What is Pet Love Worth to You?

Posted on July 15, 2025July 14, 2025 by vlaw759

The Wall Street Journal recently (7/2/25) featured a story about rich people in Sǎo Paulo, Brazil who pay up to $200 per hour for an off-duty police officer and his scent hound to find lost pets. Sometimes the cost of flights to and from far parts of the country were added to the bill to find the missing pet. I may be in the minority here, but that seemed truly shocking to me.

Cost of Finding a Lost Pet

So of course I searched online for more info. Several options came up immediately.

(Please note: the citations in this article are informational examples and imply no endorsement or recommendation!)

Pet Radar

“Lost pet? Don’t panic. We’re here every step of the way – 24/7 support and guidance. Find Your Lost Pet in Your City. 8000+ Pets Found. Start now! Start in 1 Minute. 5 Stars on Google & FB. 100% Satisfied Guarantee. 24/7 Direct Help. Not satisfied? Money Back. 68% Gets Found.”

Paw Boost

“Find Your Lost Pet And Alert Local People on Facebook & Notify the Rescue Squad™, For Free. Put Out a Free Alert! We Have Over 4 Million Pet Lovers in Our Alert Network. Boost Recovery Chances. Post A PawBoost Alert. Email Shelters For Free. Notify Thousands Nearby.”

Pet Detectives

The Pet Detectives is a company that has established itself as a market leader in the investigation of animal theft and the recovery of stolen and missing cats… This company is located in the UK, and has a TV show Pet Detectives.

As in most other professions, there are specialists. For example:

12 Years of Pet Detective Experience
After thousands of lost cat cases all over the world, I’ve learned there is no “cookie-cutter advice” for every lost cat case. What does work is tailoring your strategy to your situation (indoor-only cat or outdoor access) with methods curated for each cat’s personality.
Kim the Cat Finder

According to the Brazilian pet detective in the WSJ article, dogs want to be found but cats, not so much.

But even if your pet never leaves home, pet love can be pricey! The rest of this article will focus on cats and dogs because they are the most common pets in the U.S.

The Cost of Acquiring a Pet

As a cat owner for more than twenty years, I was aware primarily of relatively small veterinary bills. The cats had come free, one from a shelter, the other from a farmer’s barn. I was completely unaware that people actually pay for cats, sometimes a lot. I found one listing that said buying an American Curl, for example, costs $1000 to $2000. They are really cute, but still…

Cats

A 2019 Yahoo article, “The Most and Least Expensive Cat Breeds in the World,” quotes what it calls “sometimes staggeringly high prices” for 15 cat breeds. Here are the acquisition cost estimates the article listed for the world’s most expensive breeds:

Ashera $75,000 to $125,000
Peterbald $1,700 to $3,000
Savannah $25,000
Bengal $2,000 to $5,000
Persian $3,000
Sphynx $900 to $1,200
California Spangled $800 to $3,000
Maine Coon $1,000 to $3,500
Egyptian Mau $500 to $800
Russian Blue $400 to $3,000
British Shorthair $800 to $1,000
American Curl $800 to $1,200
Korat $600 to $800
Ocicat $800
Scottish Fold $800 to $1,500

PetKeen.com published a similar article, “11 Most Affordable Cat Breeds (with Pictures)” listing these affordable breeds and their estimated purchase prices:

Turkish Van $200
Ragdoll $400
Siamese $200
Burmese $500 to $1,000
Manx $500 to $800
Himalayan $300
Cornish Rex $100
Oriental Shorthair $400 to $500
Havana Brown $300 to $1,500
Snowshoe $200 to $250
Domestic Shorthair <$50

Dogs

An article at Brownsburg Animal Clinic compared purchase prices for popular purebred and crossbred dogs, finding (not surprising to me) that purebreds are more expensive than crossbred dogs.

Labrador Retriever $650 to $4,000
French Bulldog $3,000 to $10,000
Golden Retriever $750 to $5,000
German Shepherd $300 to $3,200
Standard Poodle $300 to $3,000
Average purebred price $1,000 to $5,040

Despite these purebred costs, cats are generally cheaper than dogs due to lower adoption fees, and because they require less maintenance and fewer resources.

Shelter Pets

How much do animal shelters typically charge for adoption fees? A discussion on Quora provided a few examples (Jun 15, 2023): “At my shelter puppies are the most expensive. Cost depends on age. Dogs range from $450 to $100. Kittens are $125. Cats $40 to $20.”

The Animal Humane Society of Minnesota uses a sliding scale to determine adoption fees. Pets with special needs or who have been in the shelter longer can be adopted at a lower cost than others. They also have an option to delay the decision. If you need more time to complete an adoption, you can place an animal “on hold” for 24 hours for a fee of $30 for dogs and cats, or $10 for all other animals.

Henrico Humane Society

Kittens – $125 (6 months and younger)
Two Kittens – $175
Adult Cats – $100
Senior Cats – $50 (10yrs +)
Puppies – $250 (12 months and younger)
Adult Dogs – $175
Senior Dogs – $100 (8yrs +)

Richmond SPCA Adoption Fees

*Polo is available for adoption from the Richmond SPCA now!*

Adult cats: $130 (ages 6 months and older)
Kittens: $160 (younger than 6 months)
Adult dogs: $160 (ages 6 months and older)
Puppies: $200

Cost of a Pet’s Medical Care

But back to veterinary bills: Of course the cost of veterinary bills varies depending on the type of visit, the location, and the specific needs of the pet. Routine vet visits in 2025 can range from $70 to $174 for dogs and $53 to $124 for cats. Emergency vet visits can be significantly more expensive, potentially ranging from $200 to $10,000.

Besides emergency care, modern veterinary hospitals provide virtually all the types of care that human hospitals do. Veterinarians help owners keep pets healthy as well as treating infections and injuries. Many veterinary services treat chronic medical conditions, including arthritis, cancer, physical therapy, cardio-pulmonary services, etc.

Cost of Online Pet Doctors

Just like human healthcare providers, many veterinarians are now offering services online. Virtual appointments offer pets the same convenience and accessibility as their owners. Additionally, they allow pets who become anxious or volatile in a vet’s office to see their doctors in a calm, familiar environment.

Some telehealth veterinarians offer monthly or yearly subscriptions. Others charge a fee for each visit.

However, most online veterinarians cannot diagnose pets or prescribe medications over the internet.

Cost of Pet Insurance

No wonder so many people opt for pet insurance! This, too, is a big market. Pet insurance typically comes in three options: accident-only, accident and illness, and wellness. According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, the average monthly pet insurance premium for accident and illness coverage is $56.30 for dogs and $31.94 for cats. However, there are plans for as little as $16 a month for dogs and $10 a month for cats.

Owners can even get a credit card specifically for pet health care—though why one would not use any regular credit card is a mystery to me. Some companies, such as All Pet or CareCredit, offer special rates and cashback options for healthcare spending.

Cost of Routine Maintenance

The annual cost of cat ownership can range widely, but generally falls between $340 and $4000. It depends on factors like food and litter choices, veterinary care needs, and whether the cat requires ongoing medical treatment.

For dogs, a recent survey gives an average annual cost of $4,512. These costs also vary widely, depending on the same factors as for cats.

Food alone is notable: the annual cost of dog food can range from $250 to $700. The annual cost of cat food can range from $225 to $1,980, depending on the brand, type of food, and frequency of feeding.

No doubt you are aware of what I call TV advertised convenience: Fresh Pet and Chewy will deliver to your door—for a fee.

Bottom Line: Consider the above factors when you think of pet ownership (whether cat, dog, or something else entirely), consider your personality and finances, and then decide the price you will pay for pet love.

