HERE'S THE SKINNY

The average adult human has a skin surface area between 16.1 and 21.5 square feet.  For those of you who are numerically challenged, that is an area approximately 4' x 4' up to 4'6" x 4'6" square.  (Personally, my skin is growing closer to the larger end of that scale every day.)   

Now, 4' x 4' is the same as about 2,300 square inches.  Have you got that number?  Two thousand and three hundred square inches - or more.  That's how much skin you have.  

Here's the scoop.  In each of those square inches (1" x 1" square), there are approximately 60,000 melanocytes (those are the pigment cells which give your skin it's color) and 1,000 nerve endings and 650 sweat glands and 20 blood vessels.   There is a whole lot going on in your skin and it's various layers.  

Take care of your skin.  Skin is important.  Where would you be without it?   I'd say, you'd be a sloppy mess.

The basic facts of this entry came off the wall of my dermatologist - it must be true.  

MOTHERS DAY

 Here's what I wrote last year on this day.  I like it.  

5/14/2023

MOTHERS DAY

 The most important person on earth is a Mother.

She cannot claim the honor of having built the Notre Dame Cathedral.  She need not.  She built something more magnificent than any cathedral:  a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body.

The angels have not been blessed with such a grace.  They cannot share in God's creative miracle to bring new saints to heaven. 

Only a human mother can.

Mothers are closer to God the Creator than any other creature:  God joins forces with mothers in performing this act of creation.

What on God's good earth is more glorious than this:  to be a mother?

Happy Mothers Day to the mothers of my grandchildren.  

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

I recently found out that Wild Bill Hickock's real name was James Butler Hickock.  Wild Jim or Wild Butler would never do.  Wild Bill was perfect.  It helped make him famous.  Of course, it didn't hurt that he was a great storyteller.  Most everyone who knew him, knew that he fabricated most of the exploits for which he became famous.  He was a legend in his own time.  

Wild Bill died of a gunshot wound while playing poker, at the hands of his opponent who was a lousy card player.  Hickock was thought to be bluffing but was actually holding a hand that has become known as the "dead man's hand" - two pair, black aces and eights.   (When I worked for Price Brothers, we had a salesman in Columbus who would often reply to my question "How ya doin?" by saying "Aces and eights".  At the time, I never knew what he was talking about. - RIP)

This all makes me think I could have been famous if only I had a better name.  A name that people would remember.  I already have the audacious story-telling part down pat and, luckily, I don't play cards.  If you can come up with a good name I could use, let me know - time is running out.  

BTW - Wild Bill Hickock's girlfriend was known as Calamity Jane even though her real name was Martha Canary.  She was 15 years younger than Wild Bill, a part-time prostitute and, like Bill, an inveterate story teller.  If only I had a neat name like that.

FUN FACTS

 Canada is an Indian word meaning "big village".  

MIDWEEK PRAYER

 I hope you prayed today without my suggestion.  I actually think that the best prayers are those that come from your heart and mind.  You may think it is more difficult but, the more you do it yourself, the easier it gets.  You may think it is too personal - it is very personal.  That's what is so great about it.  

Praying to God is proof that you know there is a God. That's a great first step.  

Never forget the outline for prayer that God's son gave us.  First, tell God that you recognize that He is God and deserves your highest praise.  Second, tell Him your desire in the broadest sense - your desire for the whole world to be at peace.  Third, ask Him to provide what you actually need and to forgive you for those times you have offended him.  Ask that He may treat you as you treat your neighbor.   Fourth, ask Him to protect us from the evils of the world and promise, with His help, not to repeat your failures.  

That sums it up.  You don't have to feel funny about praying - quietly talking to God.  He will listen.  

OH POO

 I recently read that less than 20% of the world uses toilet paper.  Immediately, I felt pity on those poor souls.  Too poor to afford toilet paper.  How lucky am I.  

Read on, young man.  

Paper wiping is not good for you, the author said.  What?  You can hurt yourself and not do a good cleaning job on top of that.

(When I grew up, it was a favorite name to call a disliked person:  "Shitass!"  I don't hear that these days.  What do young people call a person doing something they dislike?)   

Back to the paper problem;  turns out doctors who specialize in butt problems discourage paper use.  Water is much better for you and does a much better job.  Those poor people, we see in the river or stream, are better off for not having paper.  

Now, think of all those trees being cut down for the sake of TP.  I'm surprised the current administration of tree-huggers is not promoting a switch to water-washing along with their electric vehicles.  More trees can save the world according to many.

A bidet is not a novelty for us - for many, it is a great necessity.   When will we, in the USA, get the word?

There is an in-between alternative.  Wetted wipes are available in your grocery store.  Give them a try - you'll love it - at least until you clog your sewer system.  

If you enjoyed this topic, let me know.  If you've been called or heard another called a "shitass" recently, let me know about that, also.  

DOES SIZE MATTER?

 Sometimes size does matter.  Here's an interesting nugget related to size.

• 17,000 cu ft of natural gas
• 2,000 lbs of coal
• 1/2 inch pellet of uranium

All of the above produce about the same amount of energy.  

I doubt we're going in the right direction - pushing air and solar power before we have better technology.  

Are we afraid of nuclear energy?  Five years ago, France had 71% of its electrical energy produced by nuclear plants with more plants coming on line.  In the USA, only 20% of our electricity is produced by nuclear plants.  

