« Older Entries

What We Have Here Is A Failure To Communicate

The results of this past election proved once again that the Democrats had a golden opportunity to capitalize on the failings of the Trump Presidency but, fell short of a nation wide mandate. A mandate to seize the gauntlet of the progressive movement that Senator Sanders through down a little over four years ago. The opportunities were there from the very beginning even before this pandemic struck. In their failing to educate the public of the consequences of continued Congressional gridlock, conservatism, and what National Economic Reform’s Ten Articles of Confederation would do led to the results that are playing out today.. More Congressional gridlock, more conservatism and more suffering of millions of Americans are the direct consequences of the Democrats failure to communicate and educate the public. Educate the public that a progressive agenda is necessary to pull the United States out of this Pandemic, and restore this nations health and vitality.

It was the DNC’s intent in this election to only focus on the Trump Administration. They failed to grasp the urgency of the times. They also failed to communicate with the public about the dire conditions millions have been and still are facing even before the Pandemic. The billions of dollars funneled into campaign coffers should have been used to educate the voting public that creating a unified coalition would bring sweeping reforms that are so desperately needed. The reality of what transpired in a year and a half of political campaigning those billions of dollars only created more animosity and division polarizing one extreme over another.

One can remember back in 1992 Ross Perot used his own funds to go on national TV to educate the public on the dire ramifications of not addressing our national debt. That same approach should have been used during this election cycle. By using the medium of television to communicate and educate the public is the most effective way in communicating and educating the public. Had the Biden campaign and the DNC used their resources in this way the results we ae seeing today would have not created the potential for more gridlock in our government. The opportunity was there to educate the public of safety protocols during the siege of this pandemic and how National Economic Reform’s Ten Articles of Confederation provides the necessary progressive reforms that will propel the United States out of the abyss of debt and restore our economy. Restoring our economy so that every American will have the means and the availability of financial and economic security.

The failure of the Democratic party since 2016 has been recruiting a Presidential Candidate who many felt was questionable and more conservative signals that the results of today has not met with the desired results the Democratic party wanted. Then again? By not fully communicating and not educating the public on the merits of a unified progressive platform has left the United States transfixed in our greatest divides since the Civil War. This writers support of Senator Bernie Sanders is well documented. Since 2015 he has laid the groundwork for progressive reforms. He also has the foundations on which these reforms can deliver the goods as they say. But, what did the DNC do, they purposely went out of their way to engineer a candidate who was more in tune with the status-quo of the DNC. They failed to communicate to the public in educating all of us on the ways our lives would be better served with a progressive agenda that was the benchmark of Senators Sanders Presidential campaign and his Our Revolution movement. And this is way there is still really no progress in creating a less toxic environment in Washington and around the country.

What Are The Greatest Changes In Shopping In Your Lifetime

What are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime? So asked my 9 year old grandson.

As I thought of the question the local Green Grocer came to mind. Because that is what the greatest change in shopping in my lifetime is.

That was the first place to start with the question of what are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime.

Our local green grocer was the most important change in shopping in my lifetime. Beside him was our butcher, a hairdresser and a chemist.

Looking back, we were well catered for as we had quite a few in our suburb. And yes, the greatest changes in shopping in my lifetime were with the small family owned businesses.

Entertainment While Shopping Has Changed
Buying butter was an entertainment in itself.
My sister and I often had to go to a favourite family grocer close by. We were always polite as we asked for a pound or two of butter and other small items.

Out came a big block of wet butter wrapped in grease-proof paper. Brought from the back of the shop, placed on a huge counter top and included two grooved pates.

That was a big change in our shopping in my lifetime… you don’t come across butter bashing nowadays.

Our old friendly Mr. Mahon with the moustache, would cut a square of butter. Lift it to another piece of greaseproof paper with his pates. On it went to the weighing scales, a bit sliced off or added here and there.

Our old grocer would then bash it with gusto, turning it over and over. Upside down and sideways it went, so that it had grooves from the pates, splashes going everywhere, including our faces.

My sister and I thought this was great fun and it always cracked us up. We loved it, as we loved Mahon’s, on the corner, our very favourite grocery shop.

Grocery Shopping
Further afield, we often had to go to another of my mother’s favourite, not so local, green grocer’s. Mr. McKessie, ( spelt phonetically) would take our list, gather the groceries and put them all in a big cardboard box.

And because we were good customers he always delivered them to our house free of charge. But he wasn’t nearly as much fun as old Mr. Mahon. Even so, he was a nice man.

All Things Fresh
So there were very many common services such as home deliveries like:

• Farm eggs

• Fresh vegetables

• Cow’s milk

• Freshly baked bread

• Coal for our open fires

Delivery Services
A man used to come to our house a couple of times a week with farm fresh eggs.

Another used to come every day with fresh vegetables, although my father loved growing his own.

Our milk, topped with beautiful cream, was delivered to our doorstep every single morning.

Unbelievably, come think of it now, our bread came to us in a huge van driven by our “bread-man” named Jerry who became a family friend.

My parents always invited Jerry and his wife to their parties, and there were many during the summer months. Kids and adults all thoroughly enjoyed these times. Alcohol was never included, my parents were teetotallers. Lemonade was a treat, with home made sandwiches and cakes.

The coal-man was another who delivered bags of coal for our open fires. I can still see his sooty face under his tweed cap but I can’t remember his name. We knew them all by name but most of them escape me now.

