CANNABIS & OLD FOLKS -- FALL -- NEWFOUNDLAND

 REPUBLIC -- "If you can keep it."  [Democracy]

        Accountability for Jan. 6 insurrection

U.S. Select House Committee on Jan. 6th Hearings continue in the fall.

QUESTION:  Are there "echoes" we can observe in recent years and now of what preceded the Holocaust as shown in the new PBS Ken Burn's three program series with that title? 

SEPTEMBER SONG -- Ray Conniff's arrangement.

     Harry James Orchestra's triumphant tour of Japan in 1964.

Fall, my favorite season has arrived along with a week or so of cooler temperatures but summer is sneaking back this week to give us high 90' s to 100+ F (37+ C) here in Southern California, U.S.  I'm not complaining as I read about hurricane Fiona tearing through Newfoundland where WiseWebWoman ("Other Side of Sixty" Blog HERE) whose last writing featured photos of her beautiful St. John's city.   I await to read news from her after the storm hoping her city is spared.  Meanwhile, click on this PBS 9/24 report.

My Fiberoptic internet installation updated from my previous blogpost about our community finally receiving this speedier connection -- I have now been able to see how much faster it is when downloading, then installing Apple tech data.  This task was completed in only a few minutes compared to up to an hour or more required previously.  

Cannabis use is a topic that has periodically come to the forefront in our city ever since ..... "California became the first state to allow medicinal cannabis use when voters passed the Compassionate Use Act in 1996.  Today, cannabis is legal in California for both medicinal and adult (recreational) use."  Laws and regulations HERE

Our residents like some other cities have resisted allowing such businesses selling Cannabis.  Now our City Council voted to place a measure on our November ballot seeking to establish a tax on businesses that sell, deliver, test, distribute, manufacture, process, and cultivate cannabis in our city.  It sets gross receipts tax rates for the sale of cannabis and hemp sales in the city.  There would need to be many further actions including some involving the public before any businesses could setup here.

Subsequently, following an educational presentation to our city council, a business existing in a nearby community established by a retired nurse and her daughter, who is also a nurse working in hospice offered that information to the public.   The nurse daughter has taken specialized training studying cannabis so provided in-person and virtually, an educational session on the substance.  They also sell cannabis and counsel purchasers on its use.  I chose to take the virtual session though at the one on site they shared some actual items for individual examination.

They presented filmed testimonials of a few cannabis users for various medical problems, discussed side effects including noting with use short term memory problems could occur which I wouldn't welcome.

It is not my intention to influence anyone to use or not use cannabis.  I've not used cannabis, but I do support controlled research especially for medicinal use which finally began some years ago.   I do think seeking the latest information on cannabis would be most appropriate before using the product, including consultation with a knowledgeable person such as this nurse appears to be.

The use of cannabis continues to be federally illegal.   The Center of Disease Control (CDC) position on cannabis you may read HERE.  Various reliable medical internet sites also provide detailed information.  

Meanwhile, I've found the anecdotal reports of those who have used the various cannabis products being legally sold now to be of interest.

Cannabis use for medicinal purposes was a discussion topic on Ronni Bennett's "Time Goes By" blog.  "Marijuana and Old Folks" she wrote about 1/31/2020 describing her views with many of her readers sharing their own perspective and experiences. You may read that blog post HERE.   (Note:  A direct link does not work I discovered after publishing this post.  You must scroll down to Categories on that  right side bar home page, click on Health,  next you scroll down that last page of blog post title listings for the blog title above.)

The use of cannabis continues to be controversial with some unresolved concerns.  I would consult with my doctor regarding use in case there could be conflicts with other medications.   Attitudes have obviously softened allowing selective use medicinally and recreationally in some locales.  Check for what is legal where you live if you are interested in cannabis. 

RECORDED MESSAGES FRUSTRATE

 Republic -- "If you can keep it."  [Democracy]

        Accountability for January 6th Insurrection

U.S. Select House Committee on Jan. 6th Hearings continue in the fall.

QUESTION:  Are more of the American people beginning to realize the threat to turn our form of government into an autocracy by using fear and intimidation of possible  violence by those inciting a civil war?

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms died at age 96 years, 8 September 2022, Balmoral Castle Scotland.  She reigned 70 years.