SWEET: WHEN TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING IS A BAD THING

Posted on June 3, 2025June 3, 2025 by vlaw759

Sugar here,
Sugar there,
Sugar in your pasta sauce
Sugar from your pear.
Sugar on your cereal
And in your bakery treat.
The more sweetness you enjoy
The more you want to eat!

That’s a fact—and it’s bad news. The American Heart Association recommends limits on the amount of sugar you consume every day:

25 grams (6 teaspoons) for women
36 grams per day (9 teaspoons) for men

According to Anna Taylor, RD, LD, “The average American eats about 68 grams [~16.3 teaspoons] of sugar per day. That can add up to as much as 28 pounds of body fat per year.”

Too Sweet

But it’s even worse than getting fat. According to the AARP Bulletin, May/June 2025, eating a lot of sugar causes your body to age at seven times its natural rate. It ages you in several ways:

Raising dementia risk by increasing inflammation and weakening the blood-brain barrier.
Making your belly bigger, which indicates that your liver is storing fat, which can lead to higher cholesterol, insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.
Storing fat in the liver can also lead to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Making it less likely you’ll eat enough healthful foods.
Increases risk of diabetes.
Worsens menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes.
Promotes tooth loss by damaging tooth enamel and creating gum inflammation.

Hidden Sugars

The Cleveland Clinic and the American Heart Association strongly support limiting table sugar. It’s high in calories and offers no nutritional benefit. Besides which, it’s hiding in some favorite foods:

Condiments such as ketchup and salad dressings
Pasta and barbecue sauces
Flavored yogurt, especially low-fat ones
Granola, instant oatmeal, and other breakfast cereals
Nut butters, both peanut butter and others
Drinks, which can contain more than three tablespoons of added sugar per serving

Check your food labels for hidden ingredients. Added sugars now must be specifically listed. Especially look for fructose, glucose, and sucrose.

The good news is that whiskey has no added sugar! The bad news is that it’s still empty calories and is otherwise hazardous to your health.

Naturally Sweet

The best way to sweeten food and drinks is with fresh or frozen fruit, which provide nutritional benefits such as fiber, vitamins, potassium, and antioxidants.

So, what about natural sugars? Things like raw honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, and raw sugar.

The good news is that some natural sweeteners provide a few more nutrients than table sugar. Raw honey and pure maple syrup both help feed gut flora, keeping your digestion on track.

Agave nectar, although natural, provides fewer nutrients than raw honey or pure maple syrup. It contains as many carbs and calories as table sugar. However, it tastes very sweet and so you might use less.

The bad news? They’re all still forms of sugar, high in calories. All natural sugar should be counted toward your daily sugar intake.

(Beware: Honey shouldn’t be given to infants under the age of 1 because of possible botulism bacteria spores.)

Artificially Sweet

So, just switch to artificial sweeteners? Problem solved? NO! Common artificial sweeteners, including saccharin (Sweet n’ Low®), aspartame (Equal®), and sucralose (Splenda®), come with concerns of their own.

According to The Cleveland Clinic, “Just as with sugar, artificial sweeteners may cause you to crave more sweet and sugary foods. Artificial sweeteners often include sugar alcohols. One sugar alcohol commonly used in artificial sweeteners, erythritol, has been linked to increased risk for heart attack and stroke.”

Some researchers suggest artificial sweeteners may be linked to a range of other health conditions , including having obesity, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and more. However, those outcomes haven’t been validated across the board. Research is still ongoing.

Bottom Line: Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
Sugar is sweet
But BAD for you!

STEALING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY!

Posted on May 20, 2025May 20, 2025 by vlaw759

Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else’s work, words, or ideas as your own without proper attribution. (Plagiarism.org, Yale University) Plagiarizing is representing another person’s language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions as one’s own original work. Most people consider it a violation of academic integrity and journalistic ethics. (Wikipedia)

Plagiarism can take many forms, according to Bowdoin College:

Direct plagiarism (word-for-word copying without quotation marks)
Self-plagiarism (submitting your own previous work without permission)
Mosaic plagiarism (borrowing phrases without quotation marks or using synonyms while keeping the original structure)
Accidental plagiarism (neglecting to cite sources)

The University of Oxford defines plagiarism as “Presenting work or ideas from another source as your own, with or without consent of the original author.”

The above would make it seem as though plagiarism is largely an academic concern, but not so. It can be a concern for creative writers, musicians, visual artists, essayists—pretty much anyone who comes up with a concept or product and makes it public. As stated in a slightly different way, plagiarism is the use of another’s work, words, or ideas without attribution. (Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning) It is also defined as the use, without giving reasonable and appropriate credit to or acknowledging the author or source, of another person’s original work. (Stanford Office of Community Standards)

Is It Plagiarized?

In actual practice, plagiarism may not be so clear. For example, professional speech writers write the words for politicians or others who frequently speak in public. Is the speaker plagiarizing?

Fan Works

And then there is fan-fiction. The entire point is to use characters or plot lines from the works of a popular, admired writer. The source of the ideas is inherent in the genre. Is further acknowledgement required? Or permission?

For example, there are hundreds of “variations” on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Using the characters and place names and some of the basic tenets are central to these works. And whatever else changes, whatever obstacles they face, Elizabeth and Darcy come together in the end.

Common Facts

American Gothic, not plagiarism — *American Gothic by Udronotto*

What about facts? For example, what is the most popular spice in the United States? Black pepper. This same information can be found on numerous websites. Is a reference necessary, or can one say “according to sources across the web”?

As a writer, I have a notebook of words or phrases I’ve come across that strike me as strong or effective. Beef-brained. Butt-polished pews. Veins stand out like blue worms twisting. Skinny and straight as a broom handle. A look so pointed it could bruise. Dare I ever use such in my own writing? I have no idea where I heard or read them.

Plagiarism in the Public Domain

And what about public domain? According to Wikipedia, “The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable. Because no one holds the exclusive rights, anyone can legally use or reference those works without permission.”

“As examples, the works of William Shakespeare, Ludwig van Beethoven, Miguel de Cervantes, Zoroaster, Lao Zi , Confucius, Aristotle, L. Frank Baum, Leonardo da Vinci and Georges Méliès are in the public domain either by virtue of their having been created before copyright existed, or by their copyright term having expired. [1] Some works are not covered by a country’s copyright laws, and are therefore in the public domain; for example, in the United States, items excluded from copyright include the formulae of Newtonian physics and cooking recipes. [5] Other works are actively dedicated by their authors to the public domain (see waiver); examples include reference implementations of cryptographic algorithms. [6] The term public domain is not normally applied to situations where the creator of a work retains residual rights, in which case use of the work is referred to as ‘under license’ or ‘with permission’”.
Public Domain, Wikipedia authors

Common knowledge does not need to be cited. But what qualifies? Information generally known to an educated reader, such as widely known facts and dates, and sometimes ideas or language. Information that most people know or can find out easily in an encyclopedia or dictionary. MIT says it’s information shared by a cultural or national group, and includes knowledge shared by members of a certain field. Just about any subject has common knowledge, including science, literature, history, or entertainment. That George Washington was the first president of the United States is common knowledge for most citizens of the U.S.

Last Supper, not plagiarism — *The Last Supper by R. Smith*

If you want more examples, a search for “common knowledge questions” will give you many options.

The widespread availability of AI has further complicated issues of plagiarism. Most generative AI systems and large language models rely heavily on creative output (music, writing, and visual art) taken without the artists’ knowledge or permission to generate imitations. Students now openly admit to using generative AI to plagiarize all of their college assignments.

