Month: October 2020

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YOU CAN’T BET ON BIDEN OR TRUMP

Are you a gambling man—or woman?  Most of us don’t take a whole lot of chances with our money. In fact, only 15% of people in the world gamble on a regular basis.  On the other hand, 85% of us have gambled on something or other in the past year.  Bought a lottery ticket, or played some slot machines in a casino.  In election years, there’s a lot of bets being placed on who’s going to win. But here in the United States, you can’t bet on Biden or Trump.

Political betting is illegal in this country.  That means you’re breaking the law if you even place a bet with your cousin or next door neighbor..  Obviously, there’s lots of people breaking the law.  And I’m not sure what the penalty might be if someone reported you to the police for betting on the election.

You can't bet on Biden or Trump. Political gambling is illegal in the USA.
You can’t bet on Biden or Trump. Political Betting is illegal in the USA.

People from other countries can go online and place all the bets they want to, but we Yanks aren’t supposed to bet on our own elections. Why is that? The theory is that if you bet on a massive longshot, you would be less likely to vote—ensuring that your candidate will lose.  Nevertheless, most seasoned politicians follow the sports betting 2020 election odds very closely. And right now, the odds are favoring Biden.

According to Reuter’s World News,

“Bettors on British exchange markets give Democratic challenger Joe Biden a 66% chance of winning the Nov. 3 election, down from 68% before the the debate. Trump’s chances improved to 34% from 32%.

….The odds have narrowed since mid-October, but betting trends on gambling websites still predict a win for Biden. The former vice president has a substantial lead in national opinion polls, although the contest is closer in battleground states likely to decide the race.

…The majority of big-money political betting occurs outside America as betting on politics is illegal in the United States.”

Although we can’t legally  place a bet, we can to go online and see the betting odds for the 2020 election.

But  seasoned gamblers often bet against the odds .  It turns out that as of October 20th,  62% of world gamblers were betting on Trump to win, and only 35% were betting on Biden.  Why bet against public opinion?

According to the website  Odds Shark.  “ One of the most popular sports betting systems is the “contrarian method” of going against whatever side the public is backing,” because “the public can be easily brainwashed by the media, and tends to be wrong more often than not.”

Are the contrarians right or wrong?  It remains to be seen.

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9 THINGS TO DO IF HOME ALONE

With winter coming on, a recent retiree asked my husband, “what do you do all day?” He felt exasperated because he’s an outdoor person.  The Covid-19 lockdown didn’t bother him much until now, because he could hike, play golf, and easily find things to do while socially distancing.   But now, he’s wondering  how to make it through the next few months while stuck inside.   Here are 9 things to do if you’re  home alone during the pandemic.

1. Make Your Bed.  Why bother, if no one but you can see it?  Because making your bed gives you a sense of accomplishment and normalcy.  Anyway , who wants to climb back into a tangled mess at night.

2. Exercise.  Maybe you have some home equipment, like an exercise bike.  But you really don’t need it. There are tons of stretching exercises you can do, plus ones using weights.  Make it a habit,  fifteen minutes, first thing in the morning.

3. Jigsaw puzzles are good for your  brain because they exercise both side of your brain.    If you have a computer, you can do them online at places like jigzone.com.  and listen to  the pieces fall into place. It’s fun, and free!

9 things to do when home alone. Do a puzzle at jigsaw.com
9 things to do if home alone. Try a jigsaw puzzle at jigzone.com. It’s free!

4. Prepare nourishing foods.  It’s tempting to live on cheese and crackers or cereal.  But that’s boring and unhealthy. Make fresh fruit smoothies. Try a new recipe–something fancy and unusual.  Dream about the day when you can have a  dinner party with a dazzling new dish.

5. Do something creative. Learn woodworking online or with a book from Menards..  Paint pictures, knit, sew, crochet. Write your memoirs, start a scrapbook, make a collage with favorite photos—the list is endless

6. Get out of the house.  Unless its pouring down rain, sleet, or snow, bundle up and get a breath a fresh air. Fill your lungs with oxygen and take a short walk. The change of scene will lift your spirits.

7. Read books. If you’re bored with “formula” novels and Chicklit, go back and read the classics.  How could anyone tire of Tolstoy?

8. Start an indoor garden.  I began one last year with pots of amaryllis.  They don’t start growing until you water them, so they can be staggered to bloom all winter.  I had gorgeous fresh flowers  from December through March.   Spider plants, ivy, and philodendron  provide fresh greenery on dull winter days–and they’re good for the air.

9. Redecorate.  Paint your bedroom pink.  Order some new curtains on Amazon or buy them at Walmart.  Refinish some furniture.

One of these days, we’ll have a vaccine, and new medicines to fight the virus.  In the meantime, there are nine good things to do if you’re home alone this winter

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ARE DIGITAL COUPONS FOR DUMMIES?

Are you confused by digital coupons?  Are they worth the bother?  I guess it depends on your motivation to save money.    Navigating  the logistics of digital coupons presents a unique challenge.   If you  decide to get in the game, you’ll need technical skills, patience, and good reading ability.  It’s easier if you start with the ads in the Sunday paper, but if you have the time, you can download the ads on your computer or smart phone.   But are digital coupons for dummies? 

I didn’t used to be much of a coupon person.  In the old days, people got coupons in newspapers and magazines. .  My then mother-in-law was a coupon junkie.  Her cupboards were loaded with strange or  unappetizing products which she’d acquired by use of coupons. She knew to the penny, and was proud to say , how much she  had saved. .  She arrived at this figure by adding up the value of all the  coupons she had redeemed. . Never mind that she had bought overpriced products that she seldom consumed. .  To her, it was the bottom line that mattered

However, I saw things differently.   It seemed to me that clipping and redeeming coupons wasn’t worth the effort.

Then, along came the covid-19 pandemic.  Now, I was looking for  ways to pass the time while socially isolated. . Unfortunately, newspapers have become less interesting. They’ve cut staff , so there isn’t much” hard news“.  And what’s there  is slanted according to the bias of the editorial staff.  They’re printing more “ soft news” in  what we used to call fillers—long, two and three page human interest  stories devoted to animals, diseases and causes.  Pretty dull stuff.

Are digital coupons for dummies? You have to have some tech skills to use them.
Are digital coupons for dummies? You have to have patience and tech skills to use them.

So, there I am on a Sunday morning, desperately seeking some entertainment from the morning newspaper.  Comics and sports pages really don’t do it.  Suddenly,, the pharmacy  and supermarket pages  draw my interest.  It’s a challenge to sift through the various offers.  If you buy five of this or that, there’s a dollar to be saved.  Then, there’s BOGO (buy one get one free). And finally, the most complex offer of all, digital coupons.

Digital coupons aren’t for the time limited  or technologically unskilled person.  You’ll need to log in to the store’s  website with your email address, and then create a password which you will quickly forget.  With a sinking heart, you know you’re now on their list.  You’ll be getting emails from them  ad infinitum. Anyway, put on your  glasses and scroll through the digital coupon offers.  Read the fine print. Often, it says you must buy two, five, or nine of the product in order to save a dollar or less.

When you get to the store, you forget exactly what the offer entailed.  If you ask the checkout clerk why the coupon didn’t download on your rewards card or pin, it’s because you had to buy more than one. Or the offer ended yesterday.  Now , you have a  choice. Turn it back in—looking like a cheapskate—or pay the full price.  It’s just one of the tricks of the trade

Buyer Beware: digital coupons are not for dummies

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5 GOOD THINGS YOU’LL REMEMBER

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a stressful time.  Fear of contracting the virus, combined with social isolation,  is a universal problem.  But each age has had their own stress.  Parents with children out of school report the most.  However, it’s also difficult for the elderly who face long, lonely hours without seeing their loved ones. But when it’s all over,  there are 5 good things you’ll remember about the lockdown..

Coid has relieved air pollution in major cities.
5 good things you’ll remember after the pandemic include  reduced pollution, giving us cleaner air,
  1. Cleaner air.   It’s estimated the pandemic lockdown has taken about 80% of passenger cars off local roads. Resulting in  a 31% reduction in air pollution compared to the same time frame last year.  Before-after-photos show less-air-pollution during the pandemic. According to the NIH, “air pollution is considered as the major environmental risk factor in the incidence and progression of some diseases such as asthma, lung cancer, ventricular hypertrophy, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, psychological complications, autism, retinopathy, fetal growth, and low birth weight. “

2. Money Saved.  Many people have lost their jobs, so this isn’t a benefit enjoyed by everyone . But for seniors on a fixed income, and those  still employed,  they are  suddenly seeing their bank balance grow.  Let’s face it: when you’re not going anywhere or  buying new clothes, have stopped going to restaurants and taking vacations,  you’re saving a bundle of money.  And when this pandemic is over, people are going to spend that money like crazy.

3. Learning how to do your own hair.  Over the years, most everyone  has become dependent on others to cut and style their hair.  But when you’re afraid to go to a beauty salon,,  you have to take matters into your own hands.  I’ve learned to cut my own hair, and people tell me they like it better.   I’ll probably go back  to having it done, but it’s nice to know I can do it myself.

4. Discovering the joys of takeout and delivery..  Like everyone else, we enjoyed eating in restaurants before the pandemic.    We didn’t do takeout unless someone was sick.  But now, we’ve learned to appreciate take out and delivery—especially the smaller restaurants where we wouldn’t have considered going  before.  Seafood, burgers, ethnic food….we’ve tried them all.   We don’t have to dress up or drive after dark, or wait too long for service..  Yes, I still dream of returning to our old favorite restaurants.  But we’ll be doing a lot more take out than we did before the pandemic.

5. Fewer sick days, due to healthier habits.  My husband and I have gone seven months without a  bout of diarrhea or respiratory infection.   Because of masking, social isolation, and obsessive hand washing,  we’re  avoiding a lot of germs other than covid.-19.

I know that many are suffering from financial hardship right now.  I’m old enough to remember my own father too sick to work, and a husband losing a job during the recession.  But after the pandemic ends, we may have  5 good things to remember about  making it through the pandemic with faith in ourselves, and the loving support of others.

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WARNING! SCANNERS MAY BE SCAMMERS

Have you ever noticed someone checking their receipts before leaving the grocery store? I stopped doing it a long time ago, because I trusted the clerks to scan items correctly. That’s all changed during this pandemic. Many of the clerks are new, and poorly trained. The seasoned ones are overwhelmed with the volume of food coming down the conveyor belt. Warning: scanners may be scammers.  Costly supermarket checkout  mistakes are becoming more frequent. 

It started last month.  My husband came home from the store and glanced at his receipt. It listed two cartons of ice cream. And yet, he’d only bought one. We looked in the car again, thinking maybe he actually had unwittingly picked up two cartons. But he hadn’t. It wasn’t really a big deal, but since I was going back to that same store the next day, I offered to try and get it corrected. Since we’ve been shopping there for over 30 years, they usually take my word for things.  However,  when I got to the business office , there were about 10 people waiting in line to cash checks, make returns, etc. It seemed like more trouble than it was worth for $4.00—especially with my arthritic knees. I shrugged, and chalked it up to experience.

A week later, at a different supermarket,  I bought one frozen dinner. When I got home, my receipt said I’d purchased two. I knew that was wrong, but again, it seemed like a lot of trouble to go back and make a complaint—especially since this is a newer store, where I’m not known.

during this pandemic, clerks are making mistakes at the checkout. Scanners may be scammers.
Warning: Scanners May be Scammers. Store clerks are overwhelmed during this pandemic, and making mistakes that cost you money

It happened again this week at yet a third superstore.  All the checkout lanes had long waiting lines. Everyone’s cart was loaded. No one goes to the supermarket to pick up a few things these days. They mask up, and grimly load up for the long term. The clerk seemed confused. She didn’t know the difference between a plantain and a banana, and she had to look it up.  Maybe she was new on the job.  I didn’t look at my receipt– just wanted to get out of there, since an unmasked man in the line was talking loudly. When I got home, I saw that she had scanned a carton of Kool Whip twice, and I’d only purchased one.

Are the clerks scanning one item twice on purpose? Of course not. They’re simply rushed, nervous, and often poorly trained. But now, I know better. This pandemic has left everyone confused.   Therefore, receipts should be checked—not inside the store while close to other people, but before  leaving the  parking lot.

Warning:  grocery store checkout mistakes are happening more often  during this pandemic.  Scanners may be scammers.

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WHY WOULD YOU VOTE STRAIGHT TICKET?

Our local newspaper just featured a story about our county’s bellwether status.  For those who don’t know: that means we’ve predicted who will be elected president since the year 1888—with two exceptions.  Now, they say that’s going to change if we go for Trump.  That doesn’t really bother me so much as the rest of the article. The author says that 41% of both republicans and democrats vote straight tickets. This leaves only a small amount of unpredictable votes. It boggles the mind.  Why would you vote  straight ticket in a small city?

Voting is different in a big city metropolis.  I was first eligible to vote when I moved to Chicago after college.  I’m sure I voted straight ticket because I didn’t know any of the people on the ballot.  I was just voting for the party of my parents.  Honestly, I didn’t give it a whole lot of thought. Year later, I moved to Miami and voted the same way. I had never met any of the candidates and their names meant nothing to me  Again, the safe bet was to vote straight ticket.

Why would you vote straight ticket? In this bellwether city, many are still undecided.
Why Would You Vote Straight Ticket? This bellwether county could lose its status this year.

Now, I’ve lived in this county where I vote for the past 50 years.  I have known, met, or , interacted with  almost  every local candidate.  I can’t imagine voting against a person I admire or respect based on their political affiliations.  Conversely, why would I vote for someone I don’t like, just because they belong to the party of my choice?

We  voted  early this year, on the second day the polls opened.  It was a little more crowded than usual , but no lines at all.  We got right in. When the poll worker came to instruct  me , she opened to the first page, stopped, and looked at me.  It was obvious she expected someone my age to vote straight ticket, which would make the whole process a whole lot easier.  When I told her I wanted to split my ticket, she seemed  nonplussed.  But she did her job, and told me to turn the page.  Then she left me to my private decisions.

There’s nothing difficult about splitting your ticket.  In fact, it’s a lot more interesting. In the rare cases where you don’t know all the  candidates for a given office,  you can always fall back on the party of your choice.  And when I see my favored candidate  walking down the street, it gives  me a warm feeling.  Even if I don’t identify as a member of their party,  I still believe he/she will do the best job.   And I’m glad I didn’t vote straight ticket.

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HAVING A COVID-19 MELTDOWN?

Here’s what a covid-19 meltdown feels like:  Hours after you’ve done something a bit risky, you start feeling apprehensive, and the worry begins to build .  Were you too close to someone at the grocery store?  Did that guy without a mask at the pharmacy breathe virus on you?     What about that small family dinner? You don’t go inside restaurants except for pickup, but did one of the workers have covid-19?  Now, you’re feeling lightheaded. Before you know it, your thoughts are spiraling out of control.   Are you having a covid-19 meltdown?

A covid-19 meltdown may last anywhere from a few hours to a few days.   During this time, you’re constantly checking the list of symptoms.  Can you still smell?  You go around sniffing coffee and lavender and a bar of soap.  Yes, you can still smell.  But now, your nose is dripping, and your eye looks bloodshot.   Is it your spring/fall allergies acting up?  Or,  the virus? .  You have an upset stomach.  Was it that Mexican food you ate last night, or covid-19.   You feel tired.  Was it that long hike you took yesterday, or something more serious?

My first covid-19 meltdown happened in late March.  This was when our city had less that one tenth of one percent covid-19 cases. The CDC was telling people not to wear masks.  It wouldn’t protect  you at all.  Apparently, they were really were just afraid they were going to run out of masks for essential workers.  When it turned out that people really should wear masks, we’d been running around for weeks without them.

Having a Covid-19 Meltdown? Try mindful breathing or a walk through the woods
Having a Covid-19 meltdown? A walk through the woods, or mindful breathing may help.

Around that time,  we hosted a small family gathering ,  including someone from another town.  That was when I first  began to feel anxious about contracting covid-19.  During the next four days, I symptom checked on and off every few hours.  At the end of that time period , I relaxed, and put aside my worries.

Now, our city has become a hot spot, with 11% positivity rates.  The fear is spreading. Over the past few months, I’ve had a couple more  meltdowns.   Since I suffer from both spring and fall allergies, any dizziness, fatigue, or dripping nose is alarming.   My worries escalate.  My husband is diabetic and close to 90. What would he do if I got sick?  Where would I go to isolate?  Mentally, I began to make plans.

Coping mechanisms that work best for me:

  1) A walk along the river or through the woods.
  2) Meditation and mindful breathing.

Here’s the thing– in the coming year, it’s probably not going to get any better.  No matter who is elected president, the virus will continue to spread.  I’ve resigned myself to the ever present danger.   We’ll either get the virus, or we won’t.  And until the plague has ended, I’ll probably have a few more covid-19 meltdowns.