Beyond Words

Why is it when someone in the family is not feeling well or recovering from something,

they demand and receive all of mom’s attention but when mom is sick, she is basically on her own?

“What your pour into yourself, pours out.”

I just read that on my friend MB’s Facebook page as she was attending services Gateway Church.

Not sure if this was part of a reading, sermon, or just fellowship, but I love it and thought it was perfect for today’s post.

Thank you MB!

Happy Fourth of July friends and readers!  I hope you are having a fun and safe day but do you know what we are all really celebrating?  Officially known as Independence Day, we are commemorating the July 4, 1776 adoption of the Declaration of Independence , which ultimately gave our country sovereignty from Great Britain.  In short, that’s when the United States of America came to be.

Happy Birthday America!

(courtesy Kendra Scott)

Tomorrow the stars and stripes will be proudly flying across America, but do you know how to properly hang your flag?  The U.S. Flag Code, which formalizes and unifies the traditional ways in which we give respect to our nation’s flag, also contains specific instructions on how the flag is not to be used. They include:

Displaying the Flag Outdoors

When the flag is displayed from a staff (pole) projecting from a window, balcony, or building, the union (stars area) should be at the top of the staff unless the flag is at half staff.

When displaying the flag against a wall whether vertically or horizontally, the flag’s union should be at the top, to the flag’s own right and the observer’s left.

When the flag is displayed over a street, it should be hung vertically, with the union to the north or east.

When flown with flags of states, communities, or societies on separate flag poles that are of the same height and in a straight line, the flag of the United States is always placed in the position of honor – to its own right.  The other flags may be smaller but none may be larger.  No other flag ever should be placed above the American flag.

When flown with the national banner of other countries, each flag must be displayed from a separate pole of the same height and flag should be the same size.

Made in the U.S.A?

So now that you know how to properly display a U.S. flag, it’s time to consider where you actually purchase it.  Sadly, in 2011 $3.6 million worth of American flags were imported from other countries, with the vast majority ($3.3 million) coming from China.  Although that amount is a small percentage of the $55 million in total annual sales of made in the good ole’ U.S.A. flags, maybe it’s time to make sure your American flag was made in…America!  There’s no better place to start then Annin & Co.

The world’s largest and oldest flag company, Annin & Co. and its 500 employees produce 15 million U.S. flags a year. All are made in plants located in New Jersey, Virginia, and Ohio.  They are literally “Made in the U.S.A.” and have been for nearly 160 years.

Perhaps most impressive is the fact that some of the flags are still hand-made and hand-sewn.  Seamstresses carefully sew together stars and stripes, while highly trained embroiderers create meticulously detailed flags with foot-operated sewing machines.  Training an embroiderer can take up to four years!

The company’s roots go back to 1820, when Alexander Annin opened a small flag-making shop in New York City. Annin’s sons, Edward and Benjamin, followed in their father’s footsteps and in 1847 founded Annin & Co., moving to a large full-service factory on New York’s Fifth Avenue.

Today Annin makes 30 million flags of all kinds each year. The company has made state flags that fly over every state capitol and American flags manufactured by Annin have flown at both the North and South Poles, on Mt. Everest, in the rubble at the World Trade Center on September 11, and one remarkably draped Abe Lincoln’s coffin.   It was an Annin-made flag that Marines raised atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima in 1945, memorialized in a classic Associated Press photograph and  on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and “Buzz” Aldrin stepped out from the Lunar Module and planted an Annin-made U.S. flag on the moon’s surface, where it remains today.  The world’s largest American flag—104 feet by 235 feet—was made by Annin for the J.L. Hudson Co. in Detroit in 1949 and was retired in 1976.  It can today be found in the Smithsonian Institute.

(Adapted from “America’s Flag Maker” by Warren D. Jorgensen)

As Deacon Pete said in church this morning, those ordinary red, white, and blue fabric pieces are anything but ordinary.  Together they make up the star spangled banner, which represents the land of the free and the home of the brave.  They represent us.

Are you, like millions of Americans, planning a Fourth of July get-together?  Even with record heat hitting much of the country, people coast-to-coast will be pulling out boats and barbecues out and inviting friends and family over.  Everyone loves a good, old-fashioned outdoor cook-out and every year Independence Day northerners and southerners alike make it the most popular day for barbecuing in the U.S.A.  This may come as no surprise to many of you, but do you know how many hot dogs you can expect each of your guests to eat or the best way to set up a buffet?  Here, then, are some tips to make your Red, White and Blue party the best on the block:

Plan on each of your guests eating two hot dogs a piece.

