Cats in your garden?

 This spring, I was so ready for the cold to leave and so when it started to actually warm up a bit, I decided to fill my front flower bed with pansies (they are winter flowers, after all) because I longed for color in my life.

I cleaned out the bed and went to the nursery and came home with 2 flats of beautiful pansies.  I got all different types and colors.  I planted the little plants in my front flower bed and stood back to admire their beauty.  I was so pleased to see the bright colors in my flower bed.

Fast forward to the next week.  I get up very early and like to go outside to drink my coffee and sit to look at the yard and such.  I love listening to the birds early in the morning.  They are so energetic and loud.  So, I go outside, sit on my bench and start to drink my coffee when I look over and see that two of my pansy plants have been dug up and are now laying sideways beside the flower bed.  I am not a happy camper. Where I once had a full, beautiful flower bed with gorgeous pansies, I now have a gaping hole in the middle of the flower bed where my lovely flowers used to be!

Well, down the "rabbit hole" I went again looking for ways to deter these cats from my garden without hurting them.  I found numerous articles online, but they all basically say the same thing.  

1. Make sure there is no food available nearby for the cats.

2. Be sure all cracks and holes are covered so as not to provide them a place to hide.

3. Use some type of deterrent, with the most common listed is citrus peels (since cats cannot stand the smell of them).  There are other things listed like rue, lavender, and pennyroyal that you can grow in the garden alongside your flowers.  Cats also cannot stand the smell of those plants.

4. Use some type of prickly ground cover on your flower beds.  Pine cone needles, bark, or mesh grocery bags spread out and pinned down.  Another suggestion was to use chicken wire across the bed--your plants can get through it but it is uncomfortable to the cats feet.

5. Get some type of deterrent such as a motion activated ultra sonic device that emits a noise that the cats can hear but you cannot.  Also, try to add flashing lights or motion activated water sprays to deter those pesky cats.

6. Finally, try TNR to help reduce the number of cats available to use your garden for their personal potty.  I have done TNR when I lived in Austin, TX and I know that it works to reduce community cat populations.  Eventually, there are no more cats in the community.

7. As a last resort, trap and take them to a rescue or shelter.  I personally do not accept this one because I know for a fact that if you do this, that cat will be put down almost immediately because they are not adoptable.  I cannot be a part of ending the life of a perfectly healthy animal just because it is doing what it is programmed to do.  I believe it is my responsibility to find a way to coexist pleasantly with feral or wild animals.

Now that I have researched my problem, I am off to the store to get some oranges and lemons to peel and then put those peels in my flower bed.  I'll wait a while to see if this works.  If not, I will move on down this list (but I will never use #7).

Here are a few of the articles I found if you want to check them out for yourself:

• https://www.neighborhoodcats.org/how-to-tnr/colony-care/keeping-cats-out-of-gardens-and-yards-2#:~:text=You%20can%20try%20orange%20and,%2C%20peppermint%2C%20eucalyptus%20and%20mustard.
• https://www.alleycat.org/community-cat-care/humane-deterrents/
• https://www.thespruce.com/cat-repellents-to-keep-cats-out-of-your-yard-2132573
• https://www.imustgarden.com/repel-cats

Why is the Violence Against Women not a Priority?

 Today is another rant caused by falling down that "rabbit hole" again.  I really should probably not use the internet like I do because I am constantly exposed to curious or irritating things that make me pause and search for more information.  Once that starts, I end up finding out all kinds of things best left alone and that usually causes me to rant and rave to myself and you if I feel like blogging.

So, today's issue is about violence toward women.  This issue dates back to ancient times and it seems that not much has changed since then despite all the women's movements and all the legislation about stopping it.  Here is where my rant comes in: if there is documentation that supports the fact that 1 in 3 women alive today will experience some form of violence.  These are mothers, sisters, aunts, daughters and other family members that have people who care about them; but that does not prevent them from becoming victims.

What is the problem with fixing this issue?  Why can we not find a solution?  Why instead is it acceptable that we have to establish national databases to list the missing and deceased women?  Shouldn't that make you wonder why we have to do such a thing?

