Moving has always been an experience for us...each time we move the tonnage of books that accompany us increases dramatically. And when My Lady or I are deployed in response to disaster we usually end up mailing lots and lots of books home. Even though we work 7 days a week while in the field there is always time to fill with good words and book stores are always a draw.
After my last deployment I figured up how much money was spent in buying books and mailing them home and I started to consider buying an e-book reader such as a Kindle. In one compact package I can have literally hundreds of book titles and access to new titles anytime I want. It's a seductive thought but any new item comes with "issues". One more thing to go bad, a new charger to lose, paying download fees to the book source and, with our eclectic taste a chance that the strange title that interests us will not be available. I also like to flip pages and a plastic screen just doesn't do that!
So for the nonce, I'll continue to search the old used book section at the store and settle back with a good book whenever the opportunity arises.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Viamin D
As we get older our wants and needs change…and for those of you who are prejudging what I’m thinking I’m not talking about sex or food. Instead I’m talking about a simple vitamin D deficiency that can seriously impact our lives.
A researcher tested more that 1,500 residents in German nursing homes and found that 89 percent of them had insufficient levels of Vitamin D and about 64 percent had severe deficiencies of vitamin D. There is also anecdotal information here in theU.S.
When you think about it the shorter daylight period and the fact that it’s colder encourages people to stay indoors, especially the elderly. I know that I’m more aware of slipping on the ice and I’m very aware that at my age the bones tend to get a little brittle. But I’m also aware that I can consume a vitamin D supplement in order to minimize my risk of orthopedic injury if I take a fall.
The interesting part of this blog that I’m now writing is that at an American Stroke Association International Conference a study of more that 16,000 patients was presented that indicates those who lived in areas with shorter exposure to sunlight have a 56 percent increased risk of having a Cerebral Vascular Accident.
The two studies are not mutually supportive and both fail to account for social, cultural and dietary differences but to my curious mind both have a similar conclusion that as we age the absorption of vitamin D, either by pill or by sunlight can only be beneficial.
A researcher tested more that 1,500 residents in German nursing homes and found that 89 percent of them had insufficient levels of Vitamin D and about 64 percent had severe deficiencies of vitamin D. There is also anecdotal information here in the
When you think about it the shorter daylight period and the fact that it’s colder encourages people to stay indoors, especially the elderly. I know that I’m more aware of slipping on the ice and I’m very aware that at my age the bones tend to get a little brittle. But I’m also aware that I can consume a vitamin D supplement in order to minimize my risk of orthopedic injury if I take a fall.
The interesting part of this blog that I’m now writing is that at an American Stroke Association International Conference a study of more that 16,000 patients was presented that indicates those who lived in areas with shorter exposure to sunlight have a 56 percent increased risk of having a Cerebral Vascular Accident.
The two studies are not mutually supportive and both fail to account for social, cultural and dietary differences but to my curious mind both have a similar conclusion that as we age the absorption of vitamin D, either by pill or by sunlight can only be beneficial.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Winter tricks I didn't get to use this year
Before winter started I prepared for possible harsh weather by anticipating and preparing...but winter this year has been warm and dry so I'll have to keep these tricks in mind for next year.
Keep your headlights clear with car wax, just wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights. It contains water repellents that prevent mess and gunk from accumulating. The wax lasts about 6 months.
Squeak-proof your wipers with rubbing alcohol! Wipe the wipers with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia. This one trick can make badly streaking & squeaking wipers change to near perfect silence & clarity.
Ice-proof your windows with vinegar! Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water & spritz it on all your windows at night. In the morning, they'll be clear of icy mess. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the freezing point of water ---preventing frost from forming!
Prevent car doors from freezing shut with cooking spray! Spray cooking oil (corn oil-based) on the rubber seals around car doors & rub it in with a paper towel. The cooking spray prevents water from freezing onto the rubber
Fog-proof your windshield with shaving cream! Spray some shaving cream on the inside of your windshield & wipe it off with paper towels, leaving no smears. Shaving cream has many of the same ingredients found in commercial defoggers.
De-ice your lock in seconds with hand sanitizer! Just put some hand sanitizer gel on the key & the lock and your problem is solved!