Plagiarism Fallout

*Girl with the Pearl … Necklace by limpfish*

Consequences of plagiarism in school can include failing grades, suspension, or expulsion. (Yale University) Academic Institutions may fire or otherwise censure faculty members who plagiarize. Novelists, composers, or visual artists may sue a plagiarist and win monetary compensation. And regardless of anything else, a plagiarist suffers public shame for the theft of intellectual property.

By any definition, plagiarism is bad. So, don’t do it! If you don’t want to plagiarize “accidentally” there are tools to help you. Here are two I quickly found online:

(1) Instant Plagiarism Scan – Ensure originality and make the grade with Grammarly’s AI-powered plagiarism checker. Don’t risk plagiarizing! Instantly find and add sources for your work. Try it today. Fix punctuation mistakes. (https://www.grammarly.com/plagiarism/checker)

(2) Instant Plagiarism Scan – Plagiarism checker: Fast, Reliable & User-friendly. Perfect For Students & Professionals. Get Instant Plagiarism Analysis Write Clear, Compelling Papers And Essays with JustDone AI Humanizer Tool (https://www.justdone.com/plagiarism)

Bottom Line: Think—and research if necessary—before you publish.

Psychology of Clothing

Posted on November 12, 2024November 14, 2024 by vlaw759

The relationship between clothing and psychology has been studied for decades. The major point overall is that the relationship between clothing and psychology is bidirectional. Not only do our clothing choices reflect our identity, but they can also influence our thoughts and feelings.

Clothes can be a way to express ourselves without saying a word. As a form of nonverbal communication, clothes can reveal our inner emotional states to others—or hide them.

Mood

On a given day, clothes may be a reflection of one’s mood OR a projection of the mood we want people to think we are feeling. For example, someone who wears bright colors may be feeling outgoing and confident, or want to appear that way. Someone who chooses black may be reserved and serious, or want to seem so. Also, over centuries, dark and dull colors were the colors of mourning, sometimes required more than felt.

On days when we feel happy and positive, we tend to gravitate towards bright colors and playful patterns. Conversely, during times of sadness or anxiety, we may find ourselves reaching for comfortable and cozy clothing in neutral tones. Our clothing can become a reflection of how we are feeling.

Nostalgia

Certain clothing items can evoke nostalgia. As humans, we have an innate ability to attach emotions and memories to objects, including clothing that holds sentimental value or reminds us of a specific time or place in our lives. By definition, nostalgia means thinking of past happy moments filled with joy and warmth.

One reason certain clothing items hold strong nostalgic value is because they were worn during significant events or milestones in our lives. For example, a wedding dress, or a graduation gown that brings back memories of hard work and achievement.

The opposite is also true: some items of clothing or jewelry may bring back powerful memories of loss or grief.

Comfort

Physical comfort is essential for our overall well-being. When we wear comfortable clothing, we feel relaxed and at ease. It allows us to move freely, without restrictions or discomfort. Comfortable clothes can also boost our confidence as we don’t have to constantly adjust or worry about how we look. This sense of ease can positively impact our mood by reducing stress and anxiety levels.

Self-Perception

The clothes we wear can also influence how we feel about ourselves. Studies have shown that people tend to feel more confident when dressed more formally than when dressed more casually. When we feel confident and put together, it can positively affect our mindset and give us a sense of power and control. The explanation posited is that dressing in professional attire signals importance and authority, which can boost one’s self-esteem. This phenomenon, known as “enclothed cognition,” highlights the powerful impact clothing can have on our psychological state.

Clothing Affecting Behavior

Various studies have shown that what we wear can affect not only our confidence levels, but also decision-making abilities, and even physical performance.

The saying “dress for the job you want, not the job you have” holds true in many professional settings. When we dress professionally, we are projecting an image of competence, credibility, and authority. Participants in a study paid closer attention and made fewer mistakes on a test when they wore white lab coats. Women in another study performed either worse or more variably on both athletic and cognitive tasks when required to wear clothing that draws attention to their bodies. This not only affects how others perceive us but also how they respond to us, as a competent authority—further boosting self-esteem and confidence.

Reflective and Affective Color

Color can both affect our emotions and reflect them. For instance, red is associated with passion and energy while blue represents calmness and stability. Our brains associate green with nature, growth, balance, and harmony while yellow represents happiness and optimism. These associations can shape how others perceive us based on the color of clothing we choose to wear.

The colors we choose to wear have a significant impact on our mood and behavior. This is because colors can evoke different emotions and feelings, making us feel happy, calm, energized, or even anxious. The psychology of color has been studied extensively, with research showing that certain hues can trigger specific reactions in the brain.

Personality for Color Preferences

Color preferences are related to personality traits.

Juliet Ju and Jung Hee Ha researched the relationships between personality and color preferences in 2022. Their research reveals a positive correlation between agreeableness and preference for yellow, light blue, and white, and a negative correlation between agreeableness and a preference for red. In addition, they found a positive correlation between conscientiousness and a preference for light blue and dark blue, and a negative correlation between conscientiousness and a preference for red.

Meanwhile, emotional stability was positively correlated with a preference for light blue, dark blue, and white, and negatively correlated with red and yellow. Finally, openness to new experiences was positively correlated with a preference for bright blue and white, and negatively correlated with a preference for orange.

This research found that color preferences significantly predicted all personality traits except extraversion. Agreeableness was significantly predicted by yellow, light blue, and white preferences. They found that the preference for light blue significantly predicted conscientiousness. Emotional stability was significantly predicted by red and light blue preferences. Openness to new experiences was predicted by green, purple, and white preferences.

Good to know if you are trying to manipulate the impression you are making!

Other Color Associations

Other research and discussions across the web indicated additional color associations.

Red is associated with passion, love, and power. It is a bold and intense color that can increase heart rate and blood pressure, making us feel more alert and energized. Wearing red clothing can also make us appear more confident and attractive. On the other hand, too much red can also lead to feelings of anger or aggression.

Blue is known for its calming effect on the mind and body. It is often associated with trust, stability, and intelligence. Studies have shown that wearing blue clothing can lower blood pressure and heart rate while promoting relaxation. This makes it an ideal color to wear during stressful situations or when you need to remain focused. FYI, overall blue is America’s favorite color.

Yellow is a bright and cheerful color that symbolizes happiness, optimism, and creativity. It has been found to stimulate mental activity and boost energy levels. Wearing yellow clothing can help improve your mood on days when you are feeling down or unmotivated.

Green represents nature, growth, balance, and harmony. It has a calming effect on the eyes as it reflects most light wavelengths evenly. Wearing green clothing can promote feelings of tranquility while reducing anxiety levels.

Impact of Clothing Patterns

A study by George K Stylios, Meixuan Chen indicated that patterns on clothing also affect the mood and behavior of the wearer and the observer. In particular, repeating patterns increase theta brain waves, indicating people take more pleasure in these compared to non-repeating ones. People were also more excited by strong, intense patterns than weak or subtle ones.

So, if you want to attract attention, opt for an intense, repeating pattern. If you’re going for a calming but pleasant effect, wear something with a subtly repeating pattern. Clothing without any patterns tends to have less effect on the brain of the observer, which may be helpful for someone who wishes to be unobtrusive. Wearing an intense, non-repeating pattern will have a very strong, edgy effect.

Values and Beliefs

Values and beliefs can be revealed by clothing. A t-shirt or hat with a slogan will make an immediate statement about the wearer’s beliefs, but other signs may not be as obvious. For example, someone who wears clothing made from sustainable, eco-friendly materials might signal their commitment to environmental causes, while someone who chooses to wear clothing from a particular cultural tradition might be expressing their connection to that culture. In this way, the clothes we wear can serve as a visual representation of our beliefs and values.

