11 September 2015

Five on Friday

I saw a "Five on Friday" post on Kate's blog so I thought I'd give it a shot. As I get older, my mind sometimes ponders on a variety of topics. Here's 5 of them.

1. On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Often referred to as 9/11, the attacks resulted in extensive death and destruction, triggering major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defining the presidency of George W. Bush. Over 3,000 people were killed during the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., including more than 400 police officers and firefighters. (To see more go here).


2. One good thing that has come out of the atrocities of 9/11 has been an upward swing in patriotism. I am proud to see our flags flying and respect given to our military members and veterans.



3. Our country is broke, we all need to conserve. During WWII, conservation and recycling were a top priority as is seen in this poster. This isn't only on a personal level, it is also on a level where one's actions cause others to have to offer help such as blowing a paycheck and then going to a food pantry for help with groceries. Most people don't do this of course but after volunteering at an assistance center, there were people coming in for help with food and utilities and they had to show their monthly expenses. Cell phones with all the bells and whistles and premium cable channels are not necessities. How about let's repair our roads and bridges before building new ones? If we don't repair the old ones, soon there were be even more bridges and roads needing repairs and it will be be a continual "catch-up" trying to keep up with the maintenance.



4. I have tried to minimize products I purchase that are made in China. I wanted to stop buying all things made there but I found that it is impossible to do this because American made products are not available or in some cases the cost is formidable for many of us.  Why don't I want to buy Chinese-made products? Because most are of inferior quality and many of these products can kill you or your loved ones. Recently, flooring being made there for a well-known American company is suspected of being carcinogenic. Toys for children were painted with lead-based paint. Drywall made in China and used in American homes caused respiratory problems and damage to homes. Legal action against Chinese drywall manufactures is next to impossible. Treats made in China for our furry friends are even suspect of making our furbabies ill or even causing their deaths--I have called companies that did not have the location of where the treats were made on the label to obtain that information. Recently I thought about trying tilapia. Most tilapia is from China and smaller companies in the tilapia trade have fed pig manure to the fish. If the products don't adversely affect your health, then it's quite likely of inferior quality. There have been several items I've recently purchased that didn't work right out of the box and a granite counter in the bathroom (from Home Depot) that the color comes off of it when in contact with cleaning solutions.



5. I am thankful that I have my crochet to keep me occupied and make gifts for family and friends to show my love for them.


I guess I've had some serious subjects on my mind lately. For all of you who may want to read more Five on Friday posts, click on the button below. 

Have a great week everyone!
Sharon


4 comments:

  1. Very thought provoking. Thank you for joining Five On Friday! I hope that you will join in again in future weeks. Have a great weekend! xx

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  2. There is another good reason to not buy Chinese made products, and that is that China is slowly taking over our economy. You are right, it is impossible to find American-made products now, and that makes it so hard. I don't shop at Walmart unless absolutely necessary, maybe twice a year, and buy as little as possible. They are one of the worst offenders of carrying Chinese-made products because they are almost the only complete-goods store in every city (Target also gets Chinese-made) I actually was appalled to find out that when we recycle, our reclyclables are processed locally and then SHIPPED to China so they can make products out of it, and then sell it back to us!!!! It soured me on recycling, though I still do it because I don't want the refuse to go into our landfills. Our country is also shipping chicken to China to be processed and packaged and then sent back for us to buy and eat! I buy only American raised and processed chicken. It's so hard to hold our ground when we are faced with so much contemptible and disgusting practices!

    Today was a tragic and sad anniversary...I've been watching the Fox News special about 9/11 and its been emotional. I woke up this morning thinking about 14 years ago today when I drove to work and heard about it on the radio, then watched what was happening on the TV with my co-workers in horror. This is a day we have to all remember. The things that are happening in our country right now wouldn't have seemed possible on that day, and yet the unspeakable, unbelievable is happening as we pander to the enemy and leave our belly exposed to them. It's a second tragedy.

    Thanks for posting!

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    Replies
    1. You make some good points Marie. I didn't know that about recyclables.

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