Category: More Topics

Diagnosis: Diabetes

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Diagnosis: Diabetes

A diagnosis of diabetes can be a scary thing, but with life-style changes the condition can be improved, or even reversed. Patients do not need to face years of fear, guilt, and drugs.

Diabetes is a scary diagnosis. Make some life style changes and change the prognosis.

Diagnosis: Diabetes

By D.S. Mitchell

A Public Health Emergency

One in ten Americans is living with Type 2 diabetes; that’s approximately 38 millions people. Some might call that a public health emergency. With diabetes comes other life altering diseases; cardio-vascular disease, kidney failure (dialysis), stroke, neuropathy, blindness, and lower limb amputation.

Medical Treatment

Many diagnosed diabetics are on high doses of injectable insulin and multiple oral anti-diabetic medications. Insulin is a hormone that transports sugar out of the blood and into the body’s cells. With diabetes the body can’t manufacture the hormone (Type 1-sometimes called childhood diabetes) or the more common Type 2 diabetes, where the body becomes resistant to insulin’s effects. In both cases, insulin injections are the standard fallback treatment.

Change Your Tactics

It doesn’t have to be this way. Instead of accepting the “inevitable” some patients decide to implement strategic behavioral tactics that have shown to improve the condition and even reverse it. Said more simply, if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, you can turn it around. What follows are seven behaviors that can make a difference in your life and your battle with diabetes.

  1. Lose Weight: Do not under estimate the impact of gaining, (or losing), even a few pounds. The physiology of diabetes causes the body to ineffectively regulate blood sugar levels because at the heart of diabetes is “insulin resistance.” With insulin resistance the pancreas is forced to manufacture more and more insulin in an effort to transport sugar from the blood to the cells. What is often misunderstood is that insulin whether manufactured in the body or taken as a medication promotes fat storage and weight gain. It becomes a vicious circle, gain a few pounds and the weight gain will force the body to produce more insulin which in turn causes more weight gain-and so it goes. The good news, however, is that even a 10% weight loss can improve insulin sensitivity by 60%.
  2. Keep Up Your Fluid Intake: Hydration is a pretty big deal, don’t ignore it. With dehydration comes a concentration of sugar in the blood.  Studies show that patients who drink less than a half liter of water per day increased their risk of elevated blood sugar compared with those who drank more. Water, milk, herbal tea all work. Caution for coffee lovers; caffeine is dehydrating, limit the intake to a maximum of three cups per day.
  3. Stay Vaccinated: Many believe that COVID is behind us. Well, for folks with immune suppression, over the age of sixty, obesity, and diabetes the threat remains serious. In fact, studies indicate that COVID damages the pancreas and causes system wide inflammation, which in turn increases insulin resistance. New studies link COVID to new cases of diabetes. If you are in one of the high risk groups get vaccinated and stay boosted. Vaccinations lead to milder cases of the disease which should indirectly result in decreased COVID impact on pre-existing diabetics.
  4. Increase Protein Intake: Protein at every meal, not just dinner. Protein maintains muscle and contributes to blood sugar regulation. Fill your plate with fish, white meat chicken, lean cuts of beef and plant based protein sources such as beans, nuts, quinoa.
  5. Bite-sized Bits of Activity: “Exercise snacking” means spreading short bursts of activity throughout the day. A fifteen minute walk, two or three times per day, may do more to help control blood sugar than one long workout. Remember the 10,000 steps recommendation? In that study there was a link between exercise and improved diabetes control. The goal is to mix various types of exercise. Schedule exercise periods for yourself each day. You might start the day with a fifteen minutes block of strength training, using weights, resistance bands and body-weight moves. Mid-morning do fifteen minutes of aerobic activity such as fast walking, swimming, jogging, or tennis. After lunch try fifteen minutes of stretching which improves joint flexibility, balance, and reduces chances of injury.
  6. Read Labels: Do not focus on sugars, but rather read labels for the “Total Carbohydrate.” This term incorporates both naturally occurring sugars and those added. Women should aim for 30-45 grams of total carbs per meal, and men 60 to 75. A typical reaction after hearing a diabetes diagnosis is to eliminate sugar and carbs. Such behavior can result in nutritional deficiencies, fatigue, and dangerously low blood sugars. Consider talking to a Registered Dietitian and setting up a realistic eating plan. Many insurance plans pay for such training. Ignorance is not helpful, your quality of life depends on understanding how you can best help yourself.
  7. Finally: Losing weight, changing eating patterns, and exercising, are things that a newly diagnosed diabetic, or a long time diagnosed diabetic can do to reverse the disease. However, even with all those interventions, there may still be times when insulin and other diabetic medications have a role to play. Pregnancy is such a situation. Pregnancy frequently elevates the expectant mom’s typical blood sugars, just proving insulin has a secure place in the treatment of diabetes.

