LAUGH FOR THE DAY - MAXINE'S IDEA OF A PERFECT REFRIGERATOR

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - THE TWO ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE

LAUGH FOR THE DAY - THE CAMPING TRIP WITH THE TROOPS

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - AMERICA

LAUGH FOR THE DAY - OWNERSHIP

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - WHERE ARE YOU AIMING?

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY LEAVES CHANGE COLOR!

Dear Readers:

Came across this article on the Farmers Almanac website about why leaves change color.  Below is an excerpt from that article, with a link provided to the complete article.  If you have school age children, this might make an interesting article for them to read.

 

Ever wonder why leaves change color in the fall? Or when exactly they change and how the process occurs? Let’s take a close-up look at fall leaves!

Why do Leaves Change Color?

First of all, not all leaves turn vivid colors in the fall. Only a few of our many species of deciduous trees—notably maple, aspen, oak, and gum—produce stellar performances for our annual autumn spectacular in North America. 

Several factors contribute to fall color (temperature, precipitation, soil moisture), but the main agent is light, or actually the lack of it. 

The amount of daylight relates to the timing of the autumnal equinox. 

As the autumn days grow shorter, the reduced light triggers chemical changes in deciduous plants causing a corky wall to form between the twig and the leaf stalk. 

This corky wall, or “abscission layer,” eventually causes the leaf to drop off in the breeze. As the corky cells multiply, they seal off the vessels that supply the leaf with nutrients and water and also block the exit vessels, trapping simple sugars in the leaves. The combination of reduced light, lack of nutrients, and no water add up to the death of the pigment chlorophyll, the “green” in leaves.

Once the green is gone, two other pigments show their bright faces. These pigments, carotene (yellow) and anthocyanin (red), exist in the leaf all summer but are masked by the chlorophyll. (The browns in autumn leaves are the result of tannin, a chemical that exists in many leaves, especially oaks.) 

Sugar trapped in autumn leaves by the abscission layer is largely responsible for the vivid color. Some additional anthocyanins are also manufactured by sunlight acting on the trapped sugar. This is why the foliage is so sparkling after several bright fall days and more pastel during rainy spells.

To read the rest of the article and find out what brings the best fall foliage and where, click HERE

FOOD SAFETY NEWS - Traceback and packaging questions raised over Cargill’s ground beef recall

 

By Dan Flynn on September 27, 2018

A week after Cargill Meat Solutions recall of 66 tons of ground beef, some concerns remain. Experts at Consumer Reports suggest tossing out any ground beef in your freezer purchased between June 21 and July 11 of this year “out of an abundance of caution.” 

And a top food safety advocate in Congress, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-CT, is demanding more information from the USDA about the associated outbreak of E. coli O26, which has caused 18 illnesses and one death. 

The recalled meat, produced at Cargill’s Fort Morgan, CO, facility, was sold nationally at retail outlets during the summer. None is currently being sold, but there’s concern some of the ground beef was likely purchased for future use and remains stored in both home and commercial freezers.

In a Sept. 26 letter to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, DeLauro demanded more information on the recall and outbreak investigation. 

“I write today out of concern regarding the USDA’s investigation into the ongoing multistate outbreak of Escherichia coli O26, which has been linked to ground beef,” DeLauro wrote. “According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the agency was notified of an investigation of E. coli O26 illnesses on Aug. 16, 2018. 

“However, it was not until Aug. 30, 2018, that the first recall related to this outbreak was initiated by Publix Super Markets Inc.,” continued DeLauro. “At that time, according to FSIS, the source of the outbreak was ‘yet-to-be-determined.’ Then, twenty days later on Sept. 19, 2018, 132,606 pounds of ground beef products from Cargill, the apparent source of the outbreak, were finally recalled. In total, it was more than 35 days from when FSIS first learned of the outbreak when the traceback investigation was able to identify the source. Such a timeline is simply unacceptable and unnecessarily jeopardizes public health.” 

In the letter, DeLauro tells Perdue that “prolonged traceback investigations are not just risks to consumer safety.” She cites USDA’s Economic Research Service’s work showing the negative consequences of food illness outbreaks and recalls in the food and agriculture business sectors. 

DeLauro asked Perdue to respond to her questions about the timeline. She wants to know what FSIS knew by specific dates as the traceback investigation continued, such as when did the agency become aware the Publix Super Markets recalls involved Cargill. 

Cargill’s Sept. 20 recall notice includes a product list of the specific brands and labels for consumers to use in checking their home or rental freezers. However, Consumer Reports (CR) issued its broader warning because some bulk purchasers likely repackaged the ground beef into units, not on the recall list. 

“E coli O26 is quite serious, ” said James E. Rogers, CR’s director of food safety testing and research. “You don’t want to risk your health, or your family’s.” CR’s recommends tossing any ground beef stored in a freezer that was purchased between June 21 and July 11. 