A Brief History of the Violence Against Women:

Violence against women has been a persistent issue throughout human history, and it takes many forms, including physical, sexual, psychological, and economic violence. Despite various efforts to tackle this problem, it remains prevalent in almost all societies and affects women of all ages, races, ethnicities, and socio-economic backgrounds.

The earliest records of violence against women can be traced back to ancient civilizations. For example, in ancient Greece and Rome, women were treated as inferior beings, and violence against them was often considered a normal part of life. Women were frequently subjected to sexual violence, including rape, and there was little legal recourse for them to seek justice. Similarly, in many traditional societies, women have been seen as property and treated as such. Practices such as female genital mutilation, honor killings, and forced marriages continue to be prevalent in some parts of the world.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, women's rights movements emerged in many countries, and they began to advocate for women's equality and an end to violence against women. These movements were instrumental in bringing about legal changes, such as the right to vote and the right to own property. However, violence against women continued to be a problem, and many women were still unable to access justice or support.

In the 1960s and 1970s, a new wave of feminist activism emerged, which focused specifically on violence against women. This movement highlighted the widespread nature of the problem and brought attention to issues such as domestic violence and sexual harassment. In the United States, the first domestic violence shelter was opened in 1974, and this was followed by the establishment of rape crisis centers and hotlines. These services provided much-needed support for women who had experienced violence and helped to raise awareness of the problem.

In recent decades, there have been many global initiatives to address violence against women. The United Nations has played a key role in this, with the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1979 and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women in 1993. These instruments have helped to establish legal frameworks and standards for addressing violence against women, and they have been used as a basis for national legislation and policy development.

Despite these efforts, violence against women remains a significant problem in many parts of the world. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 3 women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. In some regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa, the prevalence is even higher. Additionally, violence against women is often underreported and goes unpunished, and many women still face significant barriers to accessing justice and support.

The history of violence against women is a long and complex one, with deep-rooted cultural and societal attitudes that have perpetuated this problem. While progress has been made in recent decades, much work remains to be done to eradicate this form of violence and ensure that women everywhere are able to live free from fear and abuse.

Economic costs of violence against women and girls: 

According to the article, "Facts and figures: Ending violence against women", 

"Violence against women can result in significant costs to the state, to victims/survivors, and communities. Costs are both direct and indirect, and tangible and intangible. For example, the costs of the salaries of individuals working at shelters are direct tangible costs. Costs are borne by everyone, including individual victims/survivors, perpetrators, the government and society in general.

In Viet Nam, both out of pocket expenditures and lost earnings represent nearly 1.41% of the GDP. More importantly, regression results for estimating productivity loss due to violence indicate that women experiencing violence earn 35 per cent less than those not abused representing another significant drain on the national economy.[9] In Egypt, it was estimated that 500,00 working days are lost each year due to marital violence and the health sector bears over USD 14 million in costs to serve just one quarter (600,000) of survivors.[10] In Morocco, the total cost of physical and/or sexual violence against women was estimated at 2.85 billion dirhams (around USD 308 millions) a year.[11] In 2021, the cost of gender-based violence across the European Union was estimated around €366 billion a year. Violence against women makes up 79 per cent of this cost, amounting to €289 billion.[12]".

What are the Causes:

According to the article, "What is Violence Against Women?" Many of the misconceptions surrounding violence again women center on its causes. There are a number of myths that exist, such as: 

• men can’t control their anger or sexual urges;
• alcohol causes men to be violent;
• women could leave violent partners if they wanted to; and
• men experience equal, if not greater, levels of violence perpetrated by their partners or former partners.

Research has shown that the significant drivers of violence against women include: 

• the unequal distribution of power and resources between men and women; 
• an adherence to rigidly defined gender roles and identities i.e., what it means to be masculine and feminine.

