. She is part of the team. She is still able to instruct the students, but she is now able to display the skills needed and is setting the example of what ‘good sportsmanship’ and ‘teamwork’ mean. She has motivated and inspired the students and has gained their respect. They see her as a true Leader. While the other classes view their P.E. teachers still as simply the one in charge. This may not be the best example, but it was the best one I could think of for simplicity.

Is your supervisor just a boss?

Why do we end up with a supervisor who has never done our job? For the longest time I have wondered why some companies hire people for supervisory positions who have absolutely no experience doing what those they are in charge of do. When this is the case, your supervisor cannot support you or even truly help you, this means they are nothing more than a boss. Someone to point out what you are doing wrong. Someone who is always there to reprimand but never there to give a pat on the back or commend your efforts. These supervisors will never be thought of as leaders by those they oversee for many reasons. 1. Leaders lead by example; if you have never done my job, how can you set the example.? 2. Leaders are respected. How do you respect someone who is telling you how to do something that they have never done themselves? So why do some companies have those who are just a boss? I recently discovered that if a company cares about its employees and wants to ensure they receive the training and support needed to succeed, they will only promote or hire a supervisor who has earned the title by having experience in all aspects of the jobs of those they will be supervising. Someone who has the potential to be seen as a true leader or mentor. However, if a company is not concerned with the well-being of their employees, they will choose their supervisors by convenience. Their lack of effort stems from their lack of concern. They will put in any joe blow, just because the government requires them to have a supervisor for each department in the company. So if you your supervisor is merely just a boss, you can be certain that you are working for a company that does not value their workers.

Just Say it !!

How many times have you found yourself wishing you had just opened your mouth and said what you really wanted to? For most of us there have been hundreds of times throughout our lives where we wished that we had spoken our minds and stood up to someone who was basically just a bully. Maybe you didn’t have the confidence to ask for something that you deserved, like a promotion or a raise. Yes, we’ve all been there at one time so no big deal. Right? Wrong! I know how important it can be to speak up and just say it because believe it or not, if you don’t- your life can take a whole other path. I am not talking about communicating where you have to divulge your most inner feelings and secrets. I am referring to those two or three little words when it matters most. As I look back at my life, I realize that not saying what I wanted to say exactly when I wanted to, literally changed my life. Miscommunication can absolutely destroy lives, love’s, happiness, friendships and trust. It can create so much hurt, disappointment, anger, confusion, jealousy, loneliness. It sounds odd to think that just 2 or 3 words can actually affect the rest of your life. If you don’t speak up and say to those who mean the most to you something as simple as ‘Don’t go’ or ‘please stay’, how will they ever know that is what you really want? What keeps us from just opening our mouths and saying what can actually be the most important thing to someone? Fear. Fear of the unknown. Maybe we don’t say it because we are afraid of just standing up for ourselves and afraid to be our true selves. No matter what the reason is, the next time you are in a situation where you have the opportunity to Just say it, to just say how you feel to those who mean the most to you, Just Say It! You’ve got nothing whatsoever to lose. But, if you don’t say it, you have everything to lose.; like (the ones you love more than they will ever know because you didn’t tell them when you had the chance)

‘FAMILY’ TRADITIONS

A Tradition is ‘an inherited or customary pattern of behaviors or actions’. So I guess that means that something as simple as those Sunday drives we took would be considered a tradition. Every year as soon as the weather was nice enough, dad would take the top off of the Jeep Scout and on Sundays we would all load up for a leisure drive up and around the mountain. My mother thought of it as a way for the family to spend time together, but I know that it was dad’s way of getting to scope out where the deer might be hanging out. Those Sunday drives were not my favorite thing to do because it entailed sitting for long periods of time, which I was definitely not good at. Whenever I would start getting antsy dad would announce “the first one to spot a buck gets a dollar”. This would take my mind off of having to sit still for so long. My mother always complained that the roads were too bumpy or that the wind was messing up her hairdo, and my older sister just complained, because that was what she did all the time. Sometimes we got to go over the hill in the other direction to Booneville, where my mother’s aunt and uncle lived. Their son J was super tall and strong just like my Uncle Keith and I guess beings I happened to be extremely tiny for my age, they both were my personal monkey bars. They would stand close enough to the wall so they could have their arm straight and stiff with their hand flat against the wall. Then I would do like a pull up on their arm and flip myself up and over, landing on the other side. Sometimes I would just hang by my knees before flipping off, and all the while they would be acting like I wasn’t even there, just carrying on their conversation with everyone. Their house was huge and so was the property it sat on.There was always candy in the fancy little bowls on the coffee tables and a built in swimming pool that I loved swimming in even though it always seemed to be windy and colder up there then at my house. When J was in college he would come to our house every week for dinner and it became a tradition for me to spill my full glass of milk on him because it happened every single time without fail. When it came to Holiday Traditions, there was never a Christmas that did not entail getting to wear my best dress to the movie theater where all of us Masonite Kids got to sit on Santa’s lap, sing Songs with the Elves and watch a Disney movie all while our parents were having the traditional Christmas Gala dinner. On Christmas Morning, waking up at 5am was definitely a tradition that my parents could have done without. For my 13th birthday my Dad took me to The Palace Restaurant. After that it became a tradition for us to have lunch together on my birthday every year. I remember one time when we went to an all u can eat Chinese food buffet. We sat there talking and I just kept eating and eating and talking for the longest time. The man working there came over and said ‘will you be staying for dinner as well’? We didn’t understand what he really meant until we saw that it really was almost time for dinner! Dad and I laughed all the way home about it. Another true tradition was the Opening Day of Deer Season. I would wake to the sound of boots clomping , men laughing and the smell of coffee brewing. I can still see myself wearing one of Dad’s white t-shirts for a nightgown (they were as long on me as my nightgowns were but way more comfy)as I stood on the kitchen chair pouring the coffee in to his thermos. I got to go with them all once but Dad said “never again”. He said I never stopped talking long enough for them to even see a deer that day. *Dad nicknamed me Motormouth as soon as I could talk.