Identity Reinforcement

We often choose clothing that reinforces our existing self-concept. If you see yourself as a creative individual, you might gravitate toward unique and artistic fashion choices. On the other hand, if you identify as a professional, your wardrobe may consist of business attire that reflects your dedication to your career.

Social Identity

We tend to dress in ways that align with the social groups we belong to or aspire to be part of. Subcultures, such as punk, goth, or hip-hop, often have distinct fashion styles associated with them. By adopting clothing related to a particular subculture, individuals signal their membership and allegiance to that group. It’s a way of saying, “I belong here.”

None of This is Infallible

It is important to recognize that clothing choice cannot definitively reveal a person’s personality. All of the points covered in this blog are based on group data, and individuals vary a great deal. So, while clothing can provide some clues, it cannot accurately define a person’s personality. Remember that quite a lot of personal fashion is determined by elements outside the wearer’s control!

Bottom Line: Clothing is more than just a practical necessity. Understanding the psychology behind our clothing choices can lead to greater self-awareness and a more intentional approach to the messages we convey through our attire. So the next time you stand in front of your closet, remember that your clothing choices are more than just fabric and threads; they reflect who you are and who you aspire to be.

OCTOBER IS FOR HORROR: VAMPIRES

Posted on October 29, 2024October 29, 2024 by vlaw759

*The anthropomorphic personification of EVIL!*

A friend recently told me that the horror villains we fear are subconscious stand-ins for things we’re afraid of in real life. Vampires stand for a fear of change; zombies for a fear of crowds or strangers.

Fear of clowns is a sign you’re a normal, well-adjusted, perfectly rational person.

Inquiring minds want to know! I started with vampires—and I never got past vampires!

Why Everyone Fears Vampires

*Adze, a soul-sucking creature from Ewe folklore in Togo and Ghana*

When I went online to learn what it means if we fear vampires, what popped up was an article by Ralph Blumenthal, “A Fear of Vampires Can Mask a Fear of Something Much Worse.” He was writing in 2002 about villagers in Malawi believing that the government was colluding with vampires to collect human blood in exchange for food.

At the time, Malawi was in the grip of starvation, a severe AIDS epidemic, and political upheaval. He cited Nina Auerbach, author of Our Vampires, Ourselves, to the effect that stories of the undead embody power ”and our fears of power.”

David J. Skal, author of The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror claims that a fixation on demons often accompanies periods of national stress. “In times of social upheaval, the vampire asserts itself.”

In nearly every culture in the world, there is a legend of some variation of vampire-like creatures—the dead who reanimate and come back to feed on the living. And there is general agreement that the roots of vampire legends are in the misunderstanding of how bodies decompose and of how certain diseases spread.

*The Chinese Jiangshi hunts by “hopping” because of rigor mortis.*

*I’m glad someone else gets paid to take these photos.*

In an October 26, 2016 article in National Geographic titled “The Bloody Truth About Vampires,” Becky Little wrote, “As a corpse’s skin shrinks, its teeth and fingernails can appear to have grown longer. And as internal organs break down, a dark ‘purge fluid’ can leak out of the nose and mouth. People unfamiliar with this process would interpret this fluid to be blood and suspect that the corpse had been drinking it from the living.”

Paul Barber, author of Vampires, Burial, and Death: Folklore and Reality, made several telling points in the introduction to his book. One is that there is little similarity between the vampires of folklore and the vampires of fiction.

The Modern Vampire

Modern images of vampires are pretty stereotyped: fangs that bite the necks of victims; drinking human blood; can’t see themselves in mirrors; can be warded off with garlic, killed with a stake (or silver nail) through the heart; are aristocrats who live in castles and may be sexy. This image was popularized by Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of Count Dracula in the 1931 film adaptation of the Broadway show of the same name. Unlike Bram Stoker’s description of the monster in the 1897 novel Dracula as a repulsive old man with huge eyebrows and bat-like ears, Lugosi showed audiences a mysteriously elegant gentleman in evening dress.

*The 1922 film Nosferatu (on left), though an unlicensed adaptation, portrayed the vampire as described in Stoker’s novel.*

In European folklore, vampires typically wore shrouds, and were often described as bloated, with a ruddy or dark countenance. Specific descriptions varied among regions: sometimes male, sometimes female, might have long fingernails, a stubby beard, the mouth and left eye open, a permanently hateful stare, red eyes, no eyes, etc. Fangs were not always a prominent feature, and blood was generally sucked from bites on the chest near the heart rather than the throat.

*A manananggal from the Philippines will send its detached head and torso to hunt.*

But perhaps the most important theme of Barber’s book is that, lacking a scientific background in physiology, pathology, or immunization, the common response of ancient societies was to blame death and disease on the dead. To that end, the interpretations they came up with—while wrong from today’s perspective—nevertheless were usually coherent, covered all the data, and provided the rationale for some common practices that seemed to be otherwise inexplicable.

*He’s the color of a rotting corpse, but cloth fangs are pretty harmless.*

Should you ever be pursued by a vampire, fling a handful of rice, millet, or other small grain in its path. The vampire will be compelled to stop to count every grain, giving you time to escape. I found no information on how vampires came to be associated with arithmomania, but it endures: remember The Count von Count on Sesame Street?

At this point, I realize that getting into methods of identifying vampires, protecting against vampires, ways to destroy vampires, and cross-cultural variations on vampirism is way beyond the scope of this blog. Instead, I refer you to books such as this:

**Food for the Dead: On the Trail of New England’s Vampires** by Michael J Bell

Dreams of Vampires

And should vampires show up in your dreams, according to DreamBible: the answers to all your dreams, pay attention. Their appearance could mean many things.

*The yara-ma-yha-who in Australia drains a victim of almost all blood before swallowing and regurgitating the body, which then becomes a copy of its killer.*

Seeing a vampire in your dream symbolizes an aspect of your personality that is parasitic or selfishly feeds off others.
Alternatively, a vampire may reflect feelings about people you believe want to pull you down to their level or convert you to thinking negatively in a way similar to theirs.
To dream of being a vampire represents a selfish need to feed off others.
To dream of being bitten by a vampire represents feelings about other people using you or feeding off you and being unable to stop it.
Vampires may be a sign of dependence, problems with addiction, social pressure, or ambivalence.
A dream vampire might be telling you that you need to start being more independent and relying less on others’ resources or accomplishments.
To dream of killing vampires represents overcoming dependence on others.
Repeated dreams of vampires hovering over your shoulder and correcting your spelling or suggesting topics for research and expansion is almost certainly a sign that you are writing a blog entry about vampires.

Bottom line for writers:consider whether a vampire is a fit metaphor for your character.

*The soucouyant appears in the Caribbean by day as a harmless old woman, but she sheds her skin at night to hunt as a ball of fire.*

Surprising Salvia

Posted on July 16, 2024July 15, 2024 by vlaw759

For the first time, I have three salvia (SAL-vee-uh) plants in my yard, chosen by another, planted for their blooms. I wanted to know more. And what I learned at KidsHealth and Australia’s Alcohol and Drug Foundation surprised me!

You may also know salvia as diviner’s sage, magic mint, maria pastora, sally-d, seer’s sage, and shepherdess’s herb.

Please note: what follows is readily available information. I’m absolutely not recommending any particular use of salvia.

Psychedelic Salvia

It’s an herb in the mint family that can cause brief, intense psychedelic experiences. Salvinorin A is the active ingredient in salvia divinorum. Native to the mountains of southern Mexico, salvia has a long history of use by Indigenous shamans there.

