A Very Sad Day, Indeed

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If my last post was on a perfect day, this is anything but. Clouds have moved in and the thunder of violence has again shaken the earth. Boston. What a horrendous result at what should be a wonderful celebration of life. 8 years old and he’ll never see another birthday. I’m sure the cowards that caused this celebrated that fact. Others with missing limbs and clinging by a very thin thread to life lay in hospitals wondering why.

Indeed, why? What did it accomplish? Did it score one for the “home team” as it were? Did it minimize a dangerous military threat? What’s the purpose? I guess God will ask those same question of that individual or group of individuals when the time comes.

The saddest part, and what Mary and I discussed this morning, is thank goodness it has been nearly a dozen years since the last terrorist attack. And while I do not think it is a good idea to compare this event too closely with 9/11, it does make me wonder how many countries have to go through this on a near daily basis. So many places see this everyday and have to function as if it were just a change in weather.

I do agree with some that say don’t let the terrorists win by panicking and acting as if they are around every corner. We must do what we can to protect ourselves, but considering one of ‘our own’ can walk into a school and shoot 26 children and adults, or into a movie theater and cause multiple deaths inside of several seconds, this, terrible as it is, is not worst we have faced recently.

Mary and I pray for those lost, as we do everyday. We pray that the casualties will return to their full faculties, and that the only scars they will carry are their memories, which may never heal. We pray that someone will intervene or stop the next hateful soul before they carry out their dark plot, but the best we may be able to do is stand together hold hands and show that together we are stronger than any individual. While we may lose a few, we will stand together and defeat these individuals with our combined strength.

May we all remember the love and comfort our God gives us, and may he hold us all in His hands and remind us that whatever trials we face here on earth, that our eternity is our promise of joy and then even the mental scars will be healed. Let us all keep our faith in the good of most and just keep a wary eye out for the bad.

A Perfect Day…Period

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Finally. A day in the upper 70′s, sipping Arnold Palmers, sitting on my wraparound porch, watching the trees and bushes change into their spring foliage and listening to my Frank Sinatra station on Pandora. Does life ever get any better than this? Oh yes, my lovely lady working (playing?) away on the computer tossing occasional “I love you’s” at me and a gentle breeze blowing by.

I tried writing in my book, Glaciers Melt & Mountains Smoke and couldn’t hold a thought in my head, then I was tripping over words that normally come easily to me. Sigh, back to watching the birds flitting about outside. I guess today it’s their turn to be busy as I listen to Bobby belt out “Mack the Knife”.

Some days you just need to know when you must abandon all pursuits and go with the breezes blowing around you. This must be one of them. I shake my head at what those poor Colorado residents are going through, and saying a silent prayer for the plain states that are about to reenter the winter scene as if it were mid-January. Ahh, Frank Sinatra and Count Basie with “The Good Life”, perfect.

So no brilliant quips or nonsensical musings today, just not enough motivation after waiting for so long for a perfectly wonderful day such as this.

The nice thing about getting older is you learn to take advantage of a day like this, because just like the song “The Summer Wind” its over way too fast. I wish all of you a perfect day and the sense to take advantage of it as I am doing right now.

Live your life for today and don’t worry about tomorrow, we’ve all heard that in a song, but do we truly ever do it? I am, and if I can get Mary to, this genuinely will be a Day of Wine and Roses. Cheers!

What? End of March already?

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Good heavens, it’s the end of March already. Although you couldn’t exactly call it Spring by the weather in this country. About a third or better has had more winter this month than in the previous four. We send you our fervent hope for warmer weather soon.

Imagine we are already through Valentines Day, George Washington’s Birthday, St. Patrick’s Day and now staring at Easter Sunday. So much for this year moving any slower than the last. Mrs. Claus and I are getting into some new ideas and marketing products. It’s funny that while most people are doing their spring cleaning and throwing things out, we are collecting more and cluttering up our lives like chipmunks gather acorns.

We will post what we are up to in a later post, but suffice it to say that we are exploring new opportunities as fast as we can identify them. All of these are to help out total goal of getting out to book festivals and fairs later this year to heavily promote my books, Believe Again, The North Pole Chronicles and Faith, Hope & Reindeer. Everything we are trying to do ties back to getting these books publicly known.