                

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

Dull moments seldom appear in my household.  I always have something to either demand my attention or I am attracted to engaging in numerous other activities that give me pleasure.

Wonders never change -- last week I was writing of our unusual excessively hot humid temperatures.   Now, thanks to that rare Hurricane Kay coming up our Pacific Coast from Mexico our heat wave ended.   Kay became a lesser tropical storm after colliding with a high-pressure system from the north resulting in our experiencing very welcome but unusual cooler temperatures.  Never mind, we're promised some hotter weather again before our summer ends.

The dreaded mud slides in previously burned forest fire areas have brought devastation but not to my community.   I shudder when I view TV news reports here and around the world of those driven from their homes or worse, thanks to the vagaries of climate change.

Long-promised and even longer awaited conversion to fiber-optic internet service has finally come to our neighborhood and more specifically my home.  Even my landline phone service transmission is now changed to the internet with an 8-hour backup battery should my electricity ever cease.  

The scenario wasn't that efficient leading up to the installation of this fiber-optic change but that only took several hours for the technician to accomplish one afternoon this past week.  Granted for that final actual change I didn't have to do anything, but somehow, I always seem to feel almost as tired as if I had done the labor.  I don't recall feeling that way when I was younger so wonder if that is just me, or is it an aging thing?   Oh, and another thing, why does everything always happen at once instead of occurring on different days?

The previous week I was busy getting exhausted as the young men working in my garage replaced by hot water heater.  In the midst of all this came my phone company agent to discuss my ordering installation of their fiber-optic system for internet and phone.   He had no printed material to leave with me to review and consider later.   We took a photo of his working rate form and particulars with my iPhone for my convenience.  

I phoned the agent the first of the week, discussed further installation matters and placed my order.  He immediately connected us with a third party to initiate the change portion taking place by phone which took about a half hour.  

As luck would have it, at the end of that process there was a glitz resulting in my having to call their customer service number.   I was apprehensive since I had gone through that process a week or so earlier which became one of those recorded message nightmares.  The message was:  "We're working quickly to answer your call, but it is taking a little bit longer than normal and someone will be with you soon."  

That time they eventually said there would be a 45-minute delay.  I could hold or they would call me when the customer service agent was available.  I optioned the call-back which came after 45 minutes but I still had to hold again.  No offer for a call-back as before.  Totally exasperated after another 45 minutes passed just as I was about to hang up a real live person answered.  What kind of weird system was that?

This time I wasn't offered the call-back option, had to hold 45 minutes again, became exasperated again and was ready to disconnect just as a service representative answered.  Turns out there was no need for me to call them but I had no way of knowing that then.  

My on-site installation occurred several days later as scheduled -- new line to my house and all the changes inside accomplished by the technician in a few hours.  

My landline phone now goes through the internet, has an 8-hour backup battery if the electric power shuts down.  I can't see that the internet speed on my computer is any faster than what I had, but I'll see.

Isn't progress wonderful!

DOCUMENTS WHERE? -- RELIEF -- UNWANTED LEAK

 Republic -- "If you can keep it."  [Democracy]

     Accountability for Jan. 6th insurrection.

U.S. Select House Committee on Jan. 6th Hearings continue in the fall.

U.S. Dept. of Justice and FBI deserve respect for doing their jobs.

QUESTION:  Were any of those classified documents missing from empty folders found at Mar-a-Largo and other security information in boxes like those confiscated by government authorities transported by the ex-President to his Bedminster, N.J. residence as theorized by ex-FBI agent and seen in Daily Mail, U.K. video in Washington Post article questioned in Newsweek HERE?

Note:  "Trump and the Mar-a-Largo documents: A timeline -- Washington Post HERE.

9/11 A date embedded in our memories as are those whose lives ended that day.   

SO-CAL

Updating Southern California weather effects where I live should any who might want to know what climate changes on this planet may bring to some in the future.  Refer to my previous post describing the situation.

Given our extreme heat wave, we managed to avoid any rolling blackouts with our power grid withstanding day-after-day heavy demands.  Residents voluntarily cut back further on power usage including during our flex alert prime time usage expanded by one hour on each end of the five hour block for a total of seven hours (3 - 10 p.m.)