Each of your guests will use an estimated four “Red Solo Cups” and two paper plates.

Drink-wise, for a two hour party, estimate one bottle of wine for every two guests and two bottles or servings of beer per person for the first hour.  In general, plan on two drinks per guest during the first hour of your party, and one each hour after that.

Be sure to have plenty of bottled water on hand…you can never have too much.

If your cook-out consists of a buffet, consider the following ideas:

                Mark the beginning of the line/table obvious by placing a tall stack of plates at it.

                Make the buffet servable from two sides to keep the traffic flow going.

                Don’t forget plenty of empty saucers/spoon rests for the guests to use after serving themselves.

                Make the serving bowls and trays both attractive and accessible by placing them at various heights.

               Place cards are always a nice touch, especially on dishes that aren’t easily identifiable like dips or cheeses.

                Place food that you have the least amount of at the end of the buffet.  Guests are less tempted to serve much of these items as their plates are have filled up.   

               Place napkins and serving utensils at the very end of the buffet line so guests don’t have to fidget with them while serving themselves.

A good and simple rule is to return an empty dish with something delicious inside.  In other words, if someone brings a covered dish to your party, when you return it, do so with a casserole or apple crunch dessert inside. 

If you don’t know what to bring as a hostess gift to a party you are attending, consider a bottle of wine, festive or theme-related coasters, cocktail napkins, a nice bottle of olive oil, a scented candle, or decorative tea towels.

Have fun planning!

An Identity Crisis

Recent headlines regarding the government’s phone tapping of journalists’ phones and computers and the IRS revelation that it targeted political groups applying for tax-exempt status for closer scrutiny based on their names or political themes has caused many to ask themselves, “is any of my personal information safe?”   Yes and no, depending on many things, of which I’ll outline in today’s “Tuesday’s Tip” blog.

Smartphones have indeed made life easier and information more accessible, but they’ve also made us more vulnerable to someone retrieving personal information off of them, most times without us even knowing it until it’s possibly too late.   How can you protect yourself?

Phones and Other Devices

• Open pages only from reputable sources.  Four out of 10 mobile devices click on dangerous links every year.
• Password protect all of your devices.
• Androids are particularly vulnerable because their apps aren’t always vetted for malware but iPhones are identity thieves’ favorites.  Download the free “Find My iPhone” app, which allows you to remotely wipe out your date, lock your device, and possibly even track its location.  McAfee offers a similar service for Androids.
• Install antivirus and antimalware software on all your devices.
• Purchase apps only from trusted sources.

PIN Numbers

These four-digit numbers are hacker’s dreams.  If your PIN is your birth date, a year in the 1900s, or an obvious numerical sequence, the odds of it being compromised increase dramatically.

Surprisingly, 1234, 1111, and 0000 account for 20 percent of all four-digit passwords and every combination that starts with 19 ranks in the 80^th percentile of popularity.  Month/day combinations are also prevalent, as are combinations using only even numbers, like 2468.

Create passwords that include upper and lowercase letters as well as numbers and change your passwords often.

Why should you care about these statistics?  Because by using them you are automatically making your password easier to guess.  The least popular PIN seems to be 8068 because it follows no discernible pattern.

Protecting Your Identity

In 2011, more than 11 million Americans were victims of identity theft.  I can’t even imagine the horror of finding out someone out there is posing as me and has all my personal information.  Computer viruses, so-called “dumpster divers,” and old-fashioned hackers are three of the most common ways your personal information, and your personal identity, can be accessed by high-tech hoodlums.   How can you protect yourself?

• Shred all pieces of mail that include your name and address.
• Create passwords that include upper and lowercase letters as well as numbers and change your passwords often.
• Protect all your devices with anti-virus and malware software.
• Password protect all of your devices.
• Purchase or download remote “wipe” apps like those mentioned in the phone information above.
• Don’t participate in any on-line quizzes that ask information such as pet names, hometowns, mother’s maiden names, and other bits of personal info.

Scary world out there, right?  What can you do somewhat worry free?  Most experts agree that you can:

• Read your favorite online magazines, newspapers and news outlets sites.
• Access music through music players, but be sure to buy songs only from reputable and safe sites.
• Use GPS systems.

Those same experts agree, however, that you should never:

• Use mobile banking sites.
• Use free Wi-Fi in places like airports.
• Update your Facebook page remotely, especially if your page includes your birthday, hometown and other personal information, as someone can easily figure out security questions once armed with this info.

So, enjoy your latest and greatest smart phone and research away on your laptop and notebook.  Just make sure to surf smart and surf safe.