Why are we lagging behind France?  Rules and Regulations so archaic as to dissuade anyone from building a nuclear plant.  

Did you know we have US Navy personnel living in metal tubes, under water, circling the globe at all times that are powered by nuclear energy?  We do!

It can be handled safely!

MAY 4

Here's a sad memory but one of my old favorite entries. Could we be nearing the same type of situation in Gaza that caused this debacle?

5/04/2015

MAY 4

On this day in 1970, a sad day in American history, we hit a low point in domestic disturbances related to the Vietnam War.  The Ohio National Guard was sent to Kent State University in Kent, Ohio to control a demonstration.  For some reason, they opened fire on the demonstrators and killed four unarmed students and wounded nine others.

There was no chance that the war would gain favor with the American people after that.  The next three years were solely dedicated to ending the war.  Forty-five years ago today.

o.o

CARNAGE

Just the facts, friends.

In the eight (8) years our military was there, 3,481 Americans were killed in action in Iraq, an average of 435 per year.  

In the fourteen (14) years our military was there, 1,833 Americans were killed in action in Afghanistan; an average of 141 per year.

In the year 2020, unbelievably, 21,570 Americans were killed at the hands of Americans in America.

In the 24 years this century, an average of almost 14,000 Americans lost their lives to homicide in America each year.  

What are we doing wrong?  

😢

MAY

 Here is another of my favorites.  I'm still amazed at this fact.

5/07/2015

MAY

The merry month of May.  The unique month of May.

Did you know that in any year no other month begins or ends on the same day of the week as May. This year May began on Friday and ends on Sunday.  No other month this year will do either.

Amazing I lived 70 years without knowing this.
o.o

In 2022, May began on Sunday and ends on Tuesday.  No other month, this year,  begins or ends on those days.  

In 2024, May begins on Wednesday and ends on a Friday.  No other month, this year, begins on Wednesday or ends on Friday.

MAY DAY

The Church dedicates the month of May to Mary the mother of Jesus our Savior.  It's a good time to break out the rosary.   It's a prayer made up of prayers.  I have left instructions in previous entries.  

The month includes Mothers Day.  Don't forget yours and ours.  

The Angel Gabriel addressed her saying, "HAIL MARY, FULL OF GRACE, THE LORD IS WITH YOU." and her cousin, Elizabeth whom she visited, greeted her with, "BLESSED ARE YOU AMONG WOMEN AND BLESSED IS THE FRUIT OF YOUR WOMB"

Gabriel had instructed her to call him "JESUS" (Holy, son of God)

and we say "HOLY MARY,

MOTHER OF GOD,

PRAY FOR US SINNERS,

NOW, 

AND AT THE HOUR OF OUR DEATH."

AMEN

DOLLARS AND SENSE

 Here's a short saga that has a message for you if you can find it.  You can ignore the size of the dollars involved if it makes it more realistic for you but they are important..

In 1998, Yahoo tried to buy Google but refused to pay the $1 million dollar price they were demanding.

In 2002, Yahoo again tried to by Google - for $3 billion dollars.  Alphabet, Google's parent, said no way, we want $5 billion dollars.  Yahoo refused.

Google today is worth about $2.1 trillion dollars.

Yahoo's value in 2002 rose to about $100 billion dollars.

In 2008, Yahoo refused to allow Microsoft to buy them for $40 billion dollars.

In 2016, Yahoo sold to Verizon for $4.6 billion dollars.

In 2024, Yahoo has an estimated valuation of $68 billion dollars.  

WAS IST LOS ?

 "Was ist los?"   German for "What's up?"

A lot of foods are territorial in this country based on who settled the area.  In Cincinnati, we have goetta while most of the rest of the country never heard of it.  Our early German immigrants brought us that delight.  Thanks!  Oh, of course, thanks for lager beer. 

The warm weather has me focusing on grilling out.  I was doing my grocery shopping the other day and found something missing.  When I was a kid and maybe, much later than that, there were two types of specialty sausages for grilling besides hot dogs; brats and metts.  I don't find that now.  

Brats and metts are shortened names for bratwursts and mettwursts.  More gifts from the Germans. I prefer metts to brats.  

What I found out was that brats are everywhere but metts - not so much. Originally, I had the idea that brats were white and metts were reddish brown.  Not any more!  There are only brats and they are mostly reddish brown.   I couldn't find a mett at the local Kroger's. 

So what happened?  Did the name metts lose it's favor with the manufacturers?  Did the stores determine that it was an unnecessary or revolting name?  

I bought a pack of brats that looked like I remembered a mett should look.  They were good.  I can't wait to see if the name-removal has carried over to the ballpark and the Summer church festivals.  Those are the usual spots where they can be found.  

Long live the METTWURST!

TREES

A memory.   Almost fifty years ago, my three daughters brought home from school, a little sprig of a tree.  It was a gift for Arbor Day.  I don't know if the schools still do that sort of thing or not.  

Anyway, I planted them in our backyard.  They grew magnificently! 

They were all evergreens.  I actually planted them too close together.  At one point, I cut down one so another could thrive.   Another of the three, got sick after about thirty years and I took it down. 

One tree still stands.  Amazing!  It's lost a few branches over the years but it's looking pretty good, I'd say.

Fifty years.  Happy Arbor Day!  Make a memory for yourself.  Today is Arbor Day.