Attitudes that condone or tolerate violence are recognized as playing a central role in shaping the way individuals, organizations and communities respond to violence. VicHealth has summarized five key categories of violence supportive attitudes that arise from research. These include attitudes that:  

• justify violence against women, based on the notion that it is legitimate for a man to use violence against a woman;
• excuse violence by attributing it to external factors (such as stress) or proposing that men cannot be held fully responsible for violent behavior (for example, because of anger or sexual urges);
• trivialize the impact of violence, based on the view that the impacts of violence are not serious or are not sufficiently serious to warrant action by women themselves, the community or public agencies;
• minimize violence by denying its seriousness, denying that it occurs or denying that certain behaviors are indeed violence at all; h
• hold women at least partially responsible for their victimization or for preventing victimization.

What can society do to combat violence against women?

According to this article, "Violence against women: Causes and consequences", "Every individual can have an impact and anyone can be a role model for gender-equitable behaviour. Questioning and reflecting on our own behaviour and society’s norms can reveal where we have subconsciously adopted a sexist way of thinking and behaving that was modelled to us by or within our society. Solidarity with women strengthens social cohesion. It also reduces the space available to violence against women. Clearly stating that we are against every form of violence against women and discrimination helps to send the right signals. Another way to make a stand is to boycott misogynist products and criticize discriminatory entertainment formats. This helps to interrupt the perpetuation of misogynist values. People working in sectors such as education, media, culture and advertising, or even the development of computer games, have a particular function as role models and can help to spread the impacts of more gender-equitable portrayals. People who carry out violence do have individual responsibility for their actions, since they themselves can decide against violence. If necessary they can seek out assistance at appropriate contact points."

So, basically, this problem is one that continues to fester and I don't see any solutions being offered yet that places blame on the perpetrators instead of the victims; that don't stigmatize the victims; that protect women from abuse and exploitation; that decrease or erase misogyny completely. Until we find that solution, our women and children are at extreme risk and that cannot be acceptable, I hope.

Censorship vs. Education: What does it mean to us as a nation?

Today's post is about something that has been in the news quite a bit lately, but has always been a big political and cultural issue: censorship.  First, let me go on record as being against most forms of censorship as we experience it now.  I think that for our nation to continue to grow and be strong, we need to embrace all thoughts, all expressions, and all types of people.

What is Censorship?

Wikipedia defines censorship as the following: "Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient".^[2][3][4] Censorship can be conducted by governments,^[5] private institutions and other controlling bodies." And censorship has a very long and tortuous history.

What is the History Around Censorship in Schools?

Censorship in schools has been around for quite a long time.  During the Civil War, there were many efforts to curtail how the South was portrayed in print. In this article, "A Brief History of Curriculum Censorship", there is a portion that says:"Throughout US history, schools across every region of the country have banned both fiction and non-fiction books that school leaders, parents, or politicians perceived as threatening to their values. One of the most successful campaigns to restrict the teaching of history occurred in the South following the Civil War. Between 1870 and 1910, more public schools were built across the South, and as access to public education became more widespread, white activists sought to censor the history students learned."

However, the censorship continues to this day: "Most recently, between January 2021 and January 2023, 18 states enacted legislation that restricts the teaching of “critical race theory,” a framework that holds that laws, policies, and institutions in the United States have been used to create and maintain social, economic, and political inequality based on race.

 The term is often evoked in legislation and media coverage without being defined. New legislation also limits how teachers can discuss racism, sexism, gender identity, or topics that are deemed “controversial,” which can make it difficult for educators to fully represent periods of United States history such as slavery or the Civil Rights Movement.

 Campaigns to restrict the teaching of certain topics have also targeted the literature available to students in their classes and school libraries. During the 2021-2022 school year, 138 school districts across 32 states banned a total of over 2,500 books from their schools.

 Many of these books address topics related to gender identity, sexuality, or race."

What is the Current Focus for Censorship?

The main focus of censorship currently seems to be focused on our schools and education of our young.  This is a dangerous slope to traverse.  I understand trying to keep our children safe from explicit sexual expression when they are very young, but who gets to define what is and what isn't explicit sexual expression? 

Do you agree that the statue of David by Michelangelo is pornography as many people seem to.  I can tell you that I was able to see the statue in Rome when I was 8 years old and I was simply amazed and not put off at all by the anatomical structure of the statue.  I knew that boys and girls were different and expected the statue to show a male figure. I simply enjoyed the pure beauty of the piece and was in awe by the talent of its maker.

