Easy Life Hacks

Did you make a mistake while leaving voicemail? Hit the # (pound or hashtag) button. It allows you to re-record your message. Works on a majority of operating systems.

Good for insurance claims, if you own some expensive things, they probably have some identification number. If so, write it down and save it in a safe place, preferably outside the house. Another idea is to take pictures or videos of the inside of your house, including TV, furniture, jewelry, etc.

If an anyone calls and asks if you have a security system, the answer is always yes. If they are bad guys, you shut them down and if they are sales people you also shut them down.

Pouring sugar on spilled nail polish helps to make it clump for easier cleanup.

Happy Friday

Happiness is a gift to ourselves that is shared with the world.

I love to share my happiness every Happy Friday!

Sunscreen Facts

Summer is due to arrive in the US on June 20, 6:34am EST. This means it is time to slather on some sunscreen - do it early and do it often. The US FDA, which regulates sunscreen, among other stuff too numerous to mention says, any sunscreen that is (Sun Protection Factor) SPF15 or above, and carries the label "broad spectrum," must provide protection both from both UV-A and UV-B light. Any sunscreen SPF14 or below, or that is not labeled "broad spectrum," is primarily only useful for protection from UV-B light and against sunburn only. Other countries have started providing measurements for UV-A protection on their products, but not the US, yet.

Broad spectrum protection blocks both UV-B and UV-A light, which means you reduce your risk of sunburn as well as skin cancer. UV-A light, which has a much longer wavelength and penetrates deeper into the skin can also cause skin cancer.

SPF numbers are a simple metric, if you could stay in the sun for 10 minutes without getting a sunburn, SPF15 sunscreen would increases the length of time you can stay out in the sun by 15, so you should be able to stay in the sun for 150 minutes without getting burned. In addition, a higher SPF should prevent more UV light from affecting your skin.

SPF15 absorbs 93.3 percent of UVB rays, SPF30 absorbs 96.7 percent, and SPF50 absorbs 98%. Anything above 30 is probably not necessary and 50 or more is essentially a waste of money with little additional protection.

There are two basic kinds of sunscreens: physical blockers and chemical blockers. Physical blockers use minerals to deflect the UV rays away from the skin. Chemical blockers absorb and filter the light to prevent its damaging effects.

Sunscreen manufacturers are no longer allowed to claim their products are "waterproof," because none are. They can claim that their sunscreens are water resistant for instance 40 minutes, after which it should be reapplied.

Interesting to note that Australia is the skin cancer capital of the world with two in three getting skin cancer before age 70.

Bottom line, Consumer Reports found 74 percent of the physical blockers they tested failed to match their labeled SPF. For best results, go for broad spectrum SPF 30 to 50.  Unlike politicians, sunscreen is better when you lay it on thick - and often.

DEET Facts

Experts are now saying that it is okay for all pregnant women to use insect repellents that contain DEET.

DEET is the most tested insect repellent available on the market. Concerns over the safety of DEET first emerged during the 1980s after reports of encephalopathy following DEET exposure, particularly in children. However, the role of DEET in either the illness or deaths was and remains purely speculative, says a recent meta-study about the safety of DEET.

A 2015 paper on insect repellent said, “During the 1980s and 1990s there were several reports of encephalopathy following DEET exposure in children. However, risk assessments by both the US Environmental Protection Agency and independent publications, as well as a clinical trial, found no association between encephalopathy and DEET use, and no toxological risk or severe effects except after inappropriate use (ingestion, direct inhalation, or eye exposure).”

The Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences looked into the health effects of DEET, as well, and found that over 40 years of use, from 1961 to 2002, eight DEET-related deaths occurred. Three were of people intentionally drinking it, two were of adults wearing it, and three were of girls under 6 who underwent “heavy” use.

DEET is the safest bug repellent, according to both the CDC and the EPA. It is also one of the few OK for use on babies as young as 2 months, and on pregnant women in their second and third trimesters.

Because people are worried about this type of thing, most bottles of DEET tell you to wash it off after use. This step is to minimize excess exposure.

Picaridin has not been safety-tested nearly as much as DEET, though it may be just as effective. Oil of lemon eucalyptus is most often a synthesized, lab-made compound also known as PMD. According to the CDC, neither type is suitable for use on children younger than 3, because they are severe eye irritants and children that young tend to rub their eyes a lot. PMD is not the same as the “pure” oil of lemon eucalyptus, which is not recommended for use as a repellent as it has not been tested for efficacy.

GPS Alert

The US Federal Aviation Administration has warned that GPS signals could be unavailable or unreliable on June 9, 21, 23, 28, and 30 across the west coast. The signals are most likely to be disturbed primarily around California, surrounding southwestern states. and the northern corner of Mexico. Although the disruptions will be more severe at higher altitudes, the signal could be scrambled as low as 15 meters (50 feet).

The FAA has advised pilots to avoid the areas at the mentioned times and instructed them to closely monitor their flight control systems.

According to the warning, the problem is something to do with “GPS Interference Testing." Other than that, the FAA remains quiet. The center point of the disturbances is the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in the Mojave Desert. This complex is the US Navy’s largest installation, which is dedicated to researching, developing, and testing the majority of their weaponry and armaments.

Hurricanes

The last major hurricane (defined as a Category 3 or above) to hit the U.S. mainland was  Hurricane Wilma, which made landfall in Florida on Oct. 24, 2005.

Although a major hurricane typically strikes the U.S. about once every two years, no major hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S. for more than ten years.



The second longest stretch between major hurricane strikes was between the major hurricane that struck in August 1860 and the one that struck in September 1869, NOAA records show. The third longest stretch was between the major hurricane that struck in September 1900 and one that struck in October 1906.

Regrowing Herbs at Home

For a fun organic money saver, you can grow your own herbs with leftovers. Below are a few favorites.