“If the meat has been repackaged, the brands and codes provided on the FSIS list so far won’t help consumers figure out if their purchase was part of this ground beef recall,” Rogers said. “This combined with the fact that people may take meat out of its packaging and wrap it themselves before they freeze it means many consumers may have no way of knowing if they purchased affected Cargill beef, or know the use-by date that was on the original package.”   

Food Safety News previously published the entire recall list here. 

The FSIS also warns that some recalled Cargill beef could be in people’s freezers and if so, it should be thrown out and not consumed. 

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, the recalled Cargill beef is associated with a four-state outbreak of E. coli O26 involving 18 illnesses and one death. In a Sept. 20 Food Safety Alert, the CDC said the multistate incident is probably over. Fifteen of the illnesses and the death were in Florida. Colorado, Tennessee, and Massachusetts each reported one O26 case.

FSIS has released a list of retail outlets that sold the Cargill beef.

AMERICAN HISTORY MOMENT - THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER AS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD IT!

SMILE FOR THE DAY - OUT OF A CHILD'S MOUTH - THE TRUTH

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - WHICH ROAD?

DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT BLUEBERRIES?

Musical Memories for this evening - DON'T FORSAKE ME O'MY DARLING - FROM THE PICTURE HIGH NOON

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High Noon is a 1952 American Western film produced by Stanley Kramer from a screenplay by Carl Foreman, directed by Fred Zinnemann, and starring Gary Cooper. The plot, depicted in real time, centers around a town marshal who is torn between his sense of duty and love for his new bride and who must face a gang of killers alone. 

Though mired in controversy with political overtones at the time of its release, the film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won four (Actor, Editing, Music-Score, and Music-Song) as well as four Golden Globe Awards (Actor, Supporting Actress, Score, and Cinematography-Black and White). The award-winning score was written by Russian-born composer Dimitri Tiomkin. The song was sung by Frankie Laine.  

SMILE FOR THE DAY - A CHILD'S SIMPLE PRAYER

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DEMOCRACY AND A REPUBLIC

WHO DIED FOR YOU?

LAUGH FOR THE DAY - THE "KISS"

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - COURAGE

SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH

LAUGH FOR THE DAY - SILVER LINING

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - WHAT IF...

CELEBRATING AUTUMN!

SMIRK FOR THE DAY - THE “L” IS FOR LOOPHOLE”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - EDUCATION

LAUGH FOR THE DAY - SECURITY CHECK

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - CHILDREN EARS & EYES

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - WHEN THE DEBATE IS LOST...

SMILE FOR THE DAY - A TRUE FRIEND

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - THE TREE OR THE SHADOW?

ARTICLE - "THE 3 BEST BREAST CANCER PREVENTION TIPS FOR WOMEN AT ANY AGE

The 3 Best Breast Cancer Prevention Tips for Women at Any Age

by Dr. Veronique Desaulniers

From The Truth About Cancer website

Below is an excerpt from the article.  To read the article in its entirety, which will explain each bulleted point, click on the link below:

https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/breast-cancer-prevention-tips/?utm_campaign=&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=fb-ttac&utm_content=breast-cancer-prevention-tips 

ARTICLE SUMMARY:

• 85% of all breast cancer cases are caused by factors other than heredity, such as environmental toxins, bad eating habits, and stress.
• We all know that our bodies change as we get older. What might work for a 30 year old might not for a 60-year-old. Here are the top three breast cancer prevention tips you can follow to reduce your risk of breast cancer during each of your milestone decades.
• In your 30s:
  
  1. Get Into Healthy Habits
  2. Reduce the toxins around you
  3. Think twice about oral contraceptives
• In your 40s & 50s:
  
  1. Check your hormone levels
  2. Reduce stress
  3. Practice very early prevention
• In your 60s and beyond:
  
  1. Keep active! Retirement doesn’t have to mean being a couch potato
  2. Rethink calcium supplementation
  3. Practice emotional health

LAUGH FOR THE DAY - THE SUBJECT OF CATS

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - WISE WORDS OF MARK TWAIN

LAUGH FOR THE DAY - RUDE AWAKENINGS

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - FAILURE AND SUCCESS

ARTICLE - "YOUR SHOWER CAN BE SPOTLESS"

Dear Readers:

I use this handy household tip and it really works!

Mix Dish Soap with Just One Other Ingredient and Your Shower Will Be Spotless

Article from TIP HERO website

http://tiphero.com/2-ingredient-shower-cleaner/?ref=wn

The shower is a difficult place to clean. Mostly because it continues to get grimy no matter what you do. Oftentimes, we’ll let soap scum and other shower stains sit and sit, whether it’s because of a lack of time or a lack of drive to clean! Whatever the reason, shower stains that linger are very difficult to get out. Well, don’t worry about the shape of your shower, because the Queen of Clean has a brilliant shower cleaner that will work on any tough shower stains! 

This miracle cleaner only requires two ingredients, both of which are easy to come by – you probably have them under your kitchen sink right now! But when these two cleaning products are mixed together, they create a super-cleaning product that will make your shower sparkle like new.