I also was able to experience foreign culture up close and personal when we lived in Turkey.  I played with Turkish children.  I had Turkish girlfriends.  I roamed the Turkish landscape freely and without fear.  Yes, they were a Muslim country, but as a child I was unfettered by their customs.  I was awakened every morning by the Imam calling the devout to prayers, as the Mosque was across the street from our apartment.  I understood that their culture was quite different from mine, but I wasn't afraid of them or their culture.  I just experienced it as different.

Creating Cultural Isolation:

This push but the religious right in our country to prevent our children from having the same experiences via books and movies is dangerous.  How will we ever learn to live together in peace if we prevent our children from seeing first or second hand how others live, worship, work, and experience life? Do we really want our children to be so narrow-minded that they are constantly afraid of everything that is different? In the article, "Censorship in Schools and the Effects on our Children" there is a paragraph that states: "Censorship in schools is certainly present and the addition of even small changes can lead to battles over the future integrity of our children and community. Censorship is something that needs to be held closely in check if our children are to grow up with the proper awareness of the world as it really exists. "

First Amendment Rights:

First of all, let's explore the idea of censorship a bit closer.  We are all supposed to have the right to freedom of expression as it is guaranteed by our First Amendment to our Constitution.  Everyone seems to be so enamored of protecting Second Amendment rights, but no one is up in arms about the loss of First Amendment rights?  Our forefathers understood that we needed to embrace ideas and thoughts that might not go along with our own in order to grow and stay strong.  Why do we now think differently? In the article,  "The First Amendment in Schools: Censorship" there is a paragraph that states: "Censorship represents a tyranny over the mind, said Thomas Jefferson–a view shared by founders of our nation–and is harmful wherever it occurs. Censorship is particularly harmful in the schools because it prevents youngsters with inquiring minds from exploring the world, seeking truth and reason, stretching their intellectual capacities, and becoming critical thinkers. When the classroom environment is chilled, honest exchange of views is replaced by guarded discourse and teachers lose the ability to reach and guide their students effectively."

What is Currently Happening in Our Schools:

In the article, "Ron DeSantis’ academic restrictions show he hopes to change history by censoring it", there is a passage that states: "In the past, authoritarianism – and the indoctrination that sustains it – has used educational systems to further its agenda. We can recall images of first-graders wearing little red kerchiefs and saluting the eastern bloc dictators, of students let out of class to welcome the Führer to town. We know that democracy depends on the free and open exchange of ideas, on conversations that begin early in the life of its citizens – and that fascism thrives when only one point of view is permitted. DeSantis’s rulings, and the campaigns that have engendered them, are inherently anti-democratic.

We cannot change history by censoring it. We cannot pretend that we were never a slave-holding society, that racism ceased to exist when Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. We cannot erase the past, or influence a young person’s gender and sexuality by removing a book from the library. Students are not political pawns or ideologues-in-training. They are our future and it’s frightening to imagine a future populated by citizens who were forbidden to argue and debate, to hear about a historical event from multiple perspectives and to learn to make the critical judgments and necessary distinctions that will help them navigate our increasingly complex and challenging world.

In the past, authoritarianism – and the indoctrination that sustains it – has used educational systems to further its agenda. We can recall images of first-graders wearing little red kerchiefs and saluting the eastern bloc dictators, of students let out of class to welcome the Führer to town. We know that democracy depends on the free and open exchange of ideas, on conversations that begin early in the life of its citizens – and that fascism thrives when only one point of view is permitted. DeSantis’s rulings, and the campaigns that have engendered them, are inherently anti-democratic."

When you censor education, there are some real issues that develop such as the loss of critical thinking, the loss of creativity, the loss of intellectual development, the creation of isolating thought and cultural expansiveness, and we leave our children totally unprepared to deal with the REAL world because they only see their little skewed part of it.  Censorship is a threat to education and academic freedom.

Censorship in our schools seems like a cheat.  It cheats children of their rights, it cheats children of knowledge, it cheats parents of their responsibility to teach their children the truth, it cheats us all of free and independent thought.