I promised that I would give an origin of commonly used traditions and phrases in each post so here is today’s:

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by June. However, since they were already starting to have an issue with body odor, brides carried a bouquet of flowers to mask their scent. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Those yearly baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water!”

Things sure have changed. Think I’ll go jump in the shower now.

What does that mean, exactly?

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In my humble opinion, I think everyone is ready for some warmer temperatures and a little less of the white stuff. I certainly don’t have an ax to grind with Mother Nature, but being no spring chicken, I can tell you this cold seems to be sneaking into these old bones.

Speaking of which, do you ever wonder where we get some of the sayings we use in everyday life?  Sayings such as ‘ax to grind’ and ‘spring chicken’ have actually been in our vocabulary for hundreds of years. Some of them came from a time that, while common back then, would never be found in our vernacular today. It makes me wonder what sayings we are using today and what there staying power will be going into the future?

I think I will give you the meaning of at least one or two of these verbal pearls with each post. Since Santa Claus has been around for centuries, I know how many of these sayings came to be used and what there original meaning or use was. You may be surprised to learn just what they really meant, or how they were first used. Let’s take the two I began this post with and let me explain them.

“An ax to grind”: This phrase has always meant having a mean or selfish motive, or carrying a grudge against someone. It actually came from an experience by Benjamin Franklin. In the story he told, Franklin was approached by a stranger who stopped to admire the family grindstone. The stranger offered Franklin an ax so that he could demonstrate the tool. Once the ax was sharp, the stranger walked off laughing.

“No Spring Chicken”: Way back when, New England chicken farmers learned that chickens born in the spring brought better prices at the market than older ones that had gone through a winter. Some farmers tried to pass older chickens off as spring chickens, but wise buyers could tell the difference and which were the older chickens. The term now refers to not only birds, but people past their prime. *Sigh*

Here’s a bonus for you since I began this post talking about the weather. Back in the 16th century, houses had thatched roofs made from thick straw piled high atop wood beams, but with no wood underneath. Often this was the only place animals could get warm, so all the cats and other small animals and insects (use your imagination) lived in the roof. When it rained hard enough, it became slippery and sometimes the critters would slip and fall off.  Hence the saying “It’s raining cats and dogs.”

Language can be fun. I hope this brings a smile to you today. On my next post I will tell you about our next appearance coming up at the end of the month. But right now I have to help my old friend the Easter Bunny get ready. Take care, all.

Ah, March!

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Happy March Everyone! Already two full months into 2013 and I’m still wishing everyone Happy New Year. As I watch the flurries falling outside my window, I like most others, are done with winter and am waiting for warmer temperatures. In the meantime however, Mrs. Claus and I are very busy working on new websites. Most of you (along with the rest of the world) have no idea how entrepreneurial we are.

A high percentage of the world’s population think I only work one night a year! Far from it, my friends, Mary and I always have various irons in the fire from year to year and 2013 is no exception. Right now we are out promoting the two books I helped write through Joe Moore which are Believe Again, The North Pole Chronicles, which relays the story of how the North Pole and Santa and Mrs. Claus came to be, and Faith, Hope & Reindeer, which tells of how the Clauses and their elves help those who have lost their faith and hope. Plus I am helping Moore write the third part of the trilogy right now. Glaciers Melt & Mountains Smoke will be released in January, 2014.

We intend to travel around the country with these books, if we can raise enough money to do so. We need to keep out of the North Pole coffers as this is a personal project. To learn more about how you can help, visit our Indiegogo site.

Additionally, as mentioned Mary Claus is working on building a new website since we are also publishing these books simply called The North Pole Press. Come check us out to learn all about these wonderful books, and also how we help other self-publishing authors reach their goals. If you are an aspiring self-published author, you need to take a look at his website.

Do you know about the car wax and other products we are helping out with? There is a lovely man who for the past 45+ years has been selling and perfecting a brand of car care products that are unsurpassed in today’s market. The elves discovered it when we were trying to find a better protective coating for the sleighs up here. We stumbled on Beats-Um-All and have never looked back since. It is an incredible product but not very well marketed. So Miss Mary is trying to help the owner, Denny, get the word out. She even opened on online store as he never had one before.