Mint is an easy-to-grow perennial herb. Snip a stem off the plant so it measures about 2-3 inches lengthwise just below the leaf node (where the leaves begin to grow). Remove the lower leaves for use in your recipe, but leave a few at the top. Place the stem in a glass of water on a windowsill that receives sunshine. The mint will develop roots within a few weeks. Change the water when it starts to look murky. About a week after roots appear, plant in a pot with soil and continue to water as necessary. Keep it contained, as it develops runners and spreads quickly in a garden.

Rosemary is a great addition to pork chops, roasted meats, fish, and vegetables. Snip a few sprigs of rosemary from 2-3 inches off the top of the plant and pull away the lowest leaves, leaving a few at the top. Place the sprigs in a small glass with the stem fully immersed in water on a windowsill. Change the water every few days. Rosemary is slow to produce new roots and can take two months or longer before you see progress. About a week after roots appear, transfer the plant to soil.

Lemon Balm, Oregano, Sage, Thyme - The process for regrowing these is identical to regrowing rosemary or mint. You can even combine all in the same glass to save space, but do not pack too close as the roots will tangle.

Parsley only grows for two gardening seasons and then dies. In its first year it produces the delicious leaves that are commonly used for sauces and the second year it goes to seed. A benefit of its final year are its edible roots, which are considered the most flavorful part of the plant. The process for regrowing parsley is identical to the others above.

Fennel is slightly sweet and licorice-flavored in taste and great for poultry. I use dried fennel on pizza. The directions for growing this is different from the others. Cut off the fennel stalks and place the fennel bulb fully submerged in a bowl of water. Place in direct sunlight and change the water every few days. New fennel stems will grow within a few days.

Grilling Tip

Toss some potato chips or Doritos on top of coals and light them. They will burn for long enough to start your coals and there is no fuel smell.

Phone and Medical Info

There is an app that is pre-loaded on iPhone and available for Android that could save your life or the life of someone you love.

It is the Health app, which includes Medical ID. You can use Medical ID to list the names of your emergency contacts, their phone numbers, special instructions, your health ailments, and any medications you are taking or allergic to, that emergency personnel should know about.

Paramedics may not have time to access this information on your phone in an emergency, so it is not meant to replace a medical ID bracelet. However, if time is available, emergency personnel usually know they can swipe for this information.

For iPhones, Tap on Medical ID > Edit. Then turn on Show When Locked. This ensures that first responders can see your medical information even when your iPhone screen is locked. To make an emergency call or to see your Medical ID, wake up your phone by swiping left to right > tap Emergency > make emergency call or tap Medical ID to see the stored medical information.

For Android users solutions vary by manufacturer. Under Settings, look for an Emergency Contact-type feature. It may be under My Information. If so, fill in your medical information and emergency contact numbers.



To add an Emergency Contact to your phone lock screen, tap Settings > Lock Screen > check mark Owner Info > Tap the small icon to the right of Owner Info > type in your emergency contact name and phone number after owner name. This information will scroll across your lock screen even when it is locked.

You Need to Laugh More

Many folks do not laugh enough. This guy has upped his laughing to a fine art. A few moments of pure fun. LINK

Happy Friday

"He who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love."


I am sowing and planting to reap the benefits of a Happy Friday!

Gas Prices

According to Bloomberg, WTI oil is at $49.61 per barrel, and Brent is at $49.60 per barrel. On Memorial Day 2015, Brent was at $65.37 per barrel, and two years ago Brent was at $110.01.

Flights Perspective

 When Orville Wright died, (January 30, 1948 age 76), Neil Armstrong was 17 years old (born August 5, 1930).

The American Wright brothers, inventors, and aviation pioneers are generally credited with inventing, building, and flying the world's first successful airplane. They made the first controlled, sustained flight of a powered, heavier-than-air aircraft on December 17, 1903. Neil was the first man to walk on the moon July 20, 1969, sixty six years later. The first Mars landing was July 21, 1976, seven years later.

Why Clockwise

 If you could look directly at the North Pole from space, it would appear to spin counterclockwise. Given that spin, when a stick is placed in the ground parallel to the Earth’s axis in Egypt, the shadow cast by the stick as the Sun moves across the sky will move in a clockwise direction and a similarly placed stick in Australia would cast a shadow that moves counterclockwise.

As far back as when the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians were fashioning their first shadow clocks (~3,500 BC), the measurement of time moved in a clockwise direction. Even as more precise timekeeping methods came about, sundials (which began in earnest around 1,500 BC) remained popular throughout the middle ages and beyond, given their simplicity of construction and relative reliability. In fact, early mechanical clocks were often regularly calibrated to nearby sundials.

So, when mechanical clocks were introduced in Europe in the 14th century, their inventors were quite familiar with sundials and the clockwise direction that their shadows moved and marked time. Accordingly, by the end of that century when even cathedral clocks were sporting clock faces, they were made in imitation of their sundial forbears, with hands that moved in a clockwise direction.

The words clockwise and counterclockwise with present meaning did not appear in English until the 1870s.

The use of wise to mean a way of proceeding dates back to Old English. Clock dates to the invention of modern mechanical clocks during the 14th century. It is thought to come from either clokke (Middle Dutch), cloque (Old North French) or clocca (Medieval Latin) which all meant bell. Some of the earliest mechanical clocks were simply designed to strike a bell at set intervals, perhaps to announce prayer times or simply ring on the hour. Many early clocks did not have a face. Before they were called clocks, these early mechanical clocks were called horologia, from the Greek for “hour” (ὡρα) and “to tell” (λέγειν).

Incidentally, screws turn clockwise because our ancestors learned that right-handed people (about 80% of people) are stronger when they screw clockwise (righty tighty, lefty loosey).