Hurricane Kay formed in the Pacific Ocean off Mexico's coast moving north toward our Los Angeles area fortunately only becoming a tropical storm breaking heat and rain records.  A California hurricane is a tropical cyclone with usually only the remnants affecting us though they are rare.  The last hurricane was 25 years ago.

Periodic rain bursts from Hurricane Kay came to various locales across the Southland, finally even a couple very light rains to my own neighborhood.  Some beach communities built up sand dunes along the shore to contend with high surf and possible flooding.  People living inland in areas where forest fires had burned away soil-holding vegetation filled sandbags for placement against possible excess water causing damaging mud slides to homes and businesses.

East of where I live one forest fire only 5% minimally controlled day-after-day kept spreading causing several occasions of thousands being told to evacuate their homes.  Two people died in their car apparently trying to escape the flames.  Finally,  though only a small amount, enough rain came to curtail the fire's expansion which is now 50% contained.

I was delighted to see dampened pavement on my driveway one morning and a bit more the next day.   This light rain almost invisible to the eye was hardly sufficient to impact our drought but was enough to give vegetation a brief refresher.  

Let It Rain -- Diana Krall en live sur RTL

Equally, or maybe even more importantly, our temperatures have cooled down now.  In fact, our temperatures are in the 80's, a bit below our previous years usual numbers.  In a few more days our humidity will lessen to the drier level we usually have that is more comfortable, especially if the heat increases as is expected.  

My week brought me water in a way I did not welcome with the discovery of a leak when a patch of water which hadn't dried up in the heat I observed coming from underneath my garage door.  The week before I had noticed water but couldn't detect an active specific leak though I had my suspicions as to the source.  Now, with this obvious water it was time for the plumber.

A new hot water heater was the order of the day as I expected.  The plumber thought my heater was probably about fifteen years old -- quite a long life well beyond the usually expected ten years or less longevity.  I vaguely recalled reading these heaters operated best if drained periodically but realized I had never done that.  Maybe it would have lasted even longer if I had.

I could recall only that my husband had taken care of the last purchase sometime before his 2006 death.  I didn't have the old purchase receipt to make a cost comparison with the quote I was given for a new hot water heater.  I was really surprised to learn how expensive installation of a new one would be.

I did check the internet verifying what they said was the cost of the unit, the quality of the brand as the highest rated one, so I decided not to delay installation in order to get other price quotes.  Additional copper piping and connections were needed since the old ones were long since beyond being workable.  

They said they could install the new hot water heater for me right then, that Friday afternoon, so perhaps it was best not to delay.  The two young men (most service workers are young to me any more) worked steadily and hard for several hours and labor isn't cheap.  Hopefully, there are no more appliances or other items needing replacement anytime soon.

I expect others of you living in individual residences have had to go through the hot water heater experience but I'd never had to give much thought to one -- we just always had hot water wherever we lived, but then my husband probably always looked after this essential I just took for granted.  

HOT TIME -- KEEPING COOL AGING -- HEAT OFFICER

 Republic -- "If you can keep it."  [Democracy]

      Accountability for Jan. 6th insurrection.

U.S. Select House Committee on Jan. 6th Hearing continues in the fall.

U.S. Dept. of Justice and FBI deserving of respect for doing their jobs.

QUESTION:  What has happened to the documents missing from the empty file folders marked 'classified' found mixed into personal belongings of the ex-President -- items he allegedly illegally took to his Florida country club resort home -- documents he kept there even after all such records owned by our government his attorneys falsely reported had been returned as required?  

"TOO DARN HOT" from the musical film 'Kiss Me Kate' / 1953                                                Ann Miller dancing and singing Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter                                      Starring: Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ann Miller, Keenan Wynn,                            Bobby Van, Tommy Rall, James Whitmore, Bob Fosse, Ron Randell 

HOT TIME IN THE OLD TOWN ... many days and nights!

HOT is a term describing the climate in many places around the world including my own here in Southern California, U.S.   People are flocking to our SoCal beaches to stay cool.   Monsoonal thunderstorms with lightning erratically roll through some communities (not mine) dropping short bursts of rain.  Bears seek humans' swimming pools in which to cool themselves.   