Salvinorin A affects opioid receptors in the brain. This differs from other hallucinogenic drugs like LSD and psychedelic mushrooms, which affect the brain’s levels of serotonin. As a psychedelic drug, it can affect all the senses, altering a person’s thinking, sense of time, and emotions. Psychedelics can cause a person to hallucinate, seeing or hearing things that do not exist or appear distorted.

As a drug, salvia comes as fresh green plant leaves, dried shredded leaves, or a liquid extract. Traditionally, users chewed the fresh salvia leaves or drank the extract, but now people take the drug in a variety of ways. A user can also smoke the dried leaves in a bong or mixed with tobacco as a cigarette. For sublingual absorption, a user holds the fresh leaves under the tongue.

Salvia’s effects come on quickly, sometimes in less than a minute. According to anecdotal user reports, when smoked the effects of salvia begin in 15 to 60 seconds and last for about 15 to 90 minutes. When placed under the tongue, the effects begin in around 10 to 20 minutes and last for about 30 to 120 minutes.

Savlia’s Side Effects

Psychoactive drugs affect a person’s mental state and can have varied effects depending on a person’s mood or mindset (often called the ‘set’) and/or the environment they are in (the ‘setting’). Salvia’s effects on the mind can range from mild to intense. They may be frightening, depending on how strong a dose of the drug someone takes.

(Factors affecting the effects of psychedelic drugs is too big a topic to include here, but info is readily available online.)

Common short-term effects include

Hallucinations and changes in visual perception
Uncontrolled laughter
Mood and emotional swings
Difficulty concentrating
Sense of detachment from self and reality (not being able to tell the difference between what’s real and what’s imaginary)
Dizziness and lightheadedness
Lack of coordination
Slurred speech
Amnesia
Loss of energy (higher doses can cause sedation)
Pain relief
Confusion
Delusion
Feelings of impending doom
Increased appreciation of music
Uncontrolled body movements
Anxiety
Restlessness
Increased body temperature
Time distortion

Some studies suggest that, over time, salvia use may contribute to dysphoria, which is characterized by feelings of depression, discontent, and restlessness.

Smoking salvia over a long period of time can lead to breathing trouble and other health problems.

Because the drug has such dramatic psychological effects, it can seriously impair coordination and perceptions of reality; people under its influence expose themselves to a substantial risk of injury or accidental death.

Salvia and the Law

In many areas, salvia is perfectly legal and widely available. Stores sell it as a tincture or tea in some countries, or even as commercially extracted products.

However, salvia is illegal in a number of foreign countries and in many American states. Salvia is a schedule 9 drug. Federal and state laws provide penalties for possessing, using, making, selling, importing or exporting, or driving under the influence of salvia. Possession or use of salvia in states where it is illegal is punishable by fines and jail time.

This last bit gave me an adrenaline rush. But common sense soon surfaced: a garden center wasn’t likely to be selling salvia divinorum. Nevertheless, I felt compelled to find out just what kind of salvia I have. As best I can determine, it is salvia coerulea.

Salvia’s Other Uses

Most salvias are considered non-toxic to people of any age. Many ornamental varieties have a noxious taste, but there are no known toxic qualities when consumed by humans. (In large quantities, salvia can be toxic to dogs, causing symptoms like vomiting, depression, and breathing difficulties.) So, although ornamental salvias are not poisonous, they’re nothing you’d want to put in soup.

The edible salvias are usually referred to as sage, like the Salvia officinalis used to flavor roasted chicken and turkey. In fact, there are several edible varieties that are used in everyday seasonings.

Sage’s leaves are very pungent when raw, which is why most chefs recommend cooking them before eating. However, the flowers are reputed to have a delicate taste that makes a nice garnish in salads or sauces. They are great for the pollinators too!

According to WebMD, sage might help with chemical imbalances in the brain that cause problems with memory and thinking skills. It might also change how the body uses insulin and sugar.

People commonly use sage for memory and thinking skills, high cholesterol, and symptoms of menopause. Some people also use it for pain after surgery or to treat lung cancer, sore throat, sunburn, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Bottom Line: Know your salvia and use accordingly!

DOWN IN THE DIRT

Posted on May 21, 2024May 21, 2024 by vlaw759

“God made dirt, and dirt don’t hurt.” So chant young children when they don’t want to take a bath. And mostly, that’s true.

As it turns out, the average person ingests about 100 milligrams of dirt every single day. Overall, that equates to roughly six pounds of dirt in an average lifespan! This is mostly unintentional.

Eating Dirt Intentionally

*Woman selling geophagic clay in Zambia (Jcaravanos)*

On the other hand, some people crave dirt. It’s a form of the disorder pica (the strong urge to eat items that aren’t food). Geophagia is the official term for craving and eating dirt, including earth, soil, or clay. Eating dirt may relieve gastrointestinal pain for some people, but it can also cause health problems such as anemia and lead poisoning.

Eating dirt is not a recent phenomenon by any stretch of the imagination. Archaeologists have found evidence that our ancestors ate dirt at least 2 million year ago, back when Homo sapiens was still Homo habilis. Hippocrates wrote about the practice more than 2 thousand years ago.

If a pregnant woman feels the desire to eat earth or charcoal and then eats them, the child will show signs of these things.
Hippocrates. Oevres Complètes d’Hippocrate, Vol. 8, Little E, transl. Paris: Baillière, 1839: 487

Children sometimes choose to eat dirt, and it has also been linked to pregnancy cravings and nutrient deficiencies. ‌ If you have iron deficiency anemia, you may feel an urge to eat dirt. While soil does contain minerals and nutrients, it’s not a safe way to get them into your body. Overall, dirt eating happens more often in places where there is famine and poverty.

In fact, exposure to a diverse range of microorganisms, including those found in soil and on farm animals, can actually have significant benefits on your gut microbiome, supporting digestive and immune health.

Cooking With Dirt

Despite headlines claiming desperately hungry people in Haiti eat “galette” out of necessity, these mud cakes actually play a different role in traditional medicine. Due to their mineral content, some people traditionally recommended these mud cookies as a dietary supplement for pregnant women and children. A small minority of Haitians believe they contain calcium (which can act as an antacid and provide nutritional benefits), but doctors warn this can also cause tooth decay, constipation, and worse.

To make sour dirt, spread soil on a cookie sheet, season with vinegar or your choice of flavorings, and then bake in a wood-burning oven for an hour or smoke in the chimney. After preparation, the dirt tastes sour with an acidic taste, crunchy, and smooth; reputedly, it melts in the mouth like chocolate. (I haven’t tried it and do not recommend it.)

The Many Uses of Kaolin

Dr. Sera Young, a research scientist at Cornell University’s College of Human Ecology, published Craving Earth, which documents more than 2,000 years of human consumption of clay, starch, and chalk worldwide. In the United States, there is a Southern tradition of eating white dirt, largely a function of geography. “White dirt” is actually a soft, chalky clay.

The southeastern North American coastline is especially rich in minerals. Chuck Reese wrote an article about the southern history of eating white dirt in The Bitter Southerner. “One of the most valuable of those mineral resources, historically, was kaolin. Look at the list of its uses, and you’ll see why:

“Ceramics
“Toothpaste
“As a light-diffusing material in light bulbs
“Cosmetics
“As a gloss modifier in paint
“As a reinforcing element in rubber
“In adhesives that modify the rheology, or relative solidity, of soft solids such as muds and mortars
“As an organic insect repellent in agriculture
“As a whitewash in traditional masonry structures in Nepal
“As an indicator in radiological dating
“As an absorbent in water-treatment systems
“And of course, there is its most human use: Kaolin soothes the upset stomach. Didn’t your mama ever give you Kaopectate?” (Chuck Reese, Bitter Southerner)

“It’s pretty clear in the medical community that this [eating dirt] is not necessarily a deadly idea, but it’s not a good idea,” Adam Forrester says.