 

Russian Dissidents Keep Dying

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Russian Dissidents Keep Dying

Putin Critics Keep Dying

A String of Violent Deaths Follow Putin and Associates

 

By D.S. Mitchell

 

Complete Control 

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s opponents continue to disappear in a pattern of bizarre and sudden deaths. Many of those that have opposed Vladimir Putin during his near 25 years in power have met violent deaths. Alexei Navalny, a striden critic of Putin is his most recent presumed victim. Navalny supporters and many foreign leaders categorically state Navalny’s death was murder. There is no doubt that Navalny was a prisoner under the complete control of the Kremlin. We all know he was banished to a prison camp in the Arctic Circle, where it is known he was regularly thrown in isolation, exposed to the winter elements, beaten, and starved.

Shootings, Exotic Poisonings, and Plane Crashes

The number of Russian dissidents dying is growing. All are suspected victims of Putin and his Kremlin killers. The means of execution has varied; shootings, exotic poisonings, and quite theatrically a plane brought crashing to earth. Many of these deaths are still listed as accidents and suicides. The real question is, how many of his enemies has Putin actually killed; the answer to that question, will  probably never be known.

Alexander Litvinenko

Alexander Litvinenko, was an officer of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and and an outspoken
critic of Vladimir Putin. The FSB is a Russian internal security and counterintelligence service that was created in 1994 as a successor to the old Soviet-era KGB. The FSB is responsible for counterintelligence, antiterrorism, and surveillance of the military. Litvinenko fled Russia in 2000 with his family and sought asylum in London.
Soviet Era Poisons

In 2006, Litvinenko died of polonium-210 poisoning in a London hospital. His killers, were accused of spiking his tea with the deadly radioactive isotope. Before his death, Andrey Litvinenko told reporters that the FSB security service was still operating poison laboratories dating from the Soviet era. The accused killers, Andrey Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun had links to the intelligence services. Despite strong evidence against Lugovoy and Kovtun; Russia refused to extradite them for trial.

Justice Delayed

In September 2021, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Russia was responsible for the assassination of Litvinenko and ordered Russia to pay Litvinenko’s wife €100,000 in damages plus €22,500 in costs. The ECHR found beyond reasonable doubt that Lugovoy and Kovtun killed Litvinenko and that Putin probably ordered the assassination.

Natalya (Natasha) Estemirova

Natalya (Natasha) Estemirova, was a human rights defender in Chechnya, documenting kidnapping, murder, rape and other atrocities. On July 15, 2000 she and a close friend were abducted and murdered. Putin has long been associated with her and her friend’s death. 

Yuri Shchekochikhin

Schekochikhin was Deputy Editor of the free newspaper Novaya Gazeta. Schekochikhim was also a writer, a State Duma deputy and a member of the Commission against Corruption. On 3 July 2003, Yuri Shchekochikhin died 12 days after being hospitalized in a Moscow clinic, at the age of 53, of what doctors said was an “acute allergic reaction.”

Sergei Skripal

In 2018, at least a dozen people in the small town of Salisbury, England, were sickened and one died when inadvertently exposed to the nerve agent, Novichok.  Authorities believe it was caused when two agents from the Russian GRU military intelligence agency carelessly handled the toxin causing it to be left on surfaces in their hotel room, a taxi cab, a pub booth, and on an air plane seat. The apparent target of the assassination attempt was, Sergei Skripal.

