Update on a Simple Solution

May 25, 2019

In “Sometimes, Simple Solutions Really ARE the Best” (March 26, 2017), I wrote, “Clothing stores: Please remember that there is a segment of the population that wants to dress somewhere between ‘Spring Chicken’ and ‘Grandmother of the Bride.’ You want to know why nobody buys your clothes? Look at them.”

Today I read that chain clothing stores are now shifting their focus to designing clothes for middle-aged moms—you know, the people spending the money.

We’ll see how it goes.

Kids as Pawns in the Bible

October 5, 2016

Did you ever notice that, for all we hear about God loving children, kids in the Bible had it pretty tough?

I’m not talking about Pharaoh killing male Israelite infants, or Herod putting out a hit on the two-and-under crowd. I’m not talking about how Sarah forced Hagar to bear Ishmael, and then treated him so disgracefully, or Lot’s willingness to let strangers gang-rape his daughters in order to protect his guests.

I’m talking about things the Lord Himself did, or allowed to happen, to children.

When the firstborn of every Egyptian was killed by the Angel of Death, some were grown, but there had to be some infants and children there. If an Israelite chose not to paint his lintel with blood, his firstborn would die, too.

No young children were spared from the Flood, or in Sodom and Gomorrah.

And it wasn’t just the kids of non-believers who got axed. Even being a child of one of the Faithful was a real crap shoot.

Isaac didn’t actually get sacrificed but, because of the Lord’s mind-game with Abraham, he probably slept with one eye open for years, in case his father went off the deep end again.

The Lord allowed Satan to kill Job’s children, just to prove that Job was loyal to the Lord. Some were grown, but we don’t know that all of them were.

The Lord decreed that David and Bathsheba’s first son would die because of David’s sin; but first the infant suffered for six days. Was it significant that the infant died on the seventh day, instead of on the eighth, when he would have been circumcised and dedicated to the Lord? 

Jephtha made a vow to the Lord that, if he won a battle, he would sacrifice the first thing that came out his front door when he returned home. The Lord didn’t stop Jephtha’s daughter from coming out the door, or prevent Jephtha from keeping his vow.

When Jesus was asked why a man He healed was blind from birth, He answered, “So that the glory of God could be displayed.” Considering the life that the guy must have led, as an adult and as a child, that seems just a bit callous to me. I actually got cross with Jesus when I read that. 

Also: If God could warn the Magi not to go back to Herod, why couldn't He just tell them straight out where the Child lay, instead of having them go to Herod in the first place? Then Herod wouldn't have slaughtered the young children in order to take out his rival, because he wouldn't have known about it in the first place.

I do believe that Jesus loves little children; I just wouldn’t base that assertion on what’s written in the Bible. That would seem to be a foundation built on sand.

Head Cases

May 22, 2019

So, Missouri has repealed the motorcycle helmet law, for bikers over the age of 18, all in the name of personal freedom.

What’s next, repealing the seat belt law?

Sign Me Up

May 14, 2019

With a stunning inability to learn from history, Missouri governor Mike Parson is fighting with the legislature because he wants to give General Motors incentives to expand a plant in Wentzville.

When people can’t seem to help themselves, they get self-help books and pep talks from successful CEO’s shoved at them.

When corporations can’t seem to help themselves, they get monetary incentives.

OK, Governor, I’m on board. Make those checks out to Peg’s Blog LLC.

November 19, 2019

After the Missouri legislature gave $50 million in tax breaks to keep General Motors in the area,

General Motors pledged to keep less than half of the current number of jobs here.

Governing bodies never seem to learn.

Do You Update Your Product, or Your Outlook?

May 14, 2019

What can we learn from microwave popcorn and address labels?

A friend mentioned that she doesn’t enjoy microwave popcorn as much these days, because it always tastes overcooked/burned. I told her that modern microwaves are more powerful than the ones that were popular when microwave popcorn came on the market, and advised her to pop the corn on Power Level 8. She was very pleased with the results.