My most favorite of traditions are the ones my girls and I had. Like taking turns getting to be the one to put the angel on the tree. For Christmas Eve they opened one gift, which was usually cozy pajamas to wear for the following mornings festivities and photos. Every Christmas morning I would make hot cocoa w/marshmallows and blueberry muffins for everyone to have while we opened presents. When the girls were babies I began baking their birthday cakes which was usually a pink cake topped with my homemade pink frosting and I guess that became a tradition because when they were older and given the choice , they still wanted me to make their cakes instead of buy them, which thrilled me of course because I loved doing it!!. For our birthdays we always got to choose our favorite meal to have for the ‘family dinner’ that took place on the birth day. then the following weekend was their party. One of my most favorite traditions was anytime my girls went somewhere like to an amusement park, or on a class trip, if I couldn’t go they would bring home a souvenir for me. Many times, the keepsakes were Precious Moments figurines. But, no matter what, everything on my ‘mommy shelf’ will always be precious to me. Family Tradition means doing something the same way , during the same occasion, with the people you care about, that creates a desire to continue it; and when it’s gone the memories of those times help fill the hole in you from the emptiness just a little. Simply said, Family Traditions should be cherished.

Write about a few of your favorite family traditions.

FOOD and DRUG RECALLS

The top news stories everyday shouldn’t be about problems in far away lands, not to say that other countries are not important-I just feel that we should at least find it a little more important to be aware of the problems we are facing, at that moment, right here, especially Information that is truly time sensitive and life altering. Personally I would prefer that the daily headlines in every part of the world be something good and positive however, I think that Major news stations should feel that informing us on the current FDA Recalls should be at the top of their ‘to do’ list. When Similac or Enfamil Formula’s are recalled due to reports of numerous babies dying, that should be the top news story. Instead we are lucky if we can find these stories hidden in the back pages somewhere. These formula’s along with many other FDA approved food products are known to be contaminated with an organism known as MONOCYTOGENES, which can cause FATAL infections in young children and frail older adults. It can cause Miscarriages and Stillbirths for pregnant women, and for healthy individuals the symptoms consist of high fever, severe headache, nausea, stiffness and diarrhea. A few of the many foods that were found to contain this bacteria in 2022 were

1. Prepared Salads by Kroger, Dole ,Market Side, and Salad Classics 2. Frozen Cooked Shrimp 3.Ice Cream-multiple brands 4.Frozen Vegetables 5.Butternut Squash. Many popular products like Arizona Ice Tea, Country Time Lemonade, Tang, Kool Aide , Gummies, Starburst and Skittles were temporarily recalled due to the presence of metal and glass particles found in them. I realize that it is hard to swallow the reality that the agencies we put our trust and faith in to protect us, are in fact doing just the opposite. They are the ones allowing all of these things to hit the shelves whether it is contaminated vials at your local hospital (also reported to have glass and metal ), or the new drugs your doctor prescribes that has been determined to cause kidney failure in children,( yet he is still allowed to prescribe). No matter what the Food or Drug is that is causing severe harm or death to us, it is only there because it was approved to be distributed by our Food and Drug Agency of The U.S. Government. If they did their jobs there would not be products like Round Up on the shelves. They would be doing what we spend every penny of our hard earned money to pay them to do, which is to provide us with safe products in our stores.

It is very easy to check the FDA.gov/recalls website for the hundreds of current food, food products, drugs, medical equipment, pet foods and medicines, etc. that are on the list.

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The Pandemic/What the children see.