Whether you have tile, fiberglass, or faux marble in your shower, this DIY cleaning product can get the job done. Here’s what you’ll need to get on your way to a gloriously clean shower:

Materials

• 1 cup Dawn dishwasher soap
• 1 cup heated vinegar
• Funnel
• Spray bottle
• Sponge

Instructions

1. Heat up your vinegar in the microwave or on the stove; it should only be warm to the touch, not scalding hot.
2. Use a funnel to get both ingredients into your spray bottle.
3. Roll the spray bottle around to combine the two ingredients.
4. To use, spray a heavy coat of the mixture onto your shower wall. Use the scrubbing side of a sponge to gently rub the mixture in.
5. Leave this spray to sit on your shower walls for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, wash each wall one at a time with cold water.

If you’re going to wash your shower floor, too (which might not be a bad idea), make sure you clean this part last. The reason why is pretty straight forward: this is a soap mixture, which means the ground is going to get slippery. And we don’t want you to slip and fall in the shower!

When making your miracle shower cleaner, make sure of two things:

1. The vinegar should not be too hot when you’re heating it up! You don’t want it to be boiling or even get too hot that you can’t comfortably put a finger in the liquid. You’re simply heating it up.
2. Do not shake the bottle to combine the two ingredients. Shaking the bottle will cause suds (remember, there’s dish soap in there) which is what we DO NOT want. Just roll the bottle in your hands to combine the mixture.

If you’ve been struggling to find the perfect thing to rid your shower of soap scum or hard water stains, give this easy miracle mixture a try.

This is such a simple, inexpensive way to get your shower seriously clean! And believe us, after letting this miracle cleaner soak on your shower walls, your shower WILL be seriously clean.

LAUGH FOR THE DAY - WE ALL HAVE ONE - "THE MESSAGE TAKER"

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - ADVICE ON LENDING YOUR CAR

ARTICLE - "14 UNEXPECTED ITEMS THAT CONTAIN TOXINS LIKE BPA"

14 Hidden Sources of Toxins in Plastics That You’re Exposing Yourself to Every Day

Article from the TIP HERO website

http://tiphero.com/hidden-sources-of-toxins/

 Whether you choose to jump on the plastic-free-lifestyle bandwagon or not, you’re probably coming into contact with BPA and other toxic chemicals on a daily basis in places that might surprise you.

Wondering just what BPA is exactly? It stands for “bisphenol A” which is a chemical commonly used in plastic and other products. It has been reported to be an endocrine disruptor and possibly also raise blood pressure. It can cause such problems as infertility, low sperm count, early puberty, asthma and even breast cancer.

BPA has been shown to transfer to food and drinks that are stored in products that contain this chemical. While you may already be avoiding plastic food containers and plastic water bottles, there are many more products that contain BPA.

1.    Canned Goods

BPA is often used in the lining of canned food. It may be present in very high amounts due to the high heat involved in the sterilization process. The best idea is to skip canned food altogether and choose fresh or frozen food instead.

2.    Receipts

Any receipt printed on thermal paper may be lined with BPA. If a receipt contains BPA and it’s recycled with other paper products, it can contaminate those paper products as well. The safest choice is to skip the receipt.

3.    Coffee Pots

BPA can be found in many coffee pots, and this is of particular concern because of the high heat involved since heat can make the problem of BPA leaching into food and drinks even worse.

4.    Soda Cans

Many soda cans have BPA in the lining. This is just one more reason to stop drinking soda.

5.    Paper Cups

We don’t often think of paper as a source of BPA. Many plastic cups are lined with BPA, but many paper cups are too. It’s always a better option to drink out of a reusable mug.

6.    CDs and DVDs

Although a small source of BPA, this is a good reason to ditch the CD or DVD library for digital versions.

7.    Dental Sealants

 If your dentist recommends sealants, be sure to ask for BPA-free ones.  

8.    Toothbrushes

Many toothbrushes are plastic. Be sure to choose one that’s BPA-free.

9.    Toothpaste Tubes

Toothpaste often comes in a plastic tube, and these tubes may contain BPA as well which can leach into the toothpaste inside.

10. Baby Formula

Powdered baby formula often comes in cans that may contain BPA in the lining. If breastfeeding isn’t an option, look for baby formula that’s not packaged in a can.

11. Plastic wrap

It’s always a better idea to use parchment paper or a reusable container with a lid that doesn’t contain BPA, like a glass or metal container. We love mason jars.

12. Egg Cartons

Skip eggs packaged in polystyrene containers and buy the ones in cardboard cartons instead.

13. Carryout Containers at Restaurants

The plastic or polystyrene containers many restaurants use for you to bring home your leftovers may contain BPA. It’s a good idea to bring your own reusable glass or metal container if you think you’re going to want to bring home leftovers.

14. Plastic Toys

We know babies and young children put everything in their mouths including their toys. The plastic used to make many kids’ toys may contain BPA, so it’s better to buy toys made out of wood, cloth and other non-plastic materials.

While this is not an exhaustive list, we hope it helps you see the variety of products that have hidden toxins inside. Which item on this list did you find the most surprising?

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