Keep your headlights clear with car wax, just wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights. It contains water repellents that prevent mess and gunk from accumulating. The wax lasts about 6 months.
Squeak-proof your wipers with rubbing alcohol! Wipe the wipers with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia. This one trick can make badly streaking & squeaking wipers change to near perfect silence & clarity.
Ice-proof your windows with vinegar! Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water & spritz it on all your windows at night. In the morning, they'll be clear of icy mess. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the freezing point of water ---preventing frost from forming!
Prevent car doors from freezing shut with cooking spray! Spray cooking oil (corn oil-based) on the rubber seals around car doors & rub it in with a paper towel. The cooking spray prevents water from freezing onto the rubber
Fog-proof your windshield with shaving cream! Spray some shaving cream on the inside of your windshield & wipe it off with paper towels, leaving no smears. Shaving cream has many of the same ingredients found in commercial defoggers.
De-ice your lock in seconds with hand sanitizer! Just put some hand sanitizer gel on the key & the lock and your problem is solved!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
A story to consider
With a grateful hat tip to "Old NFO"
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.
"One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
"The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
Doesn't get much simpler than that...
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.
"One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
"The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
Doesn't get much simpler than that...
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
A call for unisex soap
A while back My Lady and I stopped at a local drugstore to buy some personal care items. As we were wandering the isles I was startled to find that while the products were all in the same part of the store there were important differences in the store layout as to where various lotions and soaps can be found.
In order for us to find the product we wanted we first had to determine what part of our bodies we wanted to treat and then decide what gender we are. It is not enough to intend to purchase moisturizer or soap; you must determine if you want it for your face, body, or feet, and from there whether it’s soap or a moisturizer for a man’s parts or a woman’s.
So my question is: Is Ivory soap male or female?
In order for us to find the product we wanted we first had to determine what part of our bodies we wanted to treat and then decide what gender we are. It is not enough to intend to purchase moisturizer or soap; you must determine if you want it for your face, body, or feet, and from there whether it’s soap or a moisturizer for a man’s parts or a woman’s.
So my question is: Is Ivory soap male or female?
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Ethics and Economics
The Amateur Radio Club I belong to was busy discussing a recent news item about a Fire Department that had let a house burn to the foundation because the owners had not paid an annual subscription for fire protection. The general consensus was that it was probably illegal and certainly immoral to refuse to put out the fire. While I can agree with the sentiment that standing by and watching a house be consumed in flames reflects poorly on the ethics of the department I certainly needed to research the issues before I reached a personal determination about the actions of the fire department. For the second time in a year the South Fulton Fire Department in Obion County TN
The Town of South Fulton Obion County South Fulton the Town doesn’t provide any coverage unless you pay an annual $75 subscription. The philosophy is that the townsfolk shouldn’t be expected to provide services free of charge to people who don’t pay to support the fire department.
The two fires that cost county residents to lose their home were the result of these two homeowners hedging their bets. The chose not to pay the annual fee for reasons that made sense to them and they lost their bet. There was some argument that the people [probably couldn’t afford the coverage, but it seems to me that if you can afford to make payments on a house you can probably afford $75 for what is essentially insurance. I’m willing to bet that the residents of the destroyed homes most likely had made more than one purchase of a non essential nature that cost more than the $75 subscription.
The issue for the Town and the Fire Department is that it costs money to staff , equip and operate a fire department and if they put out fires for people who refused to pay for the service in no time at all no one would pay for the service and (I’m sure) the department would go out of business. A few of the people with whom I was discussing the story don’t agree with my thoughts, but then again they are people who have trouble understanding economics and the reality that we are all responsible for the results of our action. The people who lost their homes had a choice and they refused a voluntary contract by choosing to keep their money. The rolled the dice and lost and the community should not have to pay the cost for their short sightedness.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Christmas is upon us
With Christmas fast approaching the time for seasonal decoration of the house is here. My Lady revels in the opportunity to make our home glow with the recurrent story of life and hope. In preparation for the makeover I’ve been listening to Christmas music and this is one piece that I think exemplifies the time of year.
Enjoy and anticipate the season
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)