SUNDAY, FUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2025 - HOW COLD IS IT?

 SUNDAY, FUNDAY - JANUARY 12, 2025

HOW COLD IS IT?

SOME MT. WASHINGTON FACTS

A friend Carl spent some time at the Mount Washington (New Hampshire) observatory.  Ask him about his experiences  - just him talking about it froze me toes!!!

Mt. Washington measured 566.4 inches of snow during the winter of 1968-69. (That’s about 47 FEET OF SNOW!!!)

A 231-mph wind gust was observed in April 1934. (Hold onto your hats - actually hang on to everything!!  The average speed of a small plane is about 125 miles an hour.  Going outside in a 231 gust might land you in England!!!)

A temperature of 47 degrees below zero was recorded in January 1934. (Skin can freeze when exposed to temperatures at or below 28°F (-2°C) for a prolonged period. Frostbite occurs when skin and tissue freeze due to exposure to freezing temperatures. The severity of frostbite depends on the temperature, wind chill, humidity, and how long the person was exposed to the cold. Just another reason not to go outside on a frigid day on Mount Washington.)

Now you can take a cog railroad or drive to the top of Mount Washington (make sure you get a bumper sticker!!!).

And … don’t even think about sticking your tongue on a flagpole!!!

I’m sure Carl has more stories. (if you don’t know Carl well, get to know him, he has great stories!!!)

*********

How about moving to Fairbanks, Alaska? Fairbanks' record low temperature is -66°F.

International Falls, Minnesota is known as the "Icebox of the Nation" because of its cold winter temperatures. The town holds the trademark for the slogan, but other towns, including Fraser, Colorado and Big Piney, Wyoming, also claim the title unofficially. The town has an average of 109.4 days per year with a high temperature below 32°F (0°C). The coldest temperature ever recorded in International Falls was -55°F on January 6, 1909.

https://www.thezebra.com/resources/home/coldest-cities-in-the-us/ lists the coldest top 13 cities.  (I’ve been to all but two of these cities).

JOKES

What do you sing at a snowman’s birthday party? “Freeze a Jolly Good Fellow!”

Why did the girl keep her trumpet out in the snow? She liked playing cool jazz.

What do you call a snowman’s temper tantrum?A meltdown.

How do snowmen get information? They search on the winter-net.

How do polar bears make their beds? With sheets of ice and blankets of snow.

Why did the two snowmen divorce? One thought the other was a flake.

What do snow parents call their kids? Chill-dren.

What do you call it when a snowman ignores you? The cold shoulder.

Why don’t you see penguins in Britain? They’re afraid of Wales.

Which side of a polar bear has the most fur? The outside.

How does a penguin build a house? Igloos it together.

What do you call a snowman on rollerblades? A snowmobile.

As I grow, I come closer to the ground. What am I? An icicle.

If a winter fox lost his tail, where would you go to buy him a new one? A retail store.

Why did the bear keep getting fired? He always disappeared in the winter.

*****

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen White, January 12, 2025

WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, JANUARY 8 AND 9 MICROPLASTICS

 THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2025 - MICROPLASTICS

In the past few years, microplastics have come to the forefront of health issues.

BACKGROUND:

Microplastics are a pollutant that can affect human health in several ways, including: 

• Heart attack, stroke, and death
  A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that patients with microplastics in their carotid artery plaque had a 4.5 times greater risk of heart attack, stroke, or death. 

• (4.5 TIMES?  That’s 450% times more likely!!)

• Inflammation
  Microplastics can cause inflammation, cell death, and other health effects. 

• Immune response
  Microplastics can trigger an immune response in the body. 

• Other health effects
  Microplastics can also cause oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and cytotoxicity. 

• Magnify other toxicant exposures
  Microplastics can increase the potency of other toxicants, such as cadmium. 

• Carry pathogens
  Microplastics can carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria and other pathogens on their surfaces. 

Microplastics can enter the human body through: 

• Food: Microplastics can be found in food. 

