Are you ignorant?

 Sometimes it seems like all I do is complain but I actually don't.  But this time I do have one.  I was watching the Today show while we were in Florida and Carson Daly was doing this bit with someone about something or other and the person he was with told him he needed to use 10 liters of water.  Daly then asked how much is 10 liters?

I was amazed but I shouldn't have been.  I'll bet there are a lot of people who can't mentally conceptualize about how much 10 liters is (for the record, it's roughly equivalent to 10 quarts).  

I think that's indicative of a broader problem-ignorance-of just about everything.  For example I read somewhere that for people under 25 yrs old only 40% actually know what the Holocaust is. Now that's pathetic.

Another thing that gets me is watching reporters or someone doing that man-on-the-street routine where they stop people (usually young people) and ask them random questions about things like history, geography or science.  The unbelievable number of clueless people out there is amazing-especially when it comes to geography.

I remember back in the day when our four grand kids were little and I'd be baby sitting I'd take them downstairs where the finished part of our basement was set up like a classroom.  They used to love to play school-especially if one of them could be the teacher!  Anyway, I would have maps hung up all over the place of regions all over the world.  I would get them from National Geographic and we'd play geography games.  I did the same thing with my students during my teaching days.  I can guarantee you that if that roving reporter were to stop one of my former students he'd get correct answers!

 

Odds & Ends

 I just noticed it's been a while since I last posted. In all fairness I've been busy.  Between illnesses and some traveling to our FL condo and other family duties there hasn't been much time.  

Things have settled down fairly well now.  Everyone is healthy for the moment and we have a little time to breathe.  

Having said that, there isn't much to report. Things keep rolling along at their usual pace and with the exception of an occasional speed bump we're doing fine.  

So far winter has been very tolerable-in spite of the dire forecasts in the Farmer's Almanac.  Let's hope it stays that way.

I'll be back in about a week with a few observations.

Happy Second Anniversary

 Today is January 6, 2023.  It is the second anniversary of the attempt to overthrow our government led by Donald Trump. I have a few observations regarding this:

1. Why hasn't Trump been held responsible for this? Is he above the law?

2. The people involved in this insurrection are domestic terrorists.  It is good to see so many of them being sentenced to prison.

3. It is unbelievable that there are Congressmen who still insist the election was stolen and who refuse to condemn Trump and the others for their part in treason.

4. We are just now getting a Speaker of the House.  This is indicative of the chaos within the republican party.  I can only imagine what's in store for the country with these lunatics in the majority.  Thank God we have a democratic senate.

Just think.  In no time at all we'll be dealing with all of this all over again when the next election rolls around. Fun.

Hello, January

 About January

Holidays

New Years Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Australia Day
National Book Month

National Thank You Month
National Eye Care Month
National Volunteer Blood Donor Month
National Soup Month

 

Symbols of January:

• Birthstone: Garnet
• Flower: Carnation

History:

January was named after the Roman god Janus. Janus is also the Roman word for door. The god Janus had two faces which allowed him to look forwards into the coming year and backwards into the past year.

The original Roman calendar only had 10 months. January and February were not included, but were added later.

 

Interesting Facts about January

• On average, it is the coldest month of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
• It is the second month of winter.
• In the Southern Hemisphere January is a summer month the equivalent of July.
• Sometimes the Saxons called January the wolf month because hungry wolves would come into their towns searching for food this time of year.
• For a long period of European history, the start of the New Year occurred in March.