Chuck Reese adds, “People who eat white dirt are mostly, but not entirely, African-American. They are mostly, but not entirely, women. And mostly, women eat it when they are entirely pregnant.”

Benefits of Getting Dirty

Studies using mice have found healthy bacteria that live in the soil increase serotonin levels and reduce anxiety. But mice are pretty different from humans.

There’s a safer way. “Putting your hands in the soil releases ‘feel good’ chemicals in the brain and grounds the nervous system,” Hannah Brents, LICSW, of Safe Talk Therapy in Boston, told Psycom.

Actually, there are many benefits of gardening and spending time outdoors.

While tending a garden, you perform functional movement that mimics whole body exercise, burns calories, improves balance, increases strength, and increases flexibility. You’ll enjoy an improved diet if you grow your own vegetables and herbs.
Studies have shown that spending time outdoors reduces heart rate and muscle tension. Sunlight lowers blood pressure and increases vitamin D levels. In addition, people tend to breathe deeper when outside, which helps to clear out the lungs, improves digestion, improves immune response, and increases oxygen levels in the blood.
Exercise in nearly all forms is good for you. It’s been shown to lighten mood and lower levels of stress and anxiety. Routines of gardening and exercise provide structure to our days and are linked to improved mental health.
Gardening and spending time outdoors brings people together and strengthens social connections. They bring together people with diverse backgrounds who share preferred activities. Social connections help lower stress, improve resilience, and provide support during difficult times in life. A strong sense of belonging lowers your risk of depression, anxiety, and suicide.

*Sankofa Community Development Cooperation, New Orleans*

Dirt Comes in Many Flavors

As you no doubt inferred from the above discussion of white dirt, there are many types of dirt. If you are a gardening nerd, you probably already know one type of dirt from another. For the rest of us:

Sandy soil is light, warm, dry and tends to be acidic and low in nutrients. It has a high proportion of sand and little clay (clay weighs more than sand).
Clay soil is a heavy soil type that benefits from high nutrients. Clay soils remain wet and cold in winter and dry out in summer.
Silt soil is a light and moisture retentive soil type with a high fertility rating.
Peat soil is high in organic matter and retains a large amount of moisture.
Chalk soil can be either light or heavy but always highly alkaline due to the calcium carbonate (lime) within its structure.
Loam soil is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay combined to avoid the negative effects of each type.
Black dirt typically contains iron and other chemicals, which is what gives it the brown/black color.

And then there are other distinctions known to gardeners: fill dirt, top soil, potting soil…

Dirty Danger

But when it comes to dirt, whether you are playing in it, eating it, or working with it, beware: there are many soil born diseases and illnesses. People with compromised immune systems, whether due to a congenital condition, following an organ transplant, or certain medication, must avoid gardening or soil contact for this reason. In addition to tetanus, anthrax, and botulism, soil bacteria may cause diseases in the gastrointestinal tract, infections in open wounds, skin lesions, and respiratory tract disruptions. Non-responsive, overwhelming, or chronic pneumonia may be connected to dirt as well. Typically, the growth of disease-producing microorganisms is favored by particular soil characteristics and may involve complex life cycles including amoebae or animal hosts. Infection may come from direct inoculation, ingestion of contaminated food, or inhalation.

Because there are so many benefits of getting close to dirt, do it! Just take appropriate cautions and use protective gear as needed.

Bottom Line: Getting down and dirty can be a beautiful thing!

HOW OLD IS TOO OLD?

Posted on February 6, 2024February 6, 2024 by vlaw759

The United States has no standardized system for food dating, and only 20 states actually require perishable foods have dates on them. Manufacturers put dates on products for their own benefit, not
yours. But how do you know if something is actually too old to be beneficial?

Last week I blogged about expiration dates. In my opinion, the ones that really matter are medicines, cleaning products, and safety gear, such as infant/child carseats, and kevlar vests—anything we count on for health and safety.

But even things without an expiration date can be too old. How are you to know?

Shoes

Running shoes can start to lose their cushioning after about 250 miles of running, which means more stress on your joints. Most walking shoes start to break down after 350 to 500 miles.

Shoes for housework, hanging around, gardening, running errands, etc. vary wildly by design and materials. Very fancy, formal shoes may fall apart after one outing. Cheap sandals might keep going for years.

*Ballet shoes break down astonishingly quickly.*

Advice: For hard runners, get new shoes every 200 to 300 miles. For less strenuous runners, replace workout shoes every six months to a year. Walkers or occasional joggers, pay attention to the feel of your shoes. The wear pattern on the tread of your shoes can be a very good indicator of how much life your shoes have left.

Power Strips

Cheap power strips or ones that have been overworked can be a fire hazard, and use a lot of energy. Only buy surge protectors and power strips with an OSHA rating. But even good-quality surge protectors are designed to last for a certain amount of joules (the amount of excess electrical surges they absorb). They typically do not come with an expiration date, but the product warranty is a good way to gauge how old they are.

*If your power strip looks like this, it might be too old for safe use.*

Signs of age: If they start to get discolored or hot to the touch, get a new one. It’s generally a good idea to replace them every couple of years just to be safe.

Razors

*Please do not give razor blades to babies. Babies are notoriously full of bacteria.*

Disposable razors are supposed to be thrown away. But how often? To prevent bacteria buildup and razor burn, you could toss your razors every week, or every three to four shaves.

Alternatively: Don’t cut yourself shaving and get a new razor when the blade begins to drag, requiring several passes to get smooth. Make sure to let it dry between uses.

Fire Extinguishers

Most fire extinguishers don’t expire for five to 15 years, depending on the type. Make sure to recharge (refill) after any use.

Warning signs: Things like cracks in the hose and low pressure can affect how well they work. Check the pressure in the gauge often.

Batteries

Batteries start to expire as soon as they’re made. The shelf life differs between types and sizes of battery, as well as where they are stored.

Store batteries in a dry, room-temperature location. It does not depend on whether they are used.

Signs: Check the date, and discard when there is any sign of corrosion (the white stuff along seams or ends).

Scrubbing Devices

*Not to be confused with sponge cake, which should be consumed as soon as possible because it is delicious.*

Sponges and natural loofahs can start to breed bacteria in just a couple of weeks. Plastic mesh loofahs are safe for up to eight weeks.

Suggestion: Rinse and dry all your loofahs after each use. Replace natural loofahs every couple weeks, and mesh ones every other month.

Household Danger Alarms

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can stop working after 10 years, even if you replace the batteries. Most have the expiration or manufacture date listed somewhere on them.

Staying safe: If you don’t know the age, it’s safer just to replace them.

Bug Spray

Commercial insect repellent loses effectiveness after about two years from the manufacture date, which should be marked on the bottle. Check the date before you buy to make sure it isn’t already old. Don’t let the bugs bite!

If you make your own insect repellent, the mixture will lose effectiveness at varying times depending on the ingredients.

Advice: Get new spray every couple of years.

Skin Care Products

Most skin care products are safe to use for six months to a year after opening, although maybe a bit less for eye products. Moisturizers in a jar that you use your fingers to apply can become a breeding ground for bacteria in a matter of months. (Wash hands before applying.) Lotions and moisturizers in a tube should be good for a couple of years after opening, and after that will start to dry out and lose effectiveness. Powder makeup can last up to two years before the preservatives in it start to break down. Lipstick that’s exposed to air starts to dry out and change consistency after around two
years.