• Air: Microplastics can be found in the air. 

• Ingestion: One study found that people can ingest up to a credit card's worth of plastic in a week. 

Microplastics come from many sources, including: 

• The breakdown of larger plastics, such as water bottles

• Foam from food containers and disposable silverware

• Synthetically manufactured micro beads used in cosmetics and healthcare products

To reduce the risk of microplastics, you can: 

• Advocate for reduced plastic manufacturing and more recycling

• Encourage hospitals and clinics to be more sustainable

Review the use of plastic, especially single-use plastics and synthetic textile products.

Furthermore,

This can also affect the reproductive system.  (Be ready for tomorrow’s blog).  Microplastics have been discovered in mother’s milk (so, now the baby get’s started on microplastics).  I hold onto my phone (with a plastic case.  

*****

Plastic is everywhere.  I’m writing from my desk. I’m guessing my laptop computer has a plastic case, pens, an ibuprofen bottle, pill containers, and more - made of plastic.  I have my new dentures (also plastic ones) in my mouth.  Much of my foodstuffs come in plastic containers!!  My world is a world of PLASTICS.  Not necessarily microplastics - but possibly putting more microplastics into my system.

(I remember the days when some people put a plastic image of Jesus on their dashboard.  Even Jesus gives some microplastics!!!)

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS US (but will LOVE eliminate the microplastics in our bodies?)

Karen Anne White, January 8, 2025

TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2024 - WATER

 TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2025 - WATER

I remember canoeing with Boy Scout Troop 5 from Keokuk, Iowa.  We did a lot of canoeing - from canoeing down the Skunk River to Lake Red Rock.  I remember being able to dip a cup into the water and taking a drink.  In retrospect, I’m not sure it was okay to drink (I was only an assistant Scout Master, so I’m assuming Greg Redman and Buddy Barded had checked with the Iowa Department of Water Quality.  On the other side - none of use - scouts or leaders got dysentery or sick!!

Water quality is more difficulty today.  Upstream from all rivers and lakes are farmers.  These farmers put pesticides on their fields to keep the pests, they put fertilizers on their fields.  Nearby there are cattle and pigs - and their excrement also washes into the water.  Cities also add their sewage to the rivers - but hopefully after processing the sewage first.  Companies (especially chemical companies) dump various contaminates into the water supply as well.  

I’m not sure I want to dip my cup into the water and take a drink these days.  Campers can boil their water - which will kill (supposedly) the bacteria in the water.  You can also use Chlorine or iodine tablets.

Many of my relatives farms had wells - that generally were checked for quality.  [Aside, I remember drinking well water from Uncle Rob’s farm - and it tasted different - but it was good.].  Farmers also use ground water to irrigate crops.  (If you drive through Nebraska - where rainfall can be spotty - you will see the irrigation devices - putting water on the crops.

If you were a pioneer, you might find good water and bad water as you sought a homestead.  There are towns named “Sweetwater” in many states - and even multiple “Sweetwater” towns in some states. 

But, water is like gold in some areas.  Cities have water processing plants.  

My research yielded this: 

In a city water processing plant, raw water from a source like a river or reservoir goes through a series of steps including screening, coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection to remove impurities and contaminants, making it safe to drink by eliminating bacteria, parasites, and other harmful substances; essentially, the process cleans and purifies the water before distributing it to homes and businesses.

And, of course, bottled water is a growing industry.  

The International Bottled Water Association in 2022 noted this:

“America’s favorite packaged drink – bottled water – reached new peaks in both volume consumed and sales in 2022 in the U.S., new data from the Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC) shows.  

Bottled water’s total volume sold in 2022 was 15.9 billion gallons, its highest volume ever, surpassing carbonated soft drinks for the seventh year in a row. In terms of retail dollars, 2022 sales approached $46 billion, up from $40.8 billion in 2021.

