So much to share, but BP is out of whack. I may work on this over a day or so, or make it rather short. Hope this hot weather hasn’t gotten to you. Stay hydrated, my friends. Sexting is stilll dangerous. So many scams, so many thieves. This bears repeating: You can be a thermometer or a thermostat. (Thanks, Dr. Dorothy Mosby) Don’t forget to support local and national NPR and PBS stations. Check out the Presidential Term Countdown Clock. 886 more days.
Wild Cooking Woman 8/17/26
- Find out which value-adding upgrades realtors recommend when preparing to sell your home.
- The American Automobile Association reported that drivers are paying more at the pump than ever before at this point in August as the war in Iran continues to disrupt global energy supplies.
- Do you ever send paper checks? (Who are you???) Here are ways to protect yourself.
- A 48-year-old tech salesman and former MAGA supporter was stunned when ICE agents detained his wife.
- Some research shows a ketogenic (keto) diet may help improve treatment-resistant depression symptoms.
- The same people who are rallying against religious freedom are the same ones who are demanding religious superiority for their own people. (more)
- Are you getting the most out of your Costco membership and maximizing how much money you can save? Here are some ways to do that.
-
New Android malware lets criminals use your bank card in real time. Learn how to avoid being scammed here.
- A new app called Escalate aims to help by providing workers with last-minute transportation, food and childcare. (Where was this when I was doing the daily grind?)
- Children may be getting smarter, but they are still children. They don’t know as much as they think they do. Protect vulnerable youth from sexting scams and threats. Protect yourself and your children from sexting threats and scams. Learn how here. If you discover that intimate content has been stolen or shared, preserve any relevant links and evidence, secure the affected accounts, and report it through the FBI’s NCII reporting portal at ncii.ic3.gov.
- Experts recommend including canned legumes (beans, chickpeas, and lentils) in your diet to support longevity.
- The USS George Washington is heading to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed for nearly nine months. Families of the sailors are decrying the conditions on board.
- Listen to snippets from Jon Batiste’s new albums and read more about his musical influences, from New Orleans Jazz to video games.
Just thinking about things I’d want to know, if I didn’t! I remember when school began after Labor Day and ended at the end of May. Guess I’m getting older…
Kintsugi 8/14/26
- Senator Angus King (I-ME) released a statement saying: “At a time when the majority of Americans believe that Immigration and Customs Enforcement…has been irresponsible in its use of force, the new ICE announcement touting shock gloves begs a crucial question: is ICE genuinely focused on de-escalation or, what appears more likely, intimidation of anyone critical of their often unlawful conduct?… I never thought I would see the day when masked and armed men in unmarked cars would be roaming the streets and neighborhoods of America, acting in utter disregard of the legal constraints that are basic to our freedoms.”
- The board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted to close the building for renovations, according to The New York Times. They also voted to allow the current president’s name to appear beneath the main building signage with an inscription reading “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump” below the center’s official name. This, after being denied the right to change the name of the center and being forced to remove signage renaming the memorial to JFK.
Just to enjoy…
- Flock’s array of license-plate cameras was built to fight crime. But at least 50 law enforcement officers were charged with or accused of misusing it and other systems. Have I Been Flocked is a website that aggregates police search logs made available through public records. (more w/email)
- Did you know that Discover is now owned by Capital One?
- “Retirees and other recipients could get a lower cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, in 2027 after government data released Wednesday showed that lower energy costs were contributing to a slower rate of price increases. Analysts recalculate their estimates for the upcoming Social Security COLA increase every month when the government releases new consumer price index (CPI) data. Still, July’s inflation metrics matter more than most because they go into the calculation for the next year’s adjustment,” writes
What Are the CPI-W and CPI-E? CPI-W measures inflation for households where the primary income comes from jobs such as clerical work or wage labor. This index adjusts Social Security benefits and some government pensions to account for inflation. CPI-E measures inflation for households with individuals aged 62 and older. It’s designed to reflect the spending habits of seniors, who tend to allocate more of their budget to healthcare and housing. CPI-E tracks inflation based on the consumption patterns of people aged 62 and older. (more)
- For most people, a comfortable temperature in summer is about 72°F to 78°F. If you’re not sure what temperature works for you, try starting at about 78°F. The National Sleep Foundation notes that the best temperature for a good night’s sleep falls between 60°F and 67°F. An air conditioner will help reduce humidity, but if humidity is too high, you may need to use a dehumidifier.
Do you watch your local news on a local station? Who owns that station? Nextar? Sinclair? Another conglomerate? Pay atteention to the news you get. Check out sources outside of the USA to see what the rest of the world is focusing on. Pay attention. I, too, am a cookbook addict. We have ticks in our woods. Nasty critters. Head Start is on the chopping block. Don’t forget to support NPR and PBS. Check out the Presidential Term Countdown Clock. 893 more days.
Wild Cooking Woman 8/10/26
Do you know who Doug Wilson is? You should. According to Kiera Butler, he is a self-declared Christian nationalist who thinks women’s suffrage was a mistake, wants to bring back public flogging, and believes in an America dominated by what he calls “biblical masculinity.” He is also influential in the elimination of women from the military being pushed by the current Secretary of Defense.
Meet the elite squad known as the “Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage” (OLAUG), a Cape Cod nonprofit made up of senior women who kayak, free-dive, and pull submerged trash out of freshwater ponds.
Want to make yourself less appealing to mosquitoes? Take this quiz for some surprising how-to ideas.
How can you get ink out of your clothes? According to Homeaglow:
- For ballpoint ink, dab alcohol or foamy shaving cream onto the ink stain and leave for a few minutes. Blot the stain with layers of white paper towels or a cloth dampened with water.
- For felt-tip pen ink, apply alcohol to a clean towel and rub the stained area. If that doesn’t work, try mixing one part baking soda with one part toothpaste in a small cup.
My most recent cookbook purchases:
- Cooking from Scratch: A Careful Selection of Useful Recipes by Toya Boudy
- A Domestic Cookbook: The First Known African American Cookbook – A Culinary Legacy from 1866 by Malinda Russell
- Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round by Marisa McClellan
- The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001–2026 by America’s Test Kitchen
- Helen Corbitt Cooks for Looks by Helen Corbitt
- Helen Corbitt’s Greenhouse Cookbook by Helen Corbitt
- Helen Corbitt Cooks for Company by Helen Corbitt
- Braided Heritage: Recipes and Stories on the Origin of American Cuisine by Jessica B. Harris