Doorknob Tampering

Skripal had been convicted in Russia of treason. Skripal was a double agent who worked with UK intelligence for multiple years and whose release to the west came in a prisoner exchange. Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were nearly killed when they came in contact with the neurotoxin Novichok which had been smeared on the doorknob of their home in Salisbury. The two Skripals spent many weeks recovering in hospital, but survived. Relations between the Kremlin and the UK were severely damaged by the Skripal attack and murders of several high profile Russians living in exile.

Yevgeny Prigozhin

Known as “Putin’s Chef,” Yevgeny Prigozhin caught the attention of the world in June 2023 when his Wagner paramilitary group, in what appeared to be open mutiny, left the front lines of the battle in Ukraine and headed in military procession toward Moscow. Prigozhin was outraged at Kremlin officials, whom he believed were endangering his troops with errant missile attacks. On the way to Moscow Prigozhin’s mercenaries seized the city of Rosrov at which point the march to Moscow was halted and negotiations for a truce started.

A Deadly Truce

Prigozhin appeared to have negotiated a truce with the Kremlin, agreeing to evacuate his Wagner troops to Belarus and to focus the group’s activities outside Ukraine. In August 2023 he was in Moscow to finalize the details of the agreement. After leaving the meeting, somewhere north of Moscow, he and several of his top aides were killed when an explosion aboard his Embraer Legacy 600 business jet sent the plane spiraling to the ground, killing all on board. Soon after, Putin signed a decree forcing Prigozhin’s Wagner troops to swear an oath to him and Russia’s national flag.

Boris Nemtsov  

Boris Nemtsov, a major domestic rival of Putin, died in 2015 right before an opposition rally. Nemtsov was shot in the back of the head four times within blocks of the Kremlin on his way to the rally. Nemtsov was a vocal opposition leader who had served as Deputy Prime Minister under Boris Yeltsin and was seen as a potential successor. A joint investigation by the BBC and the Insider uncovered that Nemtsov had been followed by FBS agents for over a year prior to his murder. The investigation revealed that the agents shadowing Nemtsov were suspected of poisoning several Kremlin critics. Five men of Chechen origin were arrested over the attack, but those close to Nemtsov believed that Putin had given the order.

Anna Politkovskaya

Anna Politkovskaya was one of Russia’s most prominent journalists before her death. The Novaya Gazeta (now Novaya Gazeta Europe) reporter was loudly critical of Putin and Chechen leader, Ramzan Kadyrov. The journalist and human rights activist, was gunned down in the elevator of her Moscow apartment building in 2006. She regularly criticized the Kremlin, particularly regarding policies related to Chechnya. A probe into her death failed to determine who killed her. Her brazen murder had a chilling effect on Russia’s media, causing many free newspapers, including the Gazeta, to flee Russia and publish from outside the country. Putin called for her killer(s) to be arrested, but slammed Politkovskaya herself as contributing “very little” to Russian life.

Boris Berezovsky and Friends

Even rich oligarchs haven’t been safe from Putin’s wrath. It seems multiple Russian executives have died under mysterious circumstances, including suspicious suicides and unexplained falls from tall buildings. Boris Berezovsky was a Kremlin insider turned strident Putin critic who had gone into self-imposed exile in the UK in the early 2000s. In 2013, Berezovsky was found hanged in the bathroom of his Ascot residence. The case remains officially a suicide. An associate of Berezovsky, Nikolai Glushkov another Putin critic was found suffocated in his London home. Georgian billionaire and political opponent of Putin, Badri Patarkatsishvili, was found dead under suspicious circumstances in his Surry, Uk home where he too was living in exile. Further, on Jan 11, 2007 — A founding father of the one-time Yukos oil empire, Yury Golubev, was found dead in his London apartment.

Opposition to Ukraine Invasion

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The Rise of Depression in the United States

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The Rise of Depression in the U.S.

The Rise of Depression in the U.S.