“Numerous qualities account for bottled water’s unceasing resonance with U.S. consumers, including its associations with healthfulness, convenience, safety, and value,” says John G. Rodwan, Jr., BMC’s editorial director.

“Consumers’ thirst for beverages that offer benefits beyond refreshment alone also contributed to the fundamental hydrating beverage’s rise in the beverage standings. Bottled water’s zero-calorie status and its lack of artificial ingredients appeal to many consumers. Even where tap water may be safe and readily available, people may prefer bottled water, which they often believe tastes better.”

For more than a decade, consumers have been increasingly choosing bottled water instead of less-healthy packaged drinks. Bottled water’s volume surpassed soft drinks for the first time in 2016 and has done so every year since.”

Americans consumed, on average, 46.5 gallons of bottled water in 2022, compared to 36 gallons of soda. Consumer demand for bottled water has significantly contributed to the industry’s growth (30% since 2012), as people continue to switch from other less-healthy packaged drinks to bottled water. So much so, that nine out of 10 Americans (91%) want bottled water to be available wherever other drinks are sold, according to a survey conducted on behalf of the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) by The Harris Poll. 

*****

I live in a city that had a water processing facility.  I get approved water through pipes that crisscross the city from the water plants.  I turn on my tap - and I have water.  I haven’t worried about the quality.  I assume that the water is checked and verified before entering the distribution system.  

I don’t buy bottled water (generally), although I do drink it on occasion (such as a refreshment room for our Granny Basketball teams).  I think our local water is good - and I’m trying to be frugal and watch my expenses.  I do know people that only drink bottle water - through the large water coolers that might be found in companies, or with the bottled water you can get at a grocery store. 

Some people still use city water, but then use a Brita filter (or other brand) to do a final filtering at home.  After tornados, and hurricanes, bottled water is brought in by the ton.  Occasionally one might hear of a compromised water system and users are requested to boil their water.  

 

I don’t know if such filtering is good or not.  Does the water taste better?  Probably.  

*****

Ah yes, water is maybe the biggest issue for the future - will we have enough to irrigate fields (and our lawns)? Will it be clean and not have harmful bacteria?  Can we harvest sea water for drinking and usable water?  

*****

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, January 7, 2025

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2025 - ELECTION

 MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2025 - ELECTORAL COLLEGE 2020

Four years ago, something happened.  What happened may be an issue of disagreement - was a band of rioters trying to overthrow the government, or was a group of loyal Americans trying to stop an illegal election.

On January 6th - every four years - the Electoral College meets.  No, this is not a regular college.  There are not professors, students, and classes, but a process dating back to the constitution.  

There was a concern then (and yet, now), that small, less populated states wanted protection from their more populous neighboring states.  There were (at least in my opinion), two actions to protect those smaller states.  The first (and probably more major is that each state gets two United States Senators - so Delaware (South Dakota, Montana) and other smaller states (at least in population) got the same number of U.S. Senators as California and Texas.  That is balanced in the United States House of Representatives by electing Representatives based on population.  South Dakota has one Congressman, while California has 52 congressmen (and Texas has 38).  If, say, there is a farm bill relating to ranching in South Dakota, in the senate, the two Senators from South Dakota are equal to the two Senators from California.  But in the House of Representatives, the one Representative from South Dakota has little clout as compared to the 90 Representatives in California and Texas combined.   

The Electoral College has votes based on the number of Senators and Representatives in each state.  So, South Dakota gets three electoral college votes (2 Senators and 1 Representative), and California gets 54 electoral college votes (2 Senators and 52 Representatives).  

In the 2020 election, Biden (the Democratic candidate) had 51.3% of all the people who voted.  Trump (the Republican candidate) had 46.8% of the votes.  In terms of the Electoral College, Biden had 306 Electoral votes, while Trump has 232.  

*****

Seemingly, supporters of the (then) President (Trump) felt that they had been cheated.  On Electoral College Day, those supporters of Trump arrived at the Capitol to protest the voting.  The supporters got out of hand and stormed the Capitol Building, overwhelmed the police.