This school censorship is simply a way for the political factions to endure the control over the next generations.  However, what they are not looking at is that their actions can and probably will create in our children a distrust for authority and rebellion from those principals being taught them. It really is a slippery slope and we are all about to go for that ride.

There are many articles available online about this subject that present both sides to the argument.  I hope, if this post has interested you, that you will check out some of them.

Religion vs. women

 Today I fell down another "rabbit hole".  This time it was about women and history as it is applied by religion.  Oh my God! What a huge "rabbit hole" I found.  As a feminist of long standing (I am a child of the 60s after all) I have always denounced how women are treated everywhere, but until I fell into this hole, my thoughts could not congeal into one focused thread.  Now, I can and it is that Power under the guise of Religion (see I used a capitol letters there?) is the basis for all the mistreatments that women have endured since the beginning of time. 

It Really is All About Retention of POWER

Keeping women in a down position is all about power, no matter the words used to continue this treatment of women.  Power.  I'll say that again.  Power.  Men fear women because we have the power to create life, and because we are the main caretakers of our children, we also have the power to mold the children's minds. This is unacceptable to Men (I used a capitol letter here again on purpose).  

Now, I grant that men play a part in the creation of children.  Without sperm, there would be no child. However, there are species that can reproduce without males and I am sure that science is ongoing to figure out how that can happen.  Once they figure it out, men may become obsolete!  No wonder men are so afraid.

Let's review some history:

The Middle Ages

In the middle ages, witch hunts took place with women being burned at the stake because they refused to bow to the men in power.  They openly decried the state of the world as they knew it and used herbalism and alternative measures to try to protect themselves from the violence they saw.  Those witch hunts/burnings were all about power, not fear.  The men in charge saw these women as threats to the way things were and feared that other women would follow them and upend the life they knew.  Religion was just the vehicle these men chose to use as cover.

During the evolution of Catholicism, women were always seen as a threat to the male dominated religious leadership.  Women were not allowed to participate in the clergy so as to keep them in powerless roles.  Women were not allowed control of their bodies by the Church; and dogma stated that women must always subserve themselves to their husbands. Once again, religion was just the vehicle men chose to use as cover.

Maybe religion was just seen as less abhorrent than power grabbing to the world's population.

Current Times

Today, nothing is different. China uses forced sterilization, forced abortions, forced implants, forced marriages and even death is used to control women and remove the threat of power.  In the middle east, women are raped, killed, forced into marriages, and forced to convert to Islam.  The Islamic religion, as some now see it, is not good or helpful for women at all.  Women under Islam are less than property. This is all about power.

In Africa, women are raped, sold, enslaved, tortured, forced to live with female genital mutilation.  They also are considered forms of currency and they are the possession of the dominant male in their family. This is a way to enforce and keep their power over the women in their lives.

Now, in the United States, women once had some rights to the control over their bodies but the Supreme Court decided to end that right.  There has also been some talk about rescinding the woman's right to vote.  This also is all about power.  We have old, white men in power and they fear the power that women have to disrupt the status quo.

None of this has anything to do with religion or religious freedom.  If things continue as they are now, there will be no such thing available for women. This is all about POWER and the ability to enslave women and bend them to their beliefs and rules.

When I went to college, I enrolled in a Women's Studies course (this was in 1988) and in my Women in Literature class, we were to read a book about women's rights and write a paper on it.  I read A Handmaid's Tale  by Margaret Atwood.  This book scared the pants off of me because I truly believed that it was a foretelling of the future for women. 

If you have seen the Hulu version only, you have missed some of the most egregious parts of the book.  But, still, if you saw at least the first few episodes, you understand why I was so moved and afraid.  Tell me, now that we are seeing this come to pass, was I wrong?  

I don't think so.  I can only hope that the youth of our nation wake up and see that they are in danger.  The youth movements of the 60s changed laws and if the youth of today could also form together, I think they could wield the same power.  I can only hope for the best.  My time has passed and no matter what happens, it probably won't affect me, but it will affect my daughters.  