Depression and divorce are up in the United States 

By Jones William 

Depression Affects All Ages

Depression is a mental health disorder and it’s increasing in the United States. Depression doesn’t just affect the brain, the disorder also has physical and emotional effects. Anyone can be affected, children, adolescents, and adults. Despite being one of the most advanced countries in the world, an estimated 30%  of Americans are currently suffering from depression. When compared to 2015 data, this is an increase of 10%; making it the highest rate of depression ever recorded for Americans. A third of American women are victims of depression, that’s about twice as many as men.  Furthermore, individuals aged 18-35 record are subject to higher rates of depression than other age groups.

Factors Contributing to Increasing Prevalence of Depression

Economic Hardship in America: The middle class in the United States has been steadily shrinking since Ronald Reagan. The promise of a better life than that of your parents had is gone. Many “middle-class” people are maintaining the middle class life style by high credit card debt, and home equity loans. Facing disappointing realities, and suffering from financial stress, depression becomes the order of the day.

Poor community ties and shattered relationships: In the last twenty years  church fellowship and neighborhood activities have dramatically decreased. The COVID-19 pandemic has isolated Americans from their support system. We rarely even say hello to our neighbors. Divorce rates have skyrocketed. As those  human networks disintegrate we as a society are experiencing an increased isolating technology boom. This technology boom, including the use of social media, decreases face-to-face interactions. It is difficult to experience healthy relationships, and normal communication when all interaction between individuals are at a distance or on line. As a result, a sense of belonging, the meaning and purpose of life, and familiar human support systems are lost.

Expectations of Americans are too high: Some experts believe that despite mental health communities and schools having good intentions; promoting unrealistic self-positive expectations can be harmful. Fostering the notion that all Americans “can be anything they want or dream” opens the door, especially for adolescents and young adults, to experience disgrace and disappointment, when the reality of their life fails to match what they had imagined for themselves. Sounds like  a guarantee for misery and depression.

Is it possible to lower depression rates and cases in the U.S.?

The United States government and citizens can do several things at societal levels to curb depression. For instance, meeting the basic needs of citizens and improving their interpersonal relationships and community ties can reduce depression rates and cases.

Nurturing Social Connections: Post pandemic America feels different than pre-COVID America. The current high depression rates are likely to decline as the country moves towards “normalcy” and social networks are revitalized. Since human beings are social beings, social isolation and loneliness can cause mental and physical disorders such as depression, headaches, suicide, anxiety, in addition to many other problems. When people are connected to their country, their community, their friends, and family members, reducing depression is achievable.

Meeting Basic Needs: Increased depression rates from food insecurity and homelessness could be  reduced if our government can find ways to meet its citizen’s basic needs. In colleges and universities, three out of five students have basic needs challenges. They suffer from hunger, homelessness, and lack of affordable healthcare services. There is a direct link between financial stress and depression. Furthermore, individuals suffering from mental illness tend not to seek services because of the expense.

Ensuring Mental Healthcare is Available: Accessing mental healthcare is difficult in many areas of the country. Lack of money and insurance coverage prevents many Americans from getting the needed  mental healthcare services. To make matters worse, in many areas of the United States there are no mental health clinics, practitioners, or hospitals. Government funding for mental health services is sorely lacking and with Medicaid and Affordable Care not being available in many states with Republican governors is a big problem.

Conclusion

Depression is a major health concern in the United States. Men, women, and children can all be victims of mental illness. Depression risks among adolescents and young adults have increased dramatically in recent  decades. The question becomes, will our government ever prioritize the well being of the majority of American citizens over the billionaire class? Until that question can be answered we will live with a patchwork of laws and a failure of services.

Sources

https://www.health.com/depression-rates-higher-than-ever-things-to-change-7501286

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140930132832.htm

https://abc3340.com/news/nation-world/depression-on-the-rise-in-the-us-cdc-says-centers-disease-control-prevention-mental-health

http://www.drrevelmiller.com/2019/09/why-is-depression-so-common-in-the-usa/

Remembering Alexei Navalny

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Remembering Alexei Navalny

Remembering Alexei Navalny

One of Putin’s Fiercest Critics has died according to Russian authorities

 

By D.S. Mitchell

Death Reports

It was February 16th, and I was watching MSNBC when a red news alert banner appeared at the base of the screen. “Alexei Navalny, anti-corruption activist and well-known Putin critic reported dead.” Within moments Joy Reid was sharing the dreadful news that the world’s most famous political prisoner was dead at 47, from “sudden death syndrome.” SDS is a common condition amongst Putin opponents.  The pattern of lethal attacks against Kremlin critics is alarming, ranging from gun shots at close range, falls from buildings, and exotic poisonings.