It seems that nobody in this situation has kept up with the times: Not the microwave popcorn makers, who still tell consumers to pop the corn on high; or the consumers, who know that their popcorn is overcooked, but who haven’t figured out how to make the adjustment.

I get address labels from the charities I donate to. They are marginally useful as stickers on casseroles for a potluck, or for putting on moving boxes so the movers know which ones are ours (the address is wrong, but the name is still good); but since so few people mail letters anymore, they’re more of a gesture of goodwill than a useful Thank-you gift, and I imagine that most of them go into the trash. Again, the charities aren’t taking into account the electronic communication and online bill-paying culture in this regard.

Is your company keeping up with the times? There’s nothing wrong with making the same widgets you’ve always made, if the widgets still work. But are you looking for new ways that they can be used, and letting consumers know about them? ("Let us tell you about great ways to use these address labels.")

If sales are slumping, someone may tell you that you may need to tinker with the secret formula or make other drastic (and expensive) changes. Before you do that, take a good look at your product. It may not need updating, or to be New and Improved. It may just need to account for changes in the world, with new directions. (“Set your microwave to Power Level 8.”)

(Look at the awards shows on TV. They spend a LOT of time and money trying to make the shows more glamorous and draw more viewers; when all they need to do is to stop trying to be humorous, and limit acceptance speeches to 30 seconds; because people have more entertainment options these days than they did when the shows first started airing, and they don’t want to spend time listening to other people blathering on.)

On the other hand, maybe your product is outdated. Maybe address labels, however inexpensive they may be, are not an appropriate Thank-you gift for charities to send. (Does the world need more trash?)

So, what need updating, your product, or your outlook? Don’t rush into expensive changes if you can use common-sense ones and still get the job done. Do make sure that your product is still useful.

Another Household Tip

May 9, 2019

Yep, this makes two household tips in this blog. I’m getting to be a regular Susie Homemaker!

If you buy large cartons of Greek yogurt, they may go bad before you’ve finished them.

My sister told me to rinse the spoon you scoop the yogurt with BEFORE you put it in the yogurt—even if you’ve taken the clean spoon straight from the silverware drawer. Apparently, things get on the spoons even if you haven’t used them for anything else, and those microbes mess up the yogurt.

I tried it, and it worked. So I’m sharing the tip.

Traffic Trivia Contest

May 8, 2019

With all the call-in contests I hear on the radio driving home, here’s something for radio stations to consider: Traffic Trivia.

Considering how many people will listen and phone in for a chance to receive a hat and a six-pack of soda, they should have no trouble promoting this, especially around the time of the traffic report (although I would not be averse to having it repeated throughout the day).

Sample question: If you’re in a line of traffic that’s stopped at a light, and you want to change lanes, which of the following is the proper way to do it? 

1.         Leave a large space between your car and the car ahead of you, hoping that other drivers will know you want to change lanes, even though you don’t have your signal on. (So many people in St. Louis do this that I suspect it's taught in Driver Training courses.)

2.         Put your signal on to let other drivers know that you do, in fact, want to change lanes.

Sample question 2: When you enter a highway from an entrance ramp that is also the lane for the next exit, how do you let drivers know that you want to get onto the highway, and aren’t just staying in the ramp lane to get off at the next exit?

1.         Use your signal

2.         Wait until there is a gap or a partial gap on the highway, then zoom over and hope that you aren’t hit by oncoming traffic.

The station could also award prizes to people who call in with other sample questions.

I hope at least one radio station will consider doing this. Just think of all the helpful information they could spread!

Get the Mammogram

May 7, 2019

“I have to get a mammogram,” moaned a woman.

I find it fascinating that people who voluntarily do aerobics, or kickboxing, or Zumba—and who keep going back even though their muscles are stiff for days afterwards—gripe about the temporary discomfort of a mammogram.

So if you’ve put off getting one because you’ve heard those terrible stories, put it in perspective:

I’ve had more, and longer-term, discomfort from sitting in a movie seat or taking a car ride than I have had from getting a mammogram.

So don’t let the stories scare you away. Just go.