Something I learned today.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

More than 1.7 million packages are stolen or go missing every day in the United States.

[Cynthia]

Senator Cory Booker and Rosario Dawson broke up.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Janet Yellen's signature is not on our currency yet (Treasury Secretary) because a new treasurer hasn't been chosen yet. "The two signatures must be added to new series of currency in tandem, meaning that the process of adding Ms. Yellen’s signature to the greenback is frozen for the foreseeable future."

So we're stuck with Steve Mnuchin.

[Cynthia]

Stuck indeed. Happy New Year, LG!

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Happy New Year, Cynthia!

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

"When the ball drops in Times Square tonight, Agatha Christie’s mystery “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd”; William Faulkner’s first novel, “Soldiers’ Pay”; Ernest Hemingway’s finest novel, “The Sun Also Rises” and many other books will finally fall into the public domain. Anyone will be free to publish their own editions or adapt the stories however they’d like."

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Today I learned that standing too close to a vaccinated person can give you anal bleeding.

[Jaye]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Today I learned that standing too close to a vaccinated person can give you anal bleeding."

That must have something to do with the "shredded heart" i was told about.

[Phil]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Today I learned that standing too close to a vaccinated person can give you anal bleeding."

That's why The Police sang about it. "Don't stand... Don't stand... Don't stand so close to me...."

Where did you learn that?

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Phil wrote: "Where did you learn that?"

This video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWhZv...

[Cynthia]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Phil wrote: "Where did you learn that?"

This video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWhZv..."

Good Lord Love a DUCK.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Target date funds should be held in tax-deferred accounts, not taxable accounts because of their potential to produce larger than normal capital gains.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Today I learned that Southern Baptists used to be pro-choice, and didn't become anti-choice until 1979.

In 1973, the Southern Baptists' wire service ran an op-ed that supported Roe v. Wade. "“Religious liberty, human equality and justice are advanced by the Supreme Court abortion decision,” read the January 31, 1973, piece..."

In 1979, evangelical leaders were persuaded by activist Paul Weyrich to pick anti-abortion as a cause, not for moral reasons, but because the cause they really wanted to get behind wasn't palatable to the public: protecting segregated schools.

[Cynthia]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Today I learned that Southern Baptists used to be pro-choice, and didn't become anti-choice until 1979.

In 1973, the Southern Baptists' wire service ran an op-ed that supported Roe v. Wade. "“Reli..."

I remember those days. Churches used to transport women across state lines so they could obtain a safe abortion.

[Phil]

Cynthia wrote: "Lobstergirl wrote: "Today I learned that Southern Baptists used to be pro-choice, and didn't become anti-choice until 1979.

In 1973, the Southern Baptists' wire service ran an op-ed that supported..."

Coming soon, to a state near you....

[Sally, la reina]

RandomAnthony wrote: "Today I learned that if I open my yogurt facing away from me I don't squirt it all over my shirt."

I still think of RandomAnthony when I open yogurt. To this day.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

The yogurt problem is solved if you pierce the cover with a knife, releasing the pressure.

[Jaye]

I learned that if something stupid is happening, or someone is giving you a hard time, when you turn and walk away if you say "idiot" quietly to yourself it really helps.
No kidding. Then i move on.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Recent legislation in Texas requires firms to declare that they don’t “discriminate” against the firearm industry — or risk losing lucrative business with the state.

Wyoming just passed a law that allows gun companies to sue banks and other firms that refuse to do business with them.

(What happened to Republicans' love of the free market? Aren't people and businesses allowed to do business or not do business with whomever they want? Apparently not!)

[Alexw]

I learned that Biden stated the US is willing to involve the military to defend Taiwan which is NOT US policy and never has been. Biden is senile and his gaffes put the entire world in danger.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

The fashion industry is responsible for as much as 8 percent of the world’s emissions of planet-warming carbon dioxide, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

"Vegan leather" (it used to be called pleather, and is made from fossil fuels) is hugely popular now in the fashion industry because people are against killing animals just for their skins.

But Americans are still eating lots and lots of beef, and many of the hides from the slaughtered cattle, instead of going into our fashions, are ending up in landfills. In 2020, a record 5 million hides, or about 15 percent of all available, went into landfills.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

The Dept. of Agriculture estimates that Americans dump $161 BILLION worth of food into landfills every year.

[Phil]

Today I learned that all of the nice tools I kept in my shop, and which I packed carefully for our move, somehow missed out on the move & are now gone. Time to go shopping.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Where did you move to? Also, aren't movers liable if they lose your stuff?

[Phil]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Where did you move to? Also, aren't movers liable if they lose your stuff?"

No movers, just me and a couple of friends. We sold or donated most of our furniture & started over in the new house. I've been wondering if maybe I accidentally stuck that box on the back of a donation load, or if someone who came to pick up stuff from my shop got an extra box.