Tears for Alexei

I started to cry. I never met Alexei Navalny, but for the world to lose a man of such courage and charisma is heartbreaking. Navalny’s wife, Yulia Navalnaya, said in a speech in Munich on Friday that if the reports about her husband’s death are true, Putin and his associates “will be brought to justice.” Yulia, who has primarily remained in the background during Alexei’s years of activism, indicates she will carry on his very public work.

To the End

Navalny has been a thorn in the Putin’s side for over a decade. Navalny was a trained attorney, a well-known blogger and YouTuber, and anti-corruption advocate. Prior to his imprisonment Navalny organized several large protests against Putin and the Kremlin. While in prison, he remained a strident political voice, speaking out against Putin and filing lawsuits against Russia’s terrible prison system.

Underpants Poisoning

Navalny survived multiple poisoning attempts, one in which he claimed his underpants had been loaded with the neuroparalytic, Novichok. To each of the various attempts on his life the Kremlin denied responsibility. In 2020 after a dramatic hospitalization in Berlin, Germany for another Novichok poisoning, Navalny decided despite the danger, he would return to Russia instead of emigrating to some “safe country” in the west.

Last Seen

After returning to Russia he was imprisoned on fraud and extremism charges, all of which Navalny denied. He was serving a 30 year sentence at the time of his death. In December 2023, Navalny’s lawyers said that they had lost contact with him. Three weeks after their complaint he was located in a high-security penal colony above the Arctic Circle. His last public appearance was at a court hearing Thursday, February 15, 2024, during which he was seen joking with the judge, according to a video of the hearing published by a Russian news outlet.

Biden & Blinkin Reactions

Biden praised Navalny’s courage. “He bravely stood up to the corruption, the violence and all the bad things that the Putin government was doing,” Biden said. “In response, Putin had him poisoned, he had him arrested, he had him prosecuted for fabricated crimes, he sentenced him to prison, he held him in isolation … Even in prison he was a powerful voice for the truth.”  Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State said: “His death in a Russian prison and the fixation and fear of one man only underscores the weakness and rot at the heart of the system that Putin has built. Russia is responsible for this.”

Anti-Protest Laws

In many cities across Russia, small groups of Russians braved strict anti-protest laws and laid flowers at makeshift memorials to Navalny. More than 400 people have been  arrested, according to OVD-Info, a Russian rights group that tracks political arrests and offers legal aid. Navalny is survived by his wife Yulia and their two children. In a Valentine’s Day post to his wife, he wrote: “I feel that you are close to me every second and I love you more and more.”

Before and After Moment

Supporters and allies were visibly stunned by the news of his death, and many pointed an accusing finger at Putin. Many of his supporters telling western media it was murder. Mikhail Fishman, a journalist, blinked back tears as he said: “We must learn to live with this news somehow. But we understand the scale of what has happened, that we will mark this as a before-and-after moment.”

 

2024’s Worst New Year’s Resolutions

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2024’s Worst New Year’s Resolutions

Cate has been going through her list of resolutions for 2024. Enjoy the fun.

2024’s Worst New Year’s Resolutions

By Cate Rees-Hessel 

Editor: At the beginning of each year many of us examine our lives and in many cases decide we need to make some changes; thus the New Year’s Resolution List.  So with that said, here are Cate’s 2024’s worst New Year’s Resolutions.  

  1. Resolving AGAIN to lose weight – this is the most common resolution. It lasts until maybe mid-January most of the time. I no longer bother to resolve to do this, I just resolve to eat healthy, stay hydrated, and exercise.
  2. Resolving to join a gym but never visiting there – canceling can be a major hassle.
  3. Resolving to get a permanent eyeliner and lip liner tattoo. Nope. I’ve resolved to get up ten minutes earlier in the morning to line my eyes and  sometimes I  even skip the lip liner.
  4. Resolving to get plastic surgery or Botox in order to appear younger. I instead will embrace the beauty of aging.
  5. Resolving to clean out your closets, ridding yourself of any and all junk. A good idea but overwhelming if you decide to do it all at once – try doing it in smaller sections.
  6. Resolving to never, ever, ever again, drink, soda, alcohol, or expensive coffee beverages. Let’s face it, not going to happen – just remember moderation is the key here.
  7. Resolving to only drink diet soda. Are you aware of the chemicals in those?
  8. Resolving to play the lottery. Don’t gamble on this one – just start a savings account instead.
  9. Resolving to give your boss a piece of your mind – this is the same as resolving to join the unemployment line.
  10. Resolving to be adventurous. Skinny dipping in winter, bungee jumping over a frozen lake, twerking in public – this is called stupidity.
  11. Resolving to accept as many blind dates as you can – this is also called stupidity.
  12. Resolving to drunk text your ex on New Year’s Eve or maybe Valentine’s Day – this is called beyond stupidity.
  13. Resolving to stop reading the labels at the grocery store. Since the majority of boxed, canned, frozen, and even alleged fresh foods are GMO these days, this is not a wise resolution. Preservatives, artificial colors, and the like don’t make for a happy New Year, either.
  14. Resolving to start jogging 5 miles a day. No, just no – start slow and stay safe. Maybe a walk around the block today and two blocks tomorrow.
  15. Resolving to skip COVID vaccine boosters. You will have plenty of time to read the books you are resolving to read while you’re in quarantine, presuming you are not in a hospital on a ventilator. Whatever you do, don’t binge watch the last six seasons of the “The Apprentice” – you are already sick.
  16. Resolving to dance like nobody is watching in front of a window – no, nope, not good-somebody is always watching.
  17. Resolving to give that creepy date a second chance; after all Valentine’s Day comes shortly after New Year’s. I think not – this won’t end well; creeps just get creepier.
  18. Resolving to conquer your fear of heights by taking flying lessons or trying a zip line. My fear is that this too will not end well.
  19. Resolving to invest half of your paycheck in cryptocurrency. You may want to rethink this one, because the last I heard all those hot cryptocurrency guru’s are serving 99 to life.
  20. Resolving to take pickleball lessons, learning to play the tuba, or enrolling in a circus arts course at the community college- think these over before you shell out any money. I think you’d be alright with the pickleball classes, but I’d definitely forget the tuba training and the high wire act.
  21. Resolving to be a do it yourself plumber – once again, this can’t end well.
  22. Resolving to vote Republican. Don’t go there – ever… No, not ever.
  23. Resolving to buy a boxed set of “The Apprentice” on clearance at Walmart and binge watch it. First of all, why would anyone do such a thing and secondly, why are all those lousy old videos still around? Because they’re lousy of course.
  24. Resolving to never again attend a multi-tiered market party no matter the hype, to find out why, see below.

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Christmas Short Story

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SNATCHING SANTA

The age old battle of good vs evil played out at Christmas

SNATCHING SANTA

Editor’s Note: I wrote this short story a couple years ago and have reprinted it on my website every year since. If you haven’t read it, I hope you enjoy it. If you have read it; read it a again. Happy Holidays.

By D. S. Mitchell

It was a small noise that woke Santa. Something out of place in the middle of the night. He lay in the dark, wondering if he’d imagined, or possibly dreamt the sound. Mary Claus slept by his side, her steady breathing the only sound in their darkened bedroom.

“There it was again,” he said under his breath.

This time it seemed to be at the back of the house. It was the sound of feet on gravel, a noise that wouldn’t be noticed during daylight hours, but seemed magnified by the darkness. It was close to 3:00 am. He worried that a sneak thief might be trying to break into his toy shop.