*If your makeup contains lead tablets and was made in the 5th century BCE, it’s probably too old.*

Signs that a product has degraded:

If it’s an emulsion (a mixture of oil and water), separation is often one of the first signs that a product has past its prime, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Changes in color or texture might signify that a product is no longer effective or safe to use. A good rule to follow before rubbing something on your skin is that if something seems off, don’t use it.
If products smell badly or differently than they should, that could be a sign that bacteria or contaminants could be lurking inside. According to Dr. Bruce Brod, a dermatologist at the University of Pennsylvania, “That’s a red flag that a product may not be safe.”

Spirits

Unlike wine, which continues to age even in the bottle, unopened liquors will stay good indefinitely. Keep opened and unopened bottles in a cool place.

Signs of age: An opened bottle of liquor will begin to lose its taste and potency after about a year. But unless you’re a connoisseur, you likely won’t notice a big difference until much later.

Food

And then there is food.

Generally speaking, expiration dates have more to do with the food’s overall quality and texture instead of when it is safe or not safe to eat. According to RealSimple, as long as there are no signs of spoilage, you can eat it, but it might not taste as fresh as it once was.

Fresh Foods

Things like milk, cheese, fresh vegetables, and fruit should not be eaten past their prime because they can harbor bacteria that can be dangerous. This is caused by the natural breakdown of organic matter.

You’ll be able to tell that these foods have gone bad based on their appearance and smell.

*A string of murders could be another sign that one of your potatoes is bad.*

The common potato and other plants of the nightshade family (like tomatoes and eggplants) contain traces of a toxic chemical called solanine that can be very dangerous and even deadly. The toxin is minimal in raw, unspoiled potatoes, but if sprouted, overexposed to the sun, or stored near other
vegetables that increase spoilage (like onions) for a long period of time, the concentration of this chemical can become harmful. When stored correctly, ripe potatoes should stay good for two to three months. Store potatoes in a cool, dark place.

Solution: Don’t eat green (unripe) or sprouted (overripe) potatoes.

Frozen Foods

Frozen foods do not have the same time limitations for safety as fresh foods.

As Marianne Gravely, Technical Information Specialist, Food Safety and Inspection Service in Health and Safety says, “Food poisoning bacteria does not grow in the freezer, so no matter how long a food is frozen, it is safe to eat. Foods that have been in the freezer for months may be dry, or may not taste as good, but they will be safe to eat.”

Shelf-Stable Foods

Some foods have been treated to last indefinitely without needing refrigeration or freezing. Salted, dried, freeze-dried, or cured foods, like nuts, jerky, or oatmeal can last for years as long as they are in moisture-proof, sealed packaging.

Most canned foods are safe indefinitely as long as the can itself is in good condition (no rust, dents, or swelling).

Packaged foods (cereal, pasta, cookies) will eventually become stale or develop an off flavor.

See FSIS’ Shelf-Stable Food Safety fact sheet for more information. Before eating, check the packaging for signs of damage and the food itself for signs of spoilage or contamination.

Seasonings

Dried herbs and spices usually last for two to three years, but it depends on the kind, how they were dried, and how they are stored. You can find charts of how long different herbs and spices last online.

Signs of age: Taste and smell have faded. When they no longer pass the taste test, get rid of them. In the interim, for dried herbs, you can sometimes boost them by adding finely minced fresh parsley.

Salt by itself doesn’t expire; however, when salt includes iodine it may reduce shelf life. Even so, iodized salt has a shelf life of about five years. Keep your salt free of moisture, perhaps going so far as to repackage it in glass jars.

Sweeteners

Sugar does not have an expiration date. White sugar lasts almost indefinitely if properly stored—though pests can contaminate your sugar and spoil it. Brown sugar may become hard as it loses moisture, but a piece of apple or bread in the container will restore softness.

Honey does not expire. It will last indefinitely! Be sure to buy 100% pure honey in glass. A lot of the honey on the market contains stuff other than honey. Honey found in King Tut’s tomb was still edible after more than 3000 years!

Bonus: Raw honey also has antibacterial properties.

Bottom Line: In most cases, you can be guided by your eyes, nose, tongue, and sense of touch.

EXPIRED? REALLY?

Posted on January 30, 2024January 30, 2024 by vlaw759

After a recent trip to the dentist, I noticed that the little sample size Colgate dental floss has an expiration date of 01/07/2025. Really? Dental floss?

It turns out that dental floss is pretty sturdy stuff, meant to last long. The floss itself does not go bad, though the string might begin to fray a bit. The wax coating of waxed floss might start to break down. Any flavoring agents can start lessening after a long period.

So that made me wonder about the usefulness of other expiration dates.

Please note: what follows is information I found online—i.e., generally available information, not advice or recommendation.

How About Cleaning Products?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires all disinfectants to publish expiration date information for all formulations that change significantly over time.

So, yes, cleaning products can expire. “Like many products purchased at the grocery store, cleaning products can degrade over time,” says Brian Sansoni, senior vice president of communications, outreach & membership at the American Cleaning Institute (ACI). “Even if they contain preservatives, that doesn’t mean they last forever. As they begin to break down, it might affect how well the enzymes work or change the pH, resulting in a less effective product,” Sansoni explains. You might need to scrub longer or harder.

Once it has expired, some of the claims a product makes (such as the percentage of germs it kills on a surface) may no longer be valid.

Bleach: Once opened, bleach has a surprisingly short shelf life and starts to become less effective after 6 months.
Multi-surface cleaning sprays: Most cleaning sprays will last for 2 years.
Dish detergent: About 1 year to 18 months.
Laundry detergent: Lasts for 6 months to 1 year after opening.
Disinfecting sprays: About 2 years after the manufacture date.
Hand sanitizer: Check for an expiration date on the bottle—most last for 2 to 3 years.

Medicines?

Surely everyone knows they do. Indeed, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires all medications to have an expiration date.

Manufacturers create over-the-counter and prescription medication dosage instructions that reflect the product’s strength, quality, and purity when stored properly. This is indicated by “Expires: [DATE]” or “EXP: [DATE]” on the bottle or packaging. Think aspirin, neosporin, etc.

Beyond the expiration date, the manufacturer cannot guarantee the product will work effectively when taken as directed, and there is no easy way to determine the potency of the expired medication.

Rarely but more seriously, the drug manufacturer cannot ensure that the product will not degrade and produce toxic compounds that could cause harm.

The FDA has recently begun allowing manufacturers to extend specific medication expiration dates for the purposes of national emergency preparedness. However, you generally shouldn’t take expired medications without consulting a state-licensed, board-certified medical professional like a pharmacist or medical doctor.

*The FDA has extended printed expiration dates for at-home COVID tests. Before throwing away an expired test, check with a pharmacist to see if it might still be accurate.*

What About Skin Care Products?

Unless the product is classified as a drug, as acne treatments and sunscreen products are, you probably won’t find an expiration date on it, said Dr. Bruce Brod, a dermatologist at Penn Medicine. Still, if you can’t remember when you bought, you should probably toss it. Like cleaning products and medications, the effectiveness of active ingredients in these products can start to break down over time.

And Then There Is Food…

Generally speaking, it is safe to buy food on its expiration date. Expiration dates have more to do with the food’s overall quality and texture rather than whether it is safe or not safe to eat. As long as there are no signs of spoilage, you can eat it (though it might not taste as fresh as it once was).

What Foods Can You Not Eat After the Expiration Date?