“Within 36 hours, five people died: one was shot by Capitol Police, another died of a drug overdose, and three died of natural causes, including a police officer who died of natural causes a day after being assaulted by rioters. Many people were injured, including 174 police officers.” 

*****

Many people viewed the demonstration as a “riot” - partison supporters on the losing candidate felt too many improper votes occurred - and thus candidate Biden won the electoral college by subtrafuge. 

*****

I liken the riot to a football game (maybe like the Superbowl).  Fans of the losing team felt the officials were biased and unfairly affected the outcome.  (Such as a defensive pass interference call helped the winning team get a touchdown that shouldn’t have happened).

“We were robbed” - might have been the complaint by the demonstrators (aka “rioters”).  

To many, the riot was “unamerican” - the election was “reasonably” fair and equitable.  As the comparison to a football game goes, it would be like the fans of the losing team charging the field, and attacking the officials - even to killing some of them.  

*****

It was a dark day for democracy.  People trying to overturn the election results by violence.  Again, “we were robbed” seemed to be the call.  There were many that claimed that too many illegal votes went to elect Biden.  

****

Today, four years later, I doubt that there will be any protestors.  Senators and representatives can go about their process of being elected officials without hiding from rioters.  

*****

Franklin Roosevelt called December 7, 1941 as a “day of infamy” after Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor.  Future historians may well call January 6, 2020 as a “day of infamy” when partisens attacked the government attempting to overthrow the vote.

*****

So, where is the Love in such a process?  My personal bias is that rioting is rarely fair.  (Rioters yelled “Crucify Him” when Jesus was being tried).  

But, ultimately,

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

(And, what happens on Earth probably has little effect on Heaven)

Karen Anne White, January 6, 2025

SUNDAY, JANUARY 5, 2025 - WHO ARE YOU?

 SUNDAY, JANUARY 5, 2025, New Years, and who are you? 

I’m still in the New Year’s mode - New Year, New You.

I remember Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians singing this:

Should old acquaintance be forgot

And never brought to mind?

Should old acquaintance be forgot

In the days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear

For Auld Lang Syne

We'll drink a cup of kindness yet

For the sake of Auld Lang Syne

(I think we might have watched Lawrence Welk and his Champagne Music Makers on New Year’s Eve as well) 

********** 

Maybe you grew up with Dick Clark and Bandstand.  Dick Clark’s Rockin Eve started on December 31, 1972.  

(It didn’t air on December 31, 1999/January 1, 2000 - remember the Y2K problem!!)

**********

We watched the ball drop at Times Square in New York City on TV.

I’ve visited Times Square several times when we lived in Connecticut.  But - going in on New Year’s Eve was too crazy for me (that was out of my comfort zone by miles and miles.  To control people moving around, groups of people were put into an area (think of a pig or cow pen).  I’m not sure what they did for beverages or for restrooms!!!  And, it was always cold (or at least much cooler than my nice warm house with the furnace on!!! And in my recliner!!!

*****

I sometimes challenged my students to make goals.  (Sometimes, I had them write their own obituaries - about the awards and extraordinary lives they would live).

I also gave a negative example: (think 18 to 22 year old college students)

By age 30, I will live in a cardboard box under a bridge.  I would have a bottle of cheap wine when I can afford it.  I will have been married and divorced three times.  I will be fired from at least four companies. I can’t hold a job.

Then I would challenge them - are these your goals?  Why limit yourself?

*****

So, here I am at 77 years old.  I KNOW I have to have goals - but what should they be?  

I don’t really want to work at a 40 hour a week job.  Financially, I’m happy, but additional income might be nice.  

How do I becoma a “life coach / mentor”.  I’ve written two books on mentoring (on Amazon.com) - no, I didn’t sell many.  “Bring it on: Coaching and Mentoring for College Students”, and “Rebooting: Creating the Career you want”.  Can I help people see themselves as successful?  (And, get some payment?)