Mr. Higgins, a service man from the Hoover Company always came to our house to replace our old vacuum cleaner with an updated model.

Our insurance company even sent a man to collect the weekly premium.

People then only paid for their shopping with cash. This in itself has been a huge change in shopping in my lifetime.

In some department stores there was a system whereby the money from the cash registers was transported in a small cylinder on a moving wire track to the central office.

Some Of The Bigger Changes
Some of the bigger changes in shopping were the opening of supermarkets.

• Supermarkets replaced many individual smaller grocery shops. Cash and bank cheques have given way to credit and key cards.

• Internet shopping… the latest trend, but in many minds, doing more harm, to book shops.

• Not many written shopping lists, because mobile phones have taken over.

On a more optimistic note, I hear that book shops are popular again after a decline.

Personal Service Has Most Definitely Changed
So, no one really has to leave home, to purchase almost anything, technology makes it so easy to do online.
And we have a much bigger range of products now, to choose from, and credit cards have given us the greatest ease of payment.

We have longer shopping hours, and weekend shopping. But we have lost the personal service that we oldies had taken for granted and also appreciated.

Because of their frenetic lifestyles, I have heard people say they find shopping very stressful, that is grocery shopping. I’m sure it is when you have to dash home and cook dinner after a days work. I often think there has to be a better, less stressful way.

My mother had the best of both worlds, in the services she had at her disposal. With a full time job looking after 9 people, 7 children plus her and my dad, she was very lucky. Lucky too that she did not have 2 jobs.

Tags:

4 Essential Steps for Your Skin Care Routine

The face and the facial skin is the first thing that people see. So when we leave our homes you want to present a clean, clear, beautiful looking face. The facial skin unlike other areas of skin on our body is always exposed to the environment and therefore is easily damaged through sun exposure, chemicals, toxins and pollutants. Taking care of our facial skin is very important not only to stay beautiful but also to avoid increased signs of aging, blemishes, or acne.Although, most skin care products and advertisements are directed at women, men should also have a daily facial skin care routine as well. Men’s facial skin is just as likely as women’s to become damaged, dirty, or acne ridden, therefore making sure you properly hydrate, and clean your facial skin is necessary. Most people have been using the same skin care routine since they were young. They found an over the counter face wash that has worked for them and they stuck with it. However, as we age our skin changes. You may need more than just your average face wash to keep up that clear, youthful looking skin.The best skin care routines involve 4 steps. Diligence and determination are needed to succeed with a great skin care routine. Most people consider just washing or cleansing their face of the daily dirt and grime their best effort to keep their facial skin in good condition. However, it’s the other crucial steps that will keep their skin looking young, vibrant, healthy and firm. Although, all four steps are necessary to keep our facial skin beautiful, 2 out of the four steps are not necessary on a daily basis.The four essential steps to the best skin care routines are cleansing, toning, exfoliating, and moisturizing. Cleansing and moisturizing the face should be done everyday in the morning and before you go to bed. This way the face stays fresh, clean and hydrated throughout the day as well as the night.Cleansing is the first step for proper skin care. Most people clean or wash their face at least one time a day. This step is imperative because it removes dirt, dust, grime, grease and extra oil from the skin. Wet the face and then use a good facial cleanser on both the face and the neck. Massage the cleanser gently into the skin in an upward motion. Then rinse the face with warm water and a soft washcloth or cotton wool. A water-based cleanser is the best for cleaning the face because you can avoid chemicals that may irritate the skin.Toning is the second step in a facial skin care routine. Toning is usually used in the form of toner pads or wipes. Facial toners are used to remove any traces of dirt, grease, or excess cleanser that has been left as residue on the face. Using a toner everyday is an option and some people may even leave it out completely if they feel their cleanser works well enough. A good rule of thumb is to use a toner in your morning facial routine but leave it out of your nighttime regiment.Exfoliation is a key part of any skin care regiment, however should not be done on a daily basis. Exfoliation should be done once a week at most to remove dead skin cells from the face. Although the body naturally sloughs off dead skin cells on its own, exfoliating helps to speed up the process. Dead skin cells can block pores and cause acne so removing these skin cells in a timely manner can reduce the appearance of acne. However, exfoliation can be harmful especially to the facial skin, if done too often. Normal skin cells are replenished every 3-4 weeks; therefore exfoliating new skin cells can damage the appearance of your skin.Lastly but most importantly is moisturizing. Moisturizing the skin is so important because it keeps our skin from drying out; causing wrinkles or cracks and keeps our skin radiant and glowing. Dry skin can be painful, itchy and unappealing to the eye. Skin cells need water to live; therefore overly dry skin can lead to increased skin cell death. Use a moisturizer specifically for the face. Apply your moisturizer when your skin is warm and damp because this is when the pores are open. Leave some moisturizer on the top of the skin to get the full effect for your skin. Moisturize any time the skin feels dry and after both morning and even skin care routines. Make sure your moisturizer doesn’t have any harmful chemicals, fragrances or dyes that can irritate the skin.Natural skin care products should be used for all skin care needs. Natural products avoid harsh chemicals and dyes that can irritate the skin and cause breakouts. Always use products based upon your own skin type. Test products on your forearm, earlobe or neck before you buy them. This way you can know if it will cause any irritation. Always remember to remove all makeup before starting your skin care routine. Don’t just wash away makeup; use proper make-up removers to completely clean the face of makeup residue. Remember to apply sunscreen if there is a possibility you will be out in the sun.

Tags: