WILL VIRGINITY MAKE A COMEBACK?

By the time Roe vs. Wade became the law of the land in 1970, I was already married, with three children. Consequently, I spent my entire adolescence and early twenties at a time when most girls were virgins. There was plenty of “making out” and “fooling around.” However, young women were dead set on preserving their virginity. Because a baby born out of wedlock was a disgrace–not only to the mother, but her entire family. Obviously, the fear of pregnancy was a powerful deterrent to pre-marital sex. Yes, some did get pregnant, which meant they had shotgun weddings or were sent off on long vacations to stay with faraway relatives. But after 1970, women could sleep around the same as men did, knowing they didn’t have to give birth if contraceptives failed. Now, that’s all liable to change. Will virginity make a comeback?

Reading obituaries of women over 80, and you will see that most of them married young. Co-eds met their husbands in college. If a guy wanted a regular bed partner, he was supposed to get married. How many college students get married today? Living together without the benefit of matrimony is the norm.

If you watch any of the streaming services like Netflix, you know that teenagers are expected to have sex as soon as they’re able. Men and women hook up with complete strangers . Comedian Amy Poehler once bragged in a magazine article that she’d had sex with countless men. She even described spotting a handsome man at an airport, finding a room to have very hot sex, then walking away without ever seeing him again. Did she worry about getting pregnant? Of course not.

Before I go any further, let me say that I’m definitely pro-choice. My husband was a campus minister who put his career and reputation on the line to help women get abortions when it was illegal in Indiana.. I don’t believe in having unwanted children, for obvious reasons.

However, before 1970, few had to worry about getting sexually transmitted diseases. And I’m not sure how I would have felt after a series of short term love affairs that didn’t end happily ever after. Men should prepare themselves: free sex will no longer be quite so free.

Some journalists report that people are starting to be afraid of having sex. So what’s going to happen in states where abortion is illegal? Will virginity make a comeback?

July 26, 2022July 26, 2022

WHERE WILL ALL THE FLOWERS GO?

There’s a special place in my heart for men who buy flowers. Especially if they’re going through the checkout lane at the supermarket. Maybe they can’t afford an expensive arrangement from a florist for their loved one. But they’re still bringing her flowers. However, you don’t see that so much anymore. Walked in the supermarket and found buckets of fresh flowers on sale for $1 a bunch. What is happening? Obviously, they didn’t sell nearly as many as they had expected last week. When money is tight and inflation is surging, discretionary spending takes a hit. And if you can barely afford hot dogs, you’re certainly not going to buy a bunch of roses for your wife or girlfriend. Where will all the flowers go now?

Florists must be feeling the pinch. Lately, I’ve had friends complaining of expensive floral arrangements that didn’t last more than a couple of days. Which means florists are using up old flowers that they ordered, based on last years sales data. Ditto for the supermarkets. It’s a bonanza , though, for anyone who has a few extra dollars to spend. Especially since this summer drought ruined most of the lilies and other garden flowers I’ve always gathered in years past.

Just read in the paper that Walmart sales have taken a hit. Discretionary spending is way down. Not only are they selling fewer fresh flowers, but probably lots of other merchandise. If you’ve stopped traveling and eating out so much, you really don’t need new clothes. My closet is full of outfits I haven’t even worn this summer. Mostly, I’m saving on laundry by wearing the same clothes over again the next day. . Who cares how you look at the grocery store when you’re wearing a mask because of Covid, and no one even recognizes you?

It’s a sign of the times. When we see more people buying fresh flowers at the supermarket, we will know that we’re coming out of this recession and inflation has stopped rising. Meanwhile, where will all the flowers go?

July 19, 2022July 18, 2022

CAN WE SURVIVE WW III?

I’m probably one of the few people left in this country who lived through World War II—beginning and end. I remember a childhood filled with horror stories about the holocaust, and the near annihilation of Europe . At the time, we were energy independent. Nevertheless, rationing was taken for granted—a fact of life. You could only use so much gas, drink so much coffee, and make so much chocolate cake, to name a few restrictions. But are most Americans ready for that once again? And more importantly, are they aware that their sons, brothers, and husbands could be drafted if this war spreads into Poland and Central Europe? Can we survive WW III?

Right now, we’re begging Saudi Arabia for oil. We are not energy independent. Yes, it would be great if we could eliminate fossil fuels in the next few years , but we might be throwing out the baby with the bath water.

All of our clothes come from China, a country that seemingly would rather see us under Soviet rule than keep us as a well paying customer. Whatever happened to clothes made here in the USA? Why is our trade deficit worsening, with imports increasingly exceeding our exports?

The politicians keep telling us that if Russia takes Ukraine, it could mean the beginning of World War Three. The beginning? Are you kidding? We’re already in it. When the USA , Central and Western European countries are providing arms to the Ukraine, we’re at war. The only thing that’s missing is boots on the ground. And that seems more and more likely.

Instead of focusing on climate change and other social issues, it seems to me we should put those dreams on hold , and face the reality of our situation. All of our national effort should focus on being self sufficient . Farmers, especially, should be supported by ample fuel and fertilizer. We probably ought to be stockpiling commodities right now.

Can we survive World War Three? Yes, we can. But it won’t be easy unless we’re self sufficient.

July 13, 2022July 13, 2022

FIVE WAYS SUPERMARKETS MAY CHEAT YOU

If you are the family shopper, you know that inflation is getting worse instead of better. Supposedly, it’s running at 9%. But those of us who roam the aisles of the grocery stores know better. Especially at checkout time, when you’re hit with a whopper of a bill. I suppose the people who run big super stores are having the same problem at the wholesale level, so they’re desperately seeking ways to make a decent profit in order to stay solvent. Unfortunately, they’re resorting to some sneaky tactics to make that happen. Here are five ways that supermarkets may cheat you.

5 ways supermarkets may cheat you — FIVE WAYS SUPERMARKETS MAY CHEAT YOU” # Inedible fruit, Double scanning, couponing, false advertising, forgotten items.

1.Selling inferior or frankly inedible produce. This is a biggie, because most of us are trying to eat healthy. So, you buy a cantaloupe, or what some farmers call a “musk melon.” But you’re taking a big risk, because when you get it home and cut into it, you know you’ve been ripped off. In some cases, it tastes like squash. Or it’s half spoiled, or hard as a rock. So you throw it in the trash because it’s not worth spending $5 on gas to return a $3 melon. Other examples of bad produce are avocadoes that have turned black inside; green potatoes, mushy asparagus. The list goes on and on..

Are we supposed to believe that the head of the produce department does not realize they’re selling inedible fruits and vegetables? That they never taste the batches of melons that come in the back door? Sorry, I’m not buying that excuse. They know perfectly well that they’re cheating their customers, but they also know that most folks won’t go to the bother of driving back to the store to return it.

2 .Double scanning. This happens most at crowded stores with small checkout stands. While the clerk is busy talking to you or the bagger he/she runs a box of crackers or a bag of tomatoes twice through the scanner. You don’t’ realize it until you get home and check your receipt. By then, it’s too late to get your money back. Who’s to say you didn’t buy two boxes of crackers?

3. Couponing Before I retired, I never bothered with coupons. Didn’t have the time to fool around with them. But most retirees do try and save a few dollars by using the ones in the paper and those sent out by the major supermarkets. . Trouble is, you must read the fine print. At least half the time, they’re rejected because you were supposed to buy two or ten of the item, or they’re expired.

4. Misleading advertising. As an example, one store recently advertised a name brand ice cream on sale for $3.00. (which usually sells for around $6.00) A large sign on the freezer door boasted of this fantastic sale. If I hadn’t been careful enough to look at each price tag, I would have paid $6 for my vanilla ice cream. Turns out the sale only applied to “select varieties” which include some strange flavors like carrot/avocado.

5. Forgotten items after checkout. This happens most frequently in stores with carousel bag holders. There a shelf in the middle where the cashier places big items, or ones that are fragile. Sometimes, you get home missing bags of potatoes or oranges. I’ve seen cashiers stash these things under the counter. Do they return them for resale, or take them home? Either way, you’ve lost money. Recently, I have a friend who found a steak left on top of the carousel. When he tried to find the person who bought it, she had driven away. Didn’t the checkout clerk see the steak? Was she planning to put it back for resale?. We’ll never know.

Many shoppers are too tired and rushed to look out for these five ways that supermarkets cheat you. Most of the time, there’s not much you can do about it. But if I get a rotten melon, I take it back to the store—not for the money, but just so they know I’m onto their tricks.

July 7, 2022July 7, 2022

SHOULD YOU CHEAT AT WORDLE?

Wordle has become very popular in the past few months. It’s on online word game that challenges you to find a five-letter word in six guesses – with a new puzzle published every day. To make it even more appealing, they offer you a chance to share your success at solving the puzzle on Facebook. Yes, you can brag and impress everyone with how smart you are! What could be better than that? However, it turns out you can find hints online. But should you cheat at Wordle?

Apparently Wordle has caught on with the younger crowd. Haven’t heard a lot about the game in our town, but then, I don’t get around much anymore. Anyway, I found it online and figured I would give it a try. Two hours later, I was still stumped. This gave me a great big inferiority complex. Why were some of my Facebook friends able to solve it so easily? Chalked it up to old age, which was pretty depressing. I can still pay my bills and drive to the grocery store can’t I? Is solving Wordle out of reach for the average octogenarian?

My daughter came to town and challenged me to a game. She solved it in three tries, but I gave up after six. In my defense, this girl was a fantastic student. . I’m never going to be that smart. Don’t know where she got her brains, but I don’t think from me. Nevertheless, I figured I would get on to it after awhile if I just stuck with it. The next day, I spent two hours before coming up with the right word after six tries (which is all you’re allowed)

I couldn’t believe how my Facebook friends had solved it so quickly. In desperation, I went on line and keyed in “Wordle hints.” Okay, now we’re talking. The clue yesterday was “cutting ties”. I already knew that the winning word began with S, and used two vowels. Voila! Solved it in three tries. (SEVER) And yet, it wasn’t very satisfying. Kind of like cheating at golf or tennis. I won’t regain my self esteem until I can solve a Wordle puzzle without finding the hint. But It’s going to be a long, slow learning curve.

At any rate, don’t always believe what you see on Facebook. The beautiful picture of your old girlfriend could be photoshopped. And she may have had some help with solving the Wordle puzzle. Should you cheat at Wordle? Well, maybe just for starters. But you’re only fooling yourself.

July 1, 2022July 1, 2022

6 SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENT

Once you’ve turned 80, you realize how many presidents you’ve known (or endured) in your lifetime. There are times when I think the country might do better without a president, because we’ve lasted through so many of their poor decisions and mistakes. Thankfully, they’ve done a few things right, which is probably one reason we’re still standing. Not sure if I’ll be around for the 2024 election, so just in case I’m not, I have a few suggestions for the next President of the United States of America.

6 suggestions for next president: Don't throw ketchup on the wall — 6 SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENT: #6 Don’t throw plates against the wall. Someone will have to clean up the ketchup.

#1. Don’t ride in an open convertible during a parade. Presidents used to do that all the time. I remember the thrill of looking into Dwight Eisenhower’s beautiful blue eyes on one of his visits to Chicago. However, it didn’t work out well for John F. Kennedy in Dallas. .

#2. Bury the tapes. If you’re going to do something so foolish as to break into the opposing party’s election headquarters, for heaven’s sake, hide the evidence. Nixon thought he was preserving an important part of history by saving all of his conversations regarding Watergate. But the tapes came back to bite him. If the next president tries such a break-in, it will be much more complicated. He’ would have to erase all the text messages, e mails, and records of cell phone calls. Better yet, he should conduct any communication regarding such an activity one-on-one, inside a big closet. But make sure it’s debugged.

#3. If you’re feeling sick, don’t attend a state dinner with the Japanese Prime Minister. You’re liable to vomit in his lap, and it will make international headlines. George W. Bush later claimed it was just a simple case of the flu. Unfortunately, it was right around election time, and many people thought that episode contributed to his defeat.

#4 . Don’t smoke cigars, and if you do, keep them out of the oval office. Especially while conducting a tryst with an intern. And if things get out of hand, make sure you have a change of clothes available. Unlike Bill Clinton, don’t let her leave the room with the evidence . And once you have the blue dress, cut it up in little bitty pieces and flush it down the toilet.

#5. Speaking of toilets: Don’t use the toilet while talking to reporters. LBJ was known for sitting on the pot while conducting interviews. He got away with such crude behavior for awhile, but in the end, he realized he couldn’t get re elected.

#6. Unlike Trump, don’t throw plates against the wall when you get mad. Somebody will have to clean up the ketchup, and eventually, they’re going to testify before some congressional committee about your poor anger management skills. There are lots of apps now that help with that. Subscribe to something like CALM, meditate once a day, and do some deep breathing exercise before meeting with your attorney general after the election .

I don’t know about you, but I’m really hoping the next president won’t be an octogenarian like myself. We need a younger candidate who has demonstrated some common sense. But why would any sensible person want to run for president?