Kids hear and see everything! If you have ever tried to plan a surprise party, have a private/adult conversation or hide a gift from one of your children, then you know what I mean. However, it’s not what they are hearing from the news media that will have an impact on their lives, it’s how they see us react to that news. Fear of the unknown, chaos created by misinformation, the uncertainty of tomorrow, and the lack of normalcy should not be happening. As it is now, suicide, alcoholism, child abuse, depression and crime have all skyrocketed in the past year. Now we are having to endure the constant stress over possibly losing our basic human rights forever, and it’s pushing everyone to their limits. What about the children? They look up to adults. We tell them not to be afraid of thunder, the dark or bad dreams because we will protect them. We tell them not to be intimidated or bossed around by a bully. We say “Stand up for yourself. Don’t let bullies take things that belong to you.” But what are we saying now? We need to think about the life altering affect our decisions, in this moment, will have on our children, because we as adults are setting the example. What does it say when kids see us being bullied and doing nothing about it? What kind of example is shown when we are letting those bullies take away what belongs to us? Our jobs, our schools, our bodies and our freedoms, belong to us! For generations it has been important for children, as future leaders, to understand the ideals of government as it is outlined in our Constitution. What ideals are we instilling when they see that we are allowing those in government, who work for us, to be our rulers? If we do not stand up for ourselves, and our freedoms, we are setting the example for our children that it is ok for Our Country to be ran by dictatorship. They will see that the Constitution means nothing, and that ‘We the People’ are weak and do not care about freedom. We are saying to them that it’s ok to be bullied into doing something you don’t believe you should do. I guess we are saying that they(children) do not need to worry about having common sense or good decision-making skills because in the future all of their decisions will be made for them. Our children are learning from us every moment of every day. We should do everything in our power not to let them down, or the choices we make now could be the last choice we ever have the freedom to make.

The Constitution states that THE POWER IS IN THE PEOPLE, NOT IN THE GOVERNMENT.

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TRUST and SAFETY

There are some who do not seem to trust the FDA’s safety approval of the covid testing and vaccine drugs. Here’s why- The FDA must approve a drug before it is allowed to go on the market. If that drug turns out to actually be deadly or seriously harmful then the FDA will eventually Recall the drug and pull it from the shelves. There have been thousands upon thousands of permanently recalled drugs throughout the y ears the following are just a few. Keep in mind that each of these drugs were given the FDA SAFETY APPROVAL before they could be given to the public. #1. Baycol-Cerivastatin-cholestrol reducer- approved 1998. After causing over 50 deaths and 385 serious cases of kidney failure this medication was finally pulled from the shelves in 2001 #2 Omniflox Temafloxacin-antibioctic used for pneumonia, bronchitis and other respiratory illnessess.-FDA approved Jan. 2002. Caused serious allergic reactions, kidney damage, severe low blood sugar, anemia and some deaths. Recalled in June 2002 #3 Cylert,Pemoline an ADHD/ADD drug that was approved in 1975. However, In 1999 a warning label was added alerting doctors of the potential risk of liver damage to patients. Yet it was not recalled until 2010. This drug had been prescribed to children for 35 years!! #4 Darvon/Darvocet-Approved in 1955. Had fatal side affects from toxicity to the heart. In 1978 the FDA was petitioned to remove the drug, but it was declined. Then from 1981-1999 it caused more than 2100 deaths. In 2006 FDA was petitioned again, yet it took until 2010 before it was finally recalled. Over 50 years on the market!! #5 Diethylstibestrol DES- 1940-1971 A synthetic estrogen to prevent miscarriage. 1950’s proven to be none effective in preventing miscarriages. Although it had no medicinal use, it was left on the market and prescribed to pregnant women causing vaginal and cervical cancer in many and causing birth defects and developmental abnormalities in their babies . But the FDA allowed this drug to stay on the market for 31 years.!!! #6 Duract, Bromfenac Was given safety approval 1997. However, the FDA was forced to take off the market due to 4 deaths, 8 liver transplants, and 12 severe liver damage cases in less than a year. It was recalled in 1998.

The Supreme Law

The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law, above any state or federal laws. The Constitution is the highest law of the land that everyone must obey. The Supreme Court, Congress, and even the President must abide by these laws. Our Founding Fathers declared that we have certain rights as human beings and those rights cannot be taken away. These Natural Rights are 1. Right to life- this is the right to live without fear of being killed or injured by another person. 2.Right to Liberty- this is the right to be free! to say what you want, believe what you want and to travel where you want. 3.Right to Property- this is the right to own things. Your work and labor are also considered your property. The Purpose for having a government is to protect the rights of the People. The People are us-you-me and all tax paying American Citizens. The Constitution states very clearly that The People hold the Power. The Power belongs to us. The People grant Powers to those who serve in government. The People have the right to revoke those powers at any time. The Constitution sets limits on what those in government can and cannot do. This is to help prevent the government from violating our rights. The People grant powers to the government only so long as the leaders fulfill their responsibilities to us, if not The People can take back those powers and hire others to take their place. Every person in our government has taken an oath to represent us (you and I) to speak and act for us only as directed by us and in a way that is in our best interest. They do not have the Authority or Power to run things as they want to. That would be Dictatorship not Democracy.” The Power comes from the People and the People are the ultimate source of the authority of the government. All persons in government are the servants of the People. They are not the masters of the People.”