It is hot. Too damn hot.
Everyone agrees, including my snarky weather-person
All around, even the animals are wilting….
So what is YOUR weather like today?
Any tips for cooling off?
Personally, a pint of ice cream would prolly do the trick…whether to eat or to wear, that would be the question.
On that note, I will leave you with this…..
OK, so it is Saturday, and not much is shakin’. Going through my YouBoob subscriptions again, and found an old Pluto episode that I clearly missed.
Well, it got me to thinking. The mystery phenomena of the “missing sock” is very real, my friends.
I truly do not understand it.
Two matching socks are worn. Two matching socks are taken off. Two matching socks are put in the laundry.
THEN, the time comes to pull said laundry out of the dryer……and lo and behold, unmatched and missing socks.
See also: I am easily amused
Where do they go? Is it a demon dryer sock monster?
Or as Pluto suspects, aliens who intercepted a Nickleback transmission, and…..well you will just have to watch it to figure out THAT convoluted thinking 😁
My bet is still on the demon dwelling in the dryer. Do Catholic priests provide exorcisms for such? Hmmmmmm 🤔
Since it is summer, and many of us are spending time outdoors, it is time we turn our attention to the things that can “getcha” and cause illness, that aren’t the Covid-19 virus
Insect-borne diseases are viral and bacterial illnesses that pass to humans either from insect (bug) bites or by the deposition of their feces/larvae on the skin. The most common insects that pass on disease are mosquitoes, ticks, sand flies, house flies, fleas and bedbugs. For example, mosquitoes are known for spreading the Zika virus, Yellow Fever, and Malaria. Ticks are known to spread Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
You increase your risk of being infected by an insect when you are in areas where they gather. This would include tall grass, bushes, spots near still water (ponds), and places around the globe with heavy outbreaks. It can also include your home and living spaces if you fail to clean and maintain them, especially in the case of fleas and bedbugs.
In North America, the most common mosquito-born diseases are:
Their flight can be more or less noisy; their bite is not always painful. Half of all mosquito bites occur through clothing. Only the females bite – they draw blood from their victims in order to nourish their eggs. Male mosquitoes generally do not buzz and are completely harmless.
In North America, the most common tick-borne diseases are:
Tick bites result from contact with grassland. This risk is generally restricted to certain well-defined regions. Once the ticks are on the skin, they migrate towards the major skin folds (groin, armpits) where they implant themselves. They do not begin to feed until 12 to 24 hours have passed and so the risk of infection is low if they are quickly removed. It is best to use tweezers or some other precision implement to remove them rather than fingers – if the tick has begun to feed, avoid puncturing its body during removal.
In North America most fly-borne illnesses are from the common house fly, and are transmitted by some form of fecal contamination of food or water, either directly or indirectly, These include:
A common bedbug-borne illness is also transmitted by the bug’s feces, not the bite. Bedbugs feed at night on their sleeping victims. A bedbug infestation can be incredibly difficult to remove: if you discover them in your home, prepare to discard your bed and bedding at a minimum, and you will likely need to fumigate your entire house.
Lice transmit different bacterial infections:
Rat fleas are a vector for:
Symptoms will vary depending upon the type of insect that has bitten you. Common symptoms of insect borne diseases can include:
More serious symptoms can include:
Your doctor can typically diagnose an insect-borne disease with a physical exam, a review of your symptoms, and a look at your recent travel destinations.
Lab tests (blood and urine) can diagnose certain insect-borne diseases.
There are many actions you can take to reduce the threat of being infected by an insect. You should:
Various treatments exist for these diseases
1. Medications (usually antibiotics, or in the case of malaria, antibiotics and quinine). These can be used for both treatment of active disease as well as prophylaxis when going into an endemic area
2. Symptomatic support – treating the fevers, rashes, and aches
3. Preventive Vaccines
Disclaimer: This is an informational post designed to foster discussion. It should not substitute for the advice of your doctor.
I have been taking it easy on you up to this point, so be prepared for some challenges
Today’ quiz is a grab bag of science and nature related questions
Are you smarter than the average geek?
Take the quiz below and share your results!
Since it is summer, and many of us are cooking outdoors, and many more are enjoying camping vacations in order to socially isolate, I thought I would post a how-to video on making your own fire pit grill
Yes, they can be store bought, with one that is similar to the product made in the video retailing at around $60.00 (featured image)
But for those of you with workshops and pieces of scrap lying around, this is a fun and easy project.
Now here is the BONUS I promised you…an easy recipe to try out on that homemade fire pit grill…
Ingredients
Directions
Nutrition Facts
1 serving: 344 calories, 10g fat (2g saturated fat), 62mg cholesterol, 990mg sodium, 42g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 6g fiber), 21g protein.
Source: www.tasteofhome.com
Source: www.defense.gov
Source: funtrivia.com
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder in which sufferers find it hard to fall asleep, or stay asleep long enough.
Exactly how much sleep is enough is subjective, but most adults need seven to eight hours a night.
Many adults will experience short-term (acute) insomnia, which lasts for days or weeks, at some point in their lives; usually the result of acute stress or trauma. But some people have long-term (chronic) insomnia that lasts for a month or more.
Insomnia symptoms may include:
Complications of insomnia may include:
Insomnia may be the primary problem, but it may also be the result of other conditions.
Common causes of chronic insomnia include:
Chronic insomnia is usually a result of stress, life events, or habits that disrupt sleep. Treating the underlying cause can resolve the insomnia, but sometimes it can last for years.
Additional common causes of insomnia include:
Insomnia becomes more common with age. As you get older, you may experience:
Good sleep habits can help prevent insomnia and promote sound sleep:
Examples include:
Prescription sleeping pills can have side effects, such as causing daytime grogginess and increasing the risk of falling, or they can be habit-forming.
Disclaimer: This is an informational post designed to foster discussion. It should not substitute for the advice of your doctor.
Source: triviaplaza.com
As I was looking for a topic for this week’s DIY, I came across this video.
I found it very interesting.
Most of the ideas are truly unique and clever.
However I will dispute two of them as being particularly original, as they have both been written about both in real-life anecdotal stories, as well as mystery/crime fiction.
I will let you guess as to the two ideas I found unoriginal.
So MVAPers….What do you think of these ideas?
Clever?
Or Idiotic?
Personally, I would be one to forget where I hid everything……so I will just stick with a traditional bolted down key/combo safe, and a commercial bank safety-deposit box.