Can you ever imagine being without your smart phone or other small device like an IPad or laptop? Sounds inconceivable? How about for only 24 hours? Sounds easy enough perhaps, but according to a University of Maryland study, going one day without their smart phones was asking too much of many college students. The study, called “The World Unplugged,” asked college age students around the world to leave their cell phones behind for one day; just one day. An alarming 70 percent flat out couldn’t do it and researchers discovered that the psychological impact on those who did partake was significant. Participants reported being bored and emotionally detached from the rest of the world. Scary, right?

Are smart phones society’s latest addiction? Some would say yes, including most of the 91 percent of Americans who own a cell phone. According to author Sherry Turkle, who wrote the bestselling “Alone Together” and was recently interviewed by “CBS This Morning,” all of these devices have made us more disconnected, not more connected, and we have virtually lost the art of conversation. It doesn’t just come down to actually calling someone and talking to them though. We’ve all been annoyed by that obnoxious person in a store (or while getting a pedicure, which I recently experienced…the nerve!) talking at length on their phone and in a tone loud enough for everyone to hear. So conversing with someone is clearly not the answer. The answer is sometimes just putting your phone away! I don’t care if you’re expecting an important phone call. If you are, then maybe you shouldn’t be in Target or getting a pedicure!

I am as guilty as the next person, although I don’t pick up calls when I’m in a store or other public facility unless it’s my husband or daughter. I do, however, text a lot and check for updates on various sites. I’m an information junkie. Once a newsie, always a newsie, right? The minute I’m alone or simply idle, I reach for my phone. I email, I text, I tweet, I play Words with Friends, and I post on my beloved IPhone. Look around, everyone else is too. My husband just texted me from an airport yesterday saying “everyone is on their phone.” I was thrilled to hear he’d bought a new book at the airport, although when sitting at home watching TV, he is texting away. Considered a “skill” by many, texting now boasts its own competitions and people of all ages can now be found typing “tmrw,” whr r u,” and other abbreviations. When it comes to texting though, 18-24 year olds have us all beat. They reportedly text some 3200 texts a month!

Still, these phones aren’t only bad for us socially; they are proving detrimental physically too. Last year alone there were more than 1000 emergency room visits due to texting, not including automobile accidents. Yep, according to “Conde Nast Traveler,” staying connected and plugged in have some real health risks including:
Obesity: studies show a correlation between body weight & computer use: the more you use a computer, the more weight you are likely to gain.
Heart rates: stress levels and heart rates increase by frequent e-mail interruptions.
Posture: Slouching while checking your phone can lead to chronic back strain and permanent bad posture.
Body tension: constant computer and/or smart device use can lead to headaches, neck pain, backaches, eye strain, and even tendonitis.
Attention and accuracy: thanks to the Internet, we are faster but sloppier when it comes to attention to detail, spelling, punctuation, and proper grammar.
Memory: computer hard drives are quickly replacing our brains’ “memory” and hurting our abilities to remember things on our own, without the use of constant technological reminders.

There’s always a flip-side though, and in this matter it comes from UCLA Neuroscientist Gary Small, whose research has found human brains can sometimes actually be more active while searching the web then they are while reading a book. Small says researching on the Internet can also serve to sharpen our brains and has found significant increased brain activity when studying the elderly doing so.

Maybe it all goes back to our “primitive instinct to want to gather information and to know everything that’s going on around us,” according to Nicholas Carr, who wrote the book “What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains.” He told “CBS This Morning” that this fact, in and of itself, is a good thing but it’s become a bad thing because of the constant flow of information in today’s fast-paced, high-tech world. We just can’t seem to get enough and there’s always more out there, always. This constant demand for more, more, more and an endless stream of information are messing up our brains though according to Carr. In fact, so many distractions are “beginning to crowd out all the calmer, quieter moments when you might engage in reflection,” says Carr.

I remember talking on the phone in my house growing up…a phone that was attached to the kitchen wall. Now I’m virtually attached to my IPhone and everyone says that’s a bad thing. I also remember people saying the same thing about television, but somehow we’ve all survived what Bruce Springsteen sang about in “57 Channels and Nothin’ On.” However, when college students say they can’t give up their phone for a mere 24 hours and say that “media is my drug,” when the latest YouTube hit is a baby “pushing” on a magazine wondering why nothing is “coming up,” and when the mere thought of forgetting my phone at home makes me nervous, maybe we’re facing something more serious than too many channels and too many reality shows. Maybe we all need to face reality and admit that our so-called smart phones are making us do some pretty dumb things. Can you hear me now?