Last year, I pet sat five times (one dog-sitting, and four-cat sitting).  I could have done that for free.  

For the past three years, I was a caregiver at a local retirement community.  First in the Independent Living Area; then in Assisted Living/Memory Care; and finally in the Skilled Nursing Home.  My care receiver died on Christmas Eve.  Do I want to do that again?

And, highest in my thoughts is being a LOVE WINS evangelist.  How do I tell people to stop hating and judging and to make love for ALL people a priority?  

Is that a “job”?  Is that an occupation?  How do I do that?  

*****

I’m not sure this is a goal - but let me write about it.  I was married 45 years.  I liked the comfort of a shared relationship.  Last year I tried a dating website (and got scammed three times).  This year I’m trying another dating website.  Do I pursue this?  I know many friends who have gone this way.  I have to stop being “wishy-washy” on the topic.  Go for the Gusto, Karen!!!

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, January 5, 2025

SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 2025 - MOTIVATION

 SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 2025 - INSPIRATION

It is the New Year.  I liked these two stories:

(From: https://alltimeshortstories.com/5-inspirational-short-stories/)

JAPANESE FRESH FISH

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. However, the waters near Japan have not produced many fish for decades. Therefore, the fishermen had to go further to sea to catch their supply, and the fishing boats got bigger and bigger. The farther the fishermen went to procure fish, the longer it took them to bring the fish in. So, when they reached the market, the fish were no longer fresh.

To solve this problem, fishermen installed freezers on their boats and froze the caught fish. This helped preserve the fish for longer, but the freshness, as the Japanese desired, could not be retained. As a result, the price of frozen fish started going down.

Then, the worried fishermen installed fish tanks. They would catch fish and keep them in the tanks, fin to fin. The fishes would thrash around a little but stopped moving afterward. They were not dead, only tired and dull. Unfortunately, dull and sluggish fish did not taste fresh.

So, how did the Japanese fishermen solve the problem? To keep the fish fresh and lively throughout the journey, they added a small shark to their tanks. The shark would eat a few fish, but the remaining ones were lively when they reached the market. The shark challenged the fish and kept them active throughout the journey.

Life gets dull when we live too easily and without challenges. It is the challenges that help us grow and keep us lively. We should consider the problems and challenges as motivators for moving forward in life. Without challenges, we become complacent, life becomes dull and purposeless

*****

Karen adds that sometimes, we face challenges that make us want to quit, but the challenges keep us sharp and functioning.  

I’ve written about getting outside our comfort zones. That’s where we find the challenge and the strength to keep going.

Embrace your challenges - find solutions and new ways of approaching problems.

**********

AND A SECOND STORY

Once a man and his donkey were walking past a desolate path, and suddenly, the donkey fell into a deep hole on the ground. Luckily the donkey was not hurt by the fall and cried for his master’s help.  His master tried hard to get it out, but all of his attempts failed. Envisioning the poor donkey’s death from starvation in the deserted place.  The man decided to give the donkey a less painful death by burying it alive.

The man started pouring soil into the pit with an intention of burying it alive. But as each spadeful of dirt from above hit the donkey, the donkey would shake it off and take a step up on the growing mound of earth. With more soil poured in by the man, the donkey rose higher. Eventually, the mound grew high enough for him to jump out of the pit.

To the man’s amazement, he saw his old donkey jump out of the pit and shake the last of the dirt off its back!

In life, you may be thrown all kinds of dirt on you. But the trick is to shake it off and step up to rise to success. We can get out of the deepest pits not by giving up on problems, but by learning from them. Just shake it off and take a step up.

*****

So, two stories today.  

Recently, Apple has had ads about the benefits of its smartwatch.  It can track running speeds and data and keep us learning and growing physically.  The ad mentioned “Quitter’s Day”  thje second Friday of the new year.   Many New Year’s Resolutions are great - but soon we say “It’s not worth it (to lose weight or exercise)” - but we need to push ourselves to keep going!!

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, January 4, 2025