100+ degrees Fahrenheit (38+ Celsius) our thermometers have been recording beginning last week, continuing into this current week only to get hotter in some SoCal communities -- think 105 - 115 F (43 - 53 C). 

Earlier in the season, we received in our mail forms to submit encouraging those who can and want to participate in our utility power company's 'flex alert' program for which they give $$$ credits.   

We're now on 'flex alert'.  We're asked to eliminate using electric appliances like our ovens, clothes and dishwashers, turn off other devices, to not charge electric autos, between 4-9 p.m.   This is also the time period during which we are asked to conserve water due to our drought I've described here previously.  

Additionally, for several consecutive days we are being advised we could experience 'rolling blackouts'.  This usually means our power could periodically be cut off for an hour, then turned back on, during days and nights.  

Provision excluding such power outages can be arranged by individuals whose medical conditions require they must have electricity for their life-sustaining equipment.  

Our several years drought has aggravated our parched vegetation due to such extremely hot weather in areas here and in northern California creating even greater susceptibility to fire.  Our rationed water is also required to combat these fires.  The flames have destroyed acres of countryside along with some resident's homes, causing thousands to evacuate, injuring some and threatening, even taking the lives of people as well as other life.

The future our world is predicted to face includes increasing extreme temperature changes which we are just beginning to experience.  In simple terms, in each succeeding year to come, our summer days and nights are likely only going to get hotter.

Perhaps being aware of what others experience now may help inform some to think in terms of their own communities -- what they may be able or want to do in anticipation, if or when they have a similar situation.

Los Angeles has taken the actions so far by only two other cities, Miami and Phoenix -- appointing a Chief Heat Officer, Marta Segura, to "oversee the City's response to extreme heat events" described in a city press release.  She was previously director of climate emergency mobilization.

The L.A. city plan will include a warning system, interagency emergency response plans, also long-term strategies to reduce exposure.  Smithsonian magazine describes "Heat is the leading weather-related killer in the U.S."

"Americans who are over the age of 65, Black Americans, children, patients with cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses and economically disadvantaged populations are more vulnerable to heat and face a higher risk of death, on top of the disparities in mortality reporting" reported by the Environmentally Protection Agency (EPA).

"The idea of Chief Heat Officers isn't exclusive to the US.  Since Miami announced its position, Athens, Greece, Freetown, Sierra Leone, Monterey in Mexico, and the Santiago metropolitan region in Chile have all hired in similar positions."

The world in which we live now and will in the future is projected to be quite different from the one into which I was born more than three quarters of a century ago.  I think the expectation some seem to have that we can recapture life in the world as we once knew is not at all likely.

Resistance to the changes coming only makes the accommodation more difficult.  The complications of too much water, flooding, presents massive threats some in the world have already been experiencing  from which we need to be learning, then taking preparatory action now. 

Flooding washed out a major connecting freeway (I-10) between L.A.andPhoenix recently, so we are not immune to too much water in some drought areas also vulnerable to the effects of excessive heat.  Adaptation to our evolving new world now is our challenge.

Our energy source to power cooling, heating, and lighting our homes, our transportation vehicles, and systems to operate all our devices on which we increasingly depend in most other facets of our lives are central to our existence.  

Not all of us are able to incorporate all of the necessary changes into our daily lives but we might best do what we can.  Also, I'm no longer a candidate for taking on extra employment to augment costs of some recommended special projects as I might once have done when younger.  That situation becomes a fact of life for most at some stage in life.

Meanwhile, I'm keeping cool with air conditioning, doing all I can do in the way of conservation of electric and water usage as necessary.  There is more I know would help in overall conservation beyond these immediate special needs I would like to be able to adopt.  Some adaptive actions I would take but I'm no longer physically able to perform some of the required tasks that could mitigate upkeep.  In other desired actions the cost is prohibitive, considering given the unknowns of what my personal future needs may be I expect is true for others, too.

I wonder .....

..... if others reading here view the future as I've considered it to be?

..... if other readers here  have or will be doing all they think could or needs to be done to adapt to this future that is confronting us now?

..... if special action is being taken in your community to prepare and adapt to changing weather and/or environmental conditions where you live -- locally or in your state?