The suddenness of the event shocked him. The front and back door were simultaneously kicked in, and several men rushed through the battered doors into the house. The sound of polished boots on hardwood floors echoed down the halls. Mrs. Claus gasped as they both sat upright. Santa started to get out of bed, but the light came on before his foot hit the floor.

Two men armed with automatic weapons stood in the doorway, blocking any possible escape. The taller of the two men took in the room in a glance before lowering his eyes to the bed. He narrowed his eyes and pointed his weapon directly at Santa.

“What do you want?” Santa demanded.

“Shut up,” was his answer.

The weapon remained on its target and the tall man warmed the trigger with an agitated finger before saying, “Get dressed old man, you’re coming with us.”

Santa could see the shadows of several men moving about the house, the intruders opening closets, drawers, and doors. Mrs. Claus screamed. Santa hushed her with a hug and whispered reassurances.

“I said get your ass out of bed, Chubby.”

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Just A Few Things To Love About America

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Just A Few Things To Love About America

25 things to love about America

Just A Few Things To Love About America

By D. S. Mitchell

I have been on a hair pulling rant for the last 48 hours.  I recognize that. I am taking off my Calamity Politics Editor’s cap, and putting on a ball cap, and getting the hell out of this office. The blogger’s life is a good life, most of the time. Sometimes, however, U.S. politics and political rhetoric can just sap the energy from a person, no matter how earnest their intent.

So, let’s take time, lighten up, smoke one and check out, ‘Just a Few Things To Love about America.’ These strange bits of illumination were partly supplied by Bowers’ and Gottlieb’s amazing book ‘1,000 Things To Love About America.’  Although I have used some of their text,  I have changed the numbering.

 

1.) Monopoly: Life’s lessons on a board.  Stay out of jail, do community service, pay your bills, amass real estate wealth, and collect your rents.  Monopoly has sold more than 200 million games in 37 languages.  It is without a doubt, the most popular board game in the world. It was created in 1934 at the depths of the depression by Charles B. Darrow of Germantown, PA.  He originally marketed his homemade copies of the game at a Philadelphia, PA toy store. In 1935 Parker Brothers bought the game.  We all have our favorite properties, and our favorite pieces.  Monopoly is part of my childhood memories and consumed many rainy afternoons.  The properties are named for locations in Atlantic City.  The fundamental lesson to take from Monopoly, is that the guy with the most money wins.

2) The Indy 500: This mega event held every Memorial Day is probably the most famous and certainly the largest racing extravaganza in the world, entertaining an estimated 400,000 fans each year at the track, and millions more on television. The event, held in Indianapolis, Indiana started in 1911.  Fans watch 33 cars roar around the Indianapolis Speedway for 500 miles to the cheers of enthralled onlookers.

3.) Duct Tape: Ties that bind.  First developed during WWII for heating and air conditioning ducts. It is reported to have quickly gained a following and was used to seal ammunition cases, repair jeeps, weapons and planes.  This super strong, cheap vinyl, fabric-reinforced, pressure-sensitive tape is a staple at my house and most other American households.  I’ve read people join duct tape clubs and make wallets and clothing.  Hmmm.  I’m good, until people start to wear it.

4.) Window Screens: First line of defense against insects. This ultra easy non-polluting system, made of mesh wire stretched over a metal or wooden frame, keeps bugs outside.  What’s amazing is that the rest of the world has yet to embrace this low-tech breakthrough.

5.) Bigfoot: Also known as Sasquatch, the creature roams the rugged back country of the Pacific Northwest.  Reportedly the creatures are big, hairy, humanoid, avoid human contact and smell extremely bad.

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Another, I Saw it on the Internet

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Another, I Saw it on the Internet

Image

I Saw it on the Internet

By D.S. Mitchell

 

Picture Perfect

A philosopher once said, ” A picture is worth a thousand words.” Well, the X prez is a liar, a thief, and a fraud; and here’s pictures to prove it. The man who tried to topple the U.S. government in 2020 is still at it. My question is why do so many MAGA followers believe anything this criminal narcissist says? I can almost understand why politicians like Cruz, Graham, and Hawley, who benefit both financially and politically, continue to cling to Trump’s coattails. What I don’t understand, however, is how so many common sense Americans have been hornswoggled  into believing this fat toad, with his elevator lifts, his mango makeup,  and his self-aggrandizing rhetoric, is working for them. Everything Trump stands for is in sharp contrast to what the average American needs; simple things like, work safety, clean water, safe food and drugs, ethical government, affordable health care, a strong social safety net, equal rights for all. So what is it? What is the hook that keeps the minions swimming with him?