Item	Months
Bacon and sausage	1 to 2
Casseroles	2 to 3
Egg whites or egg substitutes	12
Frozen dinners and entrees	3 to 4
Gravy, meat or poultry	2 to 3
Ham, hotdogs, and lunchmeats	1 to 2
Meat, uncooked roasts	4 to 12
Meat, uncooked steaks or chops	4 to 12
Meat, uncooked ground	3 to 4
Meat, cooked	2 to 3
Poultry, uncooked whole	12
Poultry, uncooked parts	9
Poultry, uncooked giblets	3 to 4
Poultry, cooked	4
Soups and stews	2 to 3
Wild game, uncooked	8 to 12

Recommended Freezer Times

Most shelf-stable foods are safe to eat much longer than their expiration date. But things like milk (and other dairy) should not be consumed past its expiration date unless frozen. One can tell that these foods have gone bad based on their appearance and smell.

Posted by Marianne Gravely, Technical Information Specialist, Food Safety and Inspection Service in Health and Safety: “Food poisoning bacteria does not grow in the freezer, so no matter how long a food is frozen, it is safe to eat. Foods that have been in the freezer for months (recommended freezer times chart) may be dry, or may not taste as good, but they will be safe to eat. Often seasonings and additional ingredients can make up for loss of flavor.

Before you throw out limp lettuce or brown bananas, consider the possibilities! Wilted herbs can infuse oils. Turn mushy fruit into pie or compote. Almost any vegetable past its prime can still make great soup. Leftover milk or cream make great ricotta or milk jam. Recently expired milk can even substitute for buttermilk in baked goods. You can even use expired food as cleaning agents or skin care ingredients!

While not food per se, baking powder and baking soda both have expiration dates that should be heeded—assuming you want your baked goods to turn out right.

Things You Never Knew Had an Expiration Date

They’re meant to keep you safe or to ensure that the product will still work, so don’t blow them off.

Infant/child carseats: every one has an expiration date, usually printed on the bottom of the seat. The longevity of a car seat varies by manufacture date and brand. For example, Graco and Britax car seats tend to expire after six to ten years, depending on the type of seat you have.
IOSAT (Potassium Iodide) Nuke Pills expire but have a shelf life of around 5-6 years. They are relatively inexpensive and provide assurance for nuclear accidents and attacks. Be sure to check the expiration date of your supplies of this “must have” if you are prepping for a radiation emergency. Ensure you have one packet for everyone in your household.
Kevlar clothing items have an expiration date. Yes, bullet proof vests and motorcycle pants have expiration dates, generally five years for Kevlar.

Condoms have an expiration date, usually printed on the package. Generally, a condom expires about five years after manufacture if stored under proper conditions—i.e., in a cool, dry place. Condoms with spermicide will last just two years. Heat, light, and humidity will affect condom integrity.
Disposable respirators (the majority, anyway) have expiration dates. The respirator mask should not be used after this date.
Bottled water has a date stamped on the bottle, though this is sometimes a sell-by or use-by date rather than an expiration date. Water, of course, does not go bad or expire. However, the bottles can start to break down and leak antimony and microplastics into the water when stored at high temperatures or for a long time.

“Sell By” or “Use By”

Then there are “sell by” and “use by” dates:

“Sell by” dates:
- This is information for the store for their own stock rotation to let the stores know how long to display the food. It helps them keep track: out with the old, and in with the new.
“Use by” dates
- Best if used by dates are for the consumer to advise about the texture, color or quality of the food. This totally voluntary information a manufacturer passes along to protect their brand. Generally, you can stretch the date and still enjoy the food.

Bottom Line: Pay attention to expiration dates, especially on products related to one’s health and well-being.

DUST TO DUST

Posted on January 9, 2024January 9, 2024 by vlaw759

It’s here, it’s there! In the car. Under the china cabinet. On book shelves—and books. Curled into dust bunnies in closet corners. Where on earth does all that dust come from? Short answer? Nearly everywhere!

Wherever it comes from, dust is fine particles of solid matter, heavy enough to see and light enough to be carried by the wind.

What Makes Dust?

*Pay no attention to the cuteness – these creatures are dangerous!*

Tiny fragments of human skin account for 20-50% of household dust! People are generally aware of dry skin on the scalp and body. Now you know: it doesn’t just disappear! If you sleep on flannel sheets, your bed might look like you have full-body dandruff. (Told to me by a friend!)

Pets also shed skin cells. People who are allergic to cats, dogs, guinea pigs or whatever, are allergic to that pet’s dander. Personally, I have a major anaphylactic response (throat swelling, unable to breathe) to guinea pig dander—even to a room where a guinea pig has been! In Peru, guinea pig meat is a traditional and major source of protein. It turns out, I can eat guinea pig, I just can’t be around them.

BTW, although it is extremely rare, people can be allergic to human dander! And some dogs are allergic to humans!

Hair is usually seen in strands, but can disintegrate into dust, too.

Dangerous Dust

Smoke and ash often go together. You smell smoke because of the particles coming in contact with your nasal membranes. And as you all know, excessive exposure to smoke or ash can be deadly. But don’t forget volcanic ash!

*Pollen season where I live washes the world in chartreuse.*

Those spring days when your vehicle seems to have been powdered in yellow, you can see pollen dust. But even when you can’t see it, airborne pollen can adversely affect breathing.

Bacteria are dust? Yep. Or at least they are in dust. The most common ones are staphylococcus and streptococcus, both common on human skin and relatively prevalent in our everyday lives.

Dust that is small bits of dirt or rock are hazardous to one’s lungs with long or repeated exposure. Think black lung disease for coal miners. Ditto asbestos used in construction. Even plaster or chalk dust.

Wind moves dust in dry places. A small wind gust can swirl debris almost anywhere, such as the driveway or a city street. A strong, well-formed, relatively short-lived whirlwind makes a dust devil. It can be short or tall, like a swirling cone of dust.

*A gigantic dust cloud engulfs a ranch in Boise City, Okla., in 1935.*

Big winds, over expansive areas can form dust storms. This happened long-term in the 1930s across the American and Canadian prairie. The result was called the Dust Bowl, and great damage to the ecology and agriculture.

People with asthma or other breathing problems pay close attention to the daily air quality index, which is affected by all these sources of dust pollution.

Useful Dust

*Scott Wade turns dusty cars into fantastic works of art!*

Is there anything good about dust? I mean apart from children being able to write their names on tables, cars, etc.

Beauty, maybe? You can buy sea salt spray for your hair, purported to offer texture, a natural look, and to counter some of the oil on hair to give you an extra day of good style between washes.

Sea spray (aerosol particles of salt crystals from the ocean) is formed mostly by bursting bubbles where the sea meets the air, transferring matter and energy between the ocean and the atmosphere. It’s most obvious when it dries on surfaces.

*Dust particles help in pollination of plants.*

Then, too, individual dust particles are a major part of rain. Water vapor in clouds condenses (turns to liquid) around invisible dust particles. A “grain” of dust is likely at the center of every raindrop.

In agriculture, dust can enhance soil fertility and improve crop growth. Adding rock dust to fields can also help to capture carbon in the atmosphere, potentially helping to reverse climate change.

In industry, dust can be used in the production of such materials as concrete and ceramics.

*During Holi, celebrants throw colored dust (typicall*y made of corn starch and dye) on each other to celebrate spring, love, and the triumph of good over evil.

Among the benefits of dust is that it reduces the air temperature, as well as reduces the risk of toxic gases in the atmosphere.

Exposing children to dust through gardens and dust in the child’s natural surroundings enhances children’s immunity.

Household dust actually purifies the air by neutralizing ozone that can harm our lungs—because one of the major components of house dust is human skin, which contains the ozone-eliminating component squalene.

Dust is important for survival because it plays a role in a range of physical, chemical, and bio-geological processes, and interacts with the cycles of energy, nitrogen, carbon, and water that are necessary for Earth system functions.

Bottom Line: Like so many things, dust is good for you—in moderation.