                            (AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES)

 Some articles to check out if this interests you:

https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2016/mar/01/commentary-the-religious-war-on-women-2/

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2022/05/03/nothing-christian-about-war-on-womens-reproductive-rights.html

https://bigthink.com/articles/the-religious-war-on-women-continues/

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2023-03-08/the-link-between-religicide-and-violence-against-women

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/feb/28/laura-bates-witch-hunts-never-stopped-now-theyre-online

Artificial Intelligence, Anyone?

 As a blogger, I was excited to learn about AI and the advent of ChatGPT.  It seemed that was all you heard about online.  Everyone jumped on the bandwagon, and to be honest, I checked it out myself.

I found ChatGPT very useful but a bit limited.  It is unable to access any information after 2021, so you sometimes do not get current or even correct information because of that. 

However, after the big "hooplala" started to fade, it seemed that everyone was getting into the AI ring.  I could easily list about 75-100 new AI tools that are now available for writing, editing videos, text to talk for videos, copywriting, marketing, art, and more.  It seems everyone wants a piece of this pie.

I have used ChatGPT in the past to help me gather information for some of my blog posts, but I rarely just copy and paste the results into my blog.  I usually have to "tweak" it some to fit my niche, or I have to rewrite parts to bring it up to date.  Even with the need to make those changes, it really does help you put out content on a regular basis.

Lately, ChatGPT has been either down or very, very slow. Maybe because they are working on updating it or something.  So I have been trying out some of the other tools available that are also free to use (although they usually have a finite number of times you can access it before they want money). Let me say here that ChatGPT is open source and totally free unless you choose to upgrade it.

Anyway, today I decided to use TailWind's Ghostwriter tool to write this post.  It was really supposed to be about living with a compromised immune system in the post-Covid-19 era.  Since I live with my youngest daughter who underwent a Kidney/Liver transplant 6 years ago and is always going to be on medication to keep her immune system fairly inactive, we still have to be very, very careful in order to keep her healthy.  Hence, the choice of topic for this blog post. 

I know I changed my mind, but I will post for you what I got from using the TailWind Ghostwriting tool so you can see what you get:

The Overlooked Struggle: How Immunocompromised Individuals Are Still Facing Restrictions

As the world slowly begins to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a collective sense of relief and excitement. However, for those who are immunocompromised, the end of restrictions doesn't necessarily equate to a return to normalcy. The reality is that these individuals are still facing numerous challenges and limitations that most of us don't even consider. 

In this article, we will explore the ongoing struggle that immunocompromised individuals are facing, the continued need for caution and public health measures, and the importance of advocating for their rights. 

We will also delve into the specific restrictions these individuals are dealing with and the negative impact it's having on their personal and professional lives. Ultimately, our goal is to increase awareness and empathy for this overlooked struggle and encourage society to take action towards creating more inclusive and accommodating environments.

Need for Continued Caution:

While it's important to acknowledge the progress being made in overcoming the pandemic, we must also recognize that immunocompromised individuals are still at risk. As we move forward, it's crucial to advocate for their rights and create more accommodating environments.,

As the world adjusts to the "new normal," it's important not to forget about the needs of immunocompromised individuals. While many people may see vaccination as the way to move on from the pandemic, it's not that simple for those with weakened immune systems. It's crucial for us to push for more inclusive policies and accommodations for the immunocompromised community.

This starts with amplifying the voices of those who may feel unheard. By advocating for immunocompromised individuals, we can help ensure that their unique needs are taken into consideration when policies are being made. This may include pushing for more remote work and education options, as well as accommodations for medical appointments and treatments. 

We must also work to create more accessible and accommodating public spaces. This may involve mask mandates and social distancing guidelines that take into account the needs of immunocompromised individuals, as well as increased sanitation measures in high-traffic areas.

Overall, advocating for immunocompromised rights isn't just important during the pandemic - it's something that should be a priority in our society. By prioritizing the health and safety of all individuals, we can create a more inclusive world that works for everyone.

The continued restrictions faced:

Despite the initial lift of restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals in some areas, immunocompromised individuals still face a range of limitations due to their increased vulnerability to infections. Many are still advised to stay home, limit contact with others, and avoid crowded areas - all of which can be hugely isolating.

This continued isolation has led to an array of challenges for immunocompromised individuals, including mental health struggles, financial difficulties, and problems with basic tasks such as grocery shopping. Furthermore, the lack of clear guidelines and protections for immunocompromised individuals has resulted in many feeling unsupported and neglected by society.

These ongoing restrictions serve as a reminder that more needs to be done to ensure that those with compromised immune systems are not left behind in the wake of the pandemic. The next section will examine some of the specific problems that isolation creates for these individuals in their personal and professional lives.

Problems that isolation creates at work and at home

Isolation has not only affected the mental and financial aspects of immunocompromised individuals' lives, but it has also caused significant difficulties at work and home. One of the main challenges is the inability to work in a conventional office environment, which has caused job loss or a significant reduction in work hours for many. Working remotely has become the new norm, but not all jobs allow for it, creating unequal opportunities for those who cannot work from home.

Moreover, isolation has made it difficult for immunocompromised individuals to manage their households, especially if they live alone. Simple tasks such as grocery shopping, getting prescriptions filled, and running errands have become a challenge, putting their health at risk if they have to leave their homes. Additionally, they may have to rely on others for help, which can be inconvenient and create feelings of guilt and dependence.

Children of immunocompromised individuals also face difficulties in remote learning and socializing, causing added stress for parents who have to juggle work, homeschooling, and caring for their family's health. The lack of in-person interactions further exacerbates feelings of isolation and loneliness, causing significant mental health issues.

In conclusion, isolation has not only created mental and financial difficulties for immunocompromised individuals but also created problems for them at work and home. Society needs to provide more support and clear guidelines to ensure that they are not neglected or left behind in the wake of the pandemic.,

It's easy to forget that, while most of us have taken steps towards returning to our pre-COVID-19 routines, there are people who still cannot. Immunocompromised individuals have to navigate a world that is not designed with their unique needs and challenges in mind, and it's our responsibility as a society to create a more equitable and accessible environment for everyone. 

We need to continue advocating for their rights, supporting them with resources, and prioritizing public health measures that keep them safe. As we move forward, let's keep in mind that the fight against COVID-19 is not over for everyone, and that we all have a role to play in making sure that everyone can participate fully in society. Let's not forget the words of disability rights activist Judy Heumann, who said, "We must continue to demand that our rights be protected, that our dignity be respected, and that our voices be heard."

Not bad, huh?  This will still need to be "tweaked" if I were to use it as a blog post.  I have to add the images later myself, and that is always a struggle to find the correct image to align with the posts, but so far I have been able to do so.

If AI interests you, there are many, many videos about all the different ones out there now on YouTube.  I can also provide you with a long list of AI tools divided by use/application if you want it.  Just subscribe to my blog and send me message that you want one.

Tik Tok and all the Hullabaloo around it!

 Today's ramblings are courtesy of the internet and all the articles about banning Tik Tok due to possible use by China as a means to spy on Americans and cause undue influence on Americans beliefs and actions.

First, I have Tik Tok on my phone, but rarely use it.  I downloaded it so I could see the shorts that my youngest sends me from Tik Tok.  Otherwise, I am not on the platform. As I stated, my youngest daughter spends almost all of her free time watching Tik Tok videos and claims that she learns interesting and useful things all the time just by watching them. So, I am not on the ban the platform bandwagon as yet.

The US Government has tried before to ban this platform and failed.  I am not really sure that our government has the power to ban an app from existence.  There are still ongoing talks to ban Tik Tok from government phones, which I agree with.  Why do you need a social media platform on a work phone anyway?

This action is quickly being followed by other nations.  The UK and the EU both have enacted bans of Tik Tok on government phones due to the possibility of surveillance and safety of user information. 

Tik Tok is located in Beijing, China and is owned by a private company called ByteDance.  The company denies any sharing of information with the Communist Chinese Government. This company is doing quite a lot to try to show the world that using the platform is safe and secure.

They are moving the customer information servers to other countries; they have engaged with the US Government and are diligently trying to meet their requirements to assure the safety of the platform.  There are, however, still many politicians who fear the company and the possibility of using the stored information about its users for covert intelligence and policy determination, as well as the possibility of making the younger users believe false information that is pro-China and anti-US.  Since the demographic of this platform is mostly teens and young adults, this is not a silly concern.

Overall, this is an issue that is yet to be resolved and is getting major coverage in the news media, so you can't help but see it or read about it, unless you live under a rock.

I am still making up my mind.  I can see both sides of this issue and will wait to make a permanent stand once I see what the Tik Tok Company does to ease the political concerns of our government as well as the other governments.

What do you think about this issue? Have you any thoughts on the matter?  If so, please, let's talk about it.  Leave me a comment and we can begin a conversation (as long as we both can do so civilly).

Now, totally unrelated to this topic, I want to tell you that today is National Panda Day!  Can you think of anything cuter?

  Resources for further reading:

• https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/16/uk-bans-tiktok-on-government-devices-following-us-move.html
• https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/23/eu-commission-bars-employees-from-using-tiktok-citing-security-risks.html
• https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/13/lawmakers-unveil-bipartisan-bill-that-aims-to-ban-tiktok-in-the-us.html
• https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-eu/sharing-an-update-to-our-privacy-policy

With Easter coming upon us, you might enjoy a previous post about my attempts to make Easter decorations for work here.

Ageing--the Good, the Bad, and the Ridiculous

 Recently, I have been thinking more and more about growing older and what exactly that means to me and what I expect for myself.  There was a time when I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 62, when I feared I might die.  I was not ready to throw in the towel at 62.  I had always said I intended to live to 100 because I want to see how the world turns out.  

So, I did what I knew I had to do and I fought cancer.  I had chemotherapy, which was arduous and unpleasant.  I had 33 radiation treatments during which I had to lay on a table with my breasts exposed while strange people walked around behind me. I learned to divorce myself from my body to prevent embarrassment from being so exposed.  I did everything in my power to be healthy again.  I ate right, I got plenty of sleep, I spent time with my family.  Eventually, it all paid off and I beat cancer.

Once you have had cancer, there is a place in your mind that always says, "just wait for the next shoe to drop", so there is a constant tension.  I decided that instead of waiting I would become VERY proactive.  I went on a Keto diet which has had success with keeping cancer at bay.  I began an exercise program and exercised for 1 hour 5 days a week.  I joined a group of people who became my friends and I enjoyed my social activities with them.  I decided I wasn't dead yet, so I would choose to live.

Now here I am, age 72.  I still intend to live to 100.  I still do everything I can to stay healthy.  But, somewhere in my head there has been a shift, or a change of attitude about what it means to me to grow older.

I watch my sister, who is only 3 years older than I am, grow weak and feeble. She has serious memory issues and is frequently incapacitated by illness and requires hospitalization.  This has become her norm.  Is this what I want for myself?  Am I a bad sister for not wanting to be like her?  

We have always been diametrically opposed in our thoughts and actions.  She has been uncaring about her health and just living her life the way it came.  I have always been interested in ways to improve health.  I love exercise and when I found Keto, I began to feel better with that diet.  We have never seen eye to eye on much.  It seems, looking back, that I was more the big sister to her because I spent years taking care of her and her children.

But now I am thinking about how I want to spend the rest of my life.  Do I want to be healthy? Uh, yes! Do I want to be able to be independent? Uh, yes again!! So what do I need to be doing now to accomplish this?

Ageing today is not the same as it was for my mother and father or my grandparents.  There is much scientific investigation into the physical aspects of ageing that show promise in possible slowing down the process or even halting is entirely.  There is much scientific investigation into the psychological aspects of ageing that show promise in alleviating some of the negative effects ageing has on your self-worth.

Our society adores youth.  It has always been a youth oriented society.  Is this a good thing?  I don't know.  I don't see it changing anytime soon, so we must learn as older adults to make our way in a society that demeans and devalues us.  Sad, but true.

Here are a few articles you might enjoy:

• https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/10/adults-control-aging
• https://www.wired.com/brandlab/2018/04/the-future-of-getting-old/
• https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/ss/slideshow-aging-surprises