Slurping Kool-Aid

“It’s a cult,”  the commentators are all saying. Whatever it is the folks, those of us who have not been slurping the Kool-Aid need to beat this authoritarian movement into submission. Despite the obvious inequities of the Electoral College process, partisan gerrymandering, and **third party candidates supported by right wing interests, the many can prevail in this battle, but it won’t be easy. I do not want to see young women forced to bear dead or unwanted babies, I do not want the U.S. military shooting U.S. citizens on U.S. streets, I do not want Christian leaders behaving like the ayatollah’s of Iran, I do not want Social Security or Medicare to end, and I most definitely do not want a phony TV huckster playing king at the head of the U.S. government.

Big Country

Talk to people; remind them of the real issues, not the political BS; such as: bodily autonomy, common sense gun control, ethics in government, the social safety net, religious freedom, LGBTQ+ rights, separation of church and state, national health care, housing the unhoused. I could go on. The list is long but we are a big country and our population has significant needs. Truthfully, in a country of 365,000,000 people and the world’s largest GDP the suggestion of “small government” is an outdated and ridiculous idea. When you hear that phrase think, “service for me and not for thee.” What really the Republicans are saying with the ridiculous notion of ‘small government,’ in this day and age, is we’ll pay for my needs and not yours. Everyone has a need, not just the few; and the federal government has a moral obligation to do the most, for the most. with our tax dollars, including collecting those tax dollars from the wealthy not just the poor.

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Keeping Your Pet Food Safe

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Keeping Your Pet Food Safe During the Holidays

Lets talk about food safety for our furry friends

 

Keeping Your Pet Food Safe During the Holidays

 

By D.S. Mitchell

The holidays are coming at us fast. Time for fabulous holiday food like mashed potatoes and gravy, casseroles, turkey, cranberry sauce, and loads of pies and cakes and all manner of sugary treats. Yeah! It’s important to remember that some of your favorite holiday treats may be dangerous if your pet ingests any of them. While overeating may be unhealthy for humans it can prove deadly for a pet. Certain table scraps should never be passed on to your pet. As an example poultry bones can damage a pet’s digestive tract. Fatty foods are difficult to digest and may lead to vomiting and diarrhea. Furthermore, many holiday sweets contain chocolate and other ingredients that are poisonous to pets.

The  American Kennel Club, Safe Food List

  • Sweet potatoes and potatoes (without added ingredients like butter, brown sugar or marshmallows)
  • Apples
  • Turkey meat (without bones or skin)
  • Green beans
  • Plain peas
  • Pumpkin and pure pumpkin puree (without spiced or sugary pie mix)

The American Kennel Club, Unsafe Food List

  • Turkey bones, skin and gravy
  • Stuffing
  • Casseroles
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Creamed peas
  • Chocolate, cookies, pies, and sweets
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Raisins and grapes
  • Onions, scallions, and garlic
  • Ham
  • Yeast dough
  • Fatty foods
  • Foods containing spices

Keep an eye on the garbage

Even aside from the foods on the table, experts recommend careful disposal of the leftovers. An open container or a turkey carcass left out sitting on the table could be deadly for your pet. The American Veterinary Association advises, “Dispose of turkey carcasses, bones, and scraps—and anything used to wrap or tie the meat, such as strings, bags, and packaging—in a covered, tightly secured trash bag placed in a closed trash container outdoors.”

Call the Vet

If you believe your fur-baby has eaten something that could be unsafe you should immediately call your vet, or a veterinary emergency clinic. You also can call the ASPCA Poison Control Center @ 888-426-4435. Happy and safe holiday snacking.