[Phil]

Oh -- we moved 12 miles northwest, across town.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

One of your friends lifted them. You should make sure all your jewelry is accounted for....

Are you upsizing or downsizing? Does the new house have a pool?

[Phil]

Lobstergirl wrote: "One of your friends lifted them. You should make sure all your jewelry is accounted for....

Are you upsizing or downsizing? Does the new house have a pool?"

Downsizing. We were 1/2 acre with 4000 sqft house, 1500 sqft shop, and a pool. Now we are 2500 sqft with no shop, no pool. So much less maintenance and worry!

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Senator Patty Murray (D) is second in line to the presidency, for now. Because there's no Speaker of the House.

[Cynthia]

Oh, wow. Just a mom in tennis shoes.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Today I learned that rubbing alcohol gets tree sap out of your clothes. Or gloves, in my case. Rub in with a toothbrush, then launder in hot water.

[Jaye]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Today I learned that rubbing alcohol gets tree sap out of your clothes. Or gloves, in my case. Rub in with a toothbrush, then launder in hot water."

This is very good to know ! Thanks.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

A study found that in a controlled setting, mosquitoes landed on people with Type O blood nearly twice as often as those with Type A. People with Type B blood fell somewhere in the middle.

This might explain why mosquitoes go bonkers for me....

[Phil]

Lobstergirl wrote: "A study found that in a controlled setting, mosquitoes landed on people with Type O blood nearly twice as often as those with Type A. People with Type B blood fell somewhere in the middle.

This mi..."

So you have blood type "O shit, mosquitoes!"
.
Mine is AB+ and those fuckers usually attack others first. But the deer flies absolutely love my legs.

[Cynthia]

Today, my friend Jana and I met at our local independent book store, Dog-Eared Books.
Jana and her partner have been working in Amsterdam for the past six years. She teaches stuff about gender and sex.
Jana told me that in Amsterdam, folks not only get decent health care, but disabled folks can interact with sex workers for free. I think that is wonderful. Sometimes, the disabled people simply want to be held, or be cuddled.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Wow.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

In 1850 the reported infant morality rate was:

White babies: 217 per 1,000
Black babies: 340 per 1,000

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Today the infant mortality rate is:

White babies: 4.9 per 1,000
Black babies: 11.3 per 1,000

The racial discrepancy is actually larger today than in 1850.

[Cynthia]

Iowa continues to have more hogs than human.

in 2022, we have 23.8 million hogs in Iowa. This is up 16 percent over 2017.

According to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, Iowa is down 1,000 hog farms since 2017. Farmers in Iowa are getting older and more rare, and hog operations are getting bigger, often owned by out-of-state businesses.

[Cynthia]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Today the infant mortality rate is:

White babies: 4.9 per 1,000
Black babies: 11.3 per 1,000

The racial discrepancy is actually larger today than in 1850."

In Iowa, the number of hospitals with birthing centers has dropped significantly, especially in our rural counties. Iowa Republicans don't care.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Who said it?

"[America's] greatest danger is not from invasion by foreign armies. Our dangers are that we may commit suicide from within by complaisance with evil, or by public tolerance of scandalous behavior, or by cynical acceptance of dishonor."

(view spoiler)[Herbert Hoover. (hide spoiler)]

[Cynthia]

Hoover was president at a very challenging time. West Branch, Iowa is home to his presidential library. I visited there years ago, need to go back and check it out.
Thanks for the history lesson.

[Phil]

Cynthia wrote: "Hoover was president at a very challenging time. West Branch, Iowa is home to his presidential library. I visited there years ago, need to go back and check it out.
Thanks for the history lesson."

I lived on campus while attending San Jose State University from 1981 to1985. I'm that rare bird who lived four years in a dormitory. The building I was in was named for Lou Henry Hoover, wife of Herbert Hoover.

I learned today that Hoover Hall at SJSU was demolished in 2016.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

My neighbor told me that his cat was going in for a teeth cleaning this week. The cat has to be completely anesthetized, so the home vet had to come to their house to take a blood sample to make sure the cat was healthy enough to get the anesthesia.

Seems like way too much effort (and money) for a dentist visit.

Then my other neighbor told me his dog is going in for a knee replacement this week - the second knee the dog has had replaced.

[Cynthia]

Anesthesia can be awfully hard on an older cat. My vet only did teeth cleaning/extraction in severe cases.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Today I learned it's traditional to paint your front door red when your mortgage is paid off.

[Cynthia]

Fascinating! Is this regional? Cultural?

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Cynthia wrote: "Fascinating! Is this regional? Cultural?"

I have no idea! I read an article about designers' recommendations for door colors and several people said this in the comments.

Signs point to this originating in Scotland.

[Cynthia]

Thanks, LG.