Add to that all our regular duties in the North Pole, and you’ll understand why we always seem so tired. Much of what we are trying to achieve is dependent on others, and we can all use a little extra help. But in any case, please keep up with us if you can and come see us when we are in your neighborhood!

Santa’s Been Found!

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Wow.

It sure has been a long time since I have revisited this blog! To all the people who were following this for so long, you have my humblest apology. I have no reasonable excuse other than I was side-tracked with other projects and goings-on. You have my word that now that I am back – I am back to stay.

I do have some really good news, though. But first, I am curious to know how many of you have wondered how Santa Claus did everything he was credited for, does he really exist and how did he get where he is today?

Well all of the above and so much more has been answered for you! My new novel, Believe Again, The North Pole Chronicles covers all the above and in true storyteller form shows you the life of the current Santa Claus and his father, the former Santa Claus, and discloses a great deal about the North Pole and the other residents including elves, reindeer, Santa’s trusty steed, Amerigo, and on and on.

This book has already gotten rave reviews from various groups, and looks to be as well liked as Faith, Hope & Reindeer. The book is actually the prequel to FH&R, but can be read out of order, as either book can stand on its own.

I am also 200 pages into Glaciers Melt & Mountains Smoke, the third and (so far) final book of the trilogy.

Help us come see you! We are trying to get out to various book festivals and fairs across America and you can be one of our elves that helps us get there. The truly fun part is you get the reward! Every dollar you give can net you very special items including your opportunity to get either book, and other exclusive offers only available for this project. Go to Santa’s Book Tour and follow the story!

The fun part is going to be that once begun, I will be posting our travels and experiences as we go. And let’s start with our last one.

Mary and I had a fun time at the recent $hop $mart w/Small Business event last Sunday in Knoxville. It was a new show and thus not a huge turnout. But the best part was that this was the official first book signing for the new book. And I have to say, it was very well received! We sold multiple sets of both books and several of the new Believe Again alone. The promoter was none other than Jennifer Alexander, the midday DJ of B97.5 FM. She was the person that chose Faith, Hope & Reindeer as the B97.5 Book of the Month last year, and helped us launch that book to our Christmas audience.

The interesting thing was the walls were all painted black and I thought we might have walked into a cave. This plus the fact it was about as far away from the center of Knoxville, and our first thought was that we might as well be in an empty field in Kansas. And did I tell you this was a first time event? Not to mention there were two major events going on in downtown Knoxville. Everything seemed against our success, but lo and behold, people found us anyway!

I thought – good heavens – if we were successful here, how well could we do at a major book festival?  The possibilities are staggering.  Now admittedly, looking a great deal like Santa Claus doesn’t hurt.  I was interviewed by a local television station (guess we weren’t in Kansas after all) and got a good deal of attention by the people there, vendors and shoppers, alike. Needless to say, we are very hopeful to reach our goals to do this in many more places!

Miss Mary and I are looking at potential shows to visit in the meantime, and all suggestions are welcome, especially if they feature authors!

For those who have stuck with this blog, thank you, and may you have wonderful blessings in 2013. For you who are new, stick around, this is going to be interesting and fun!

Stress on Children Effects DNA

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Violence hurts children.

No disputing this statement. But now they are discovering that it hurts them down to their most basic genetic make-up, their DNA.

University of Maryland Child Development Lab Director Nathan Fox says “Toxic stress, being exposed to domestic violence abuse, sexual physical abuse or neglect, that kind of abuse [children] really can’t escape from and being exposed to it has dire consequences.”

The recent program by Duke University studies the effect of constant, violent stress on the tip of the DNA strand called Telomeres. It has been found that exposure to violence shortens Telomeres, which makes the cells older.

According to the new research it is possible a seven year old who deals with violence, could have the cellular age of a 17 year old. The result of this means that aging diseases normally seen much later in life, can begin developing in someone almost half their age.

Fox further stated that this demonstrates the need to help make life easier for children who could grow up with illnesses that will affect everything from family life to health care.

Professor Fox says this could help shape policies in the future focusing on vulnerable populations of children to help ease stress. “If in fact some of these children develop cardiovascular disease cancer a result of this early exposure to stress that’s going to cost society a lot more if we spend the money early enough in terms of violence prevention,” Fox stated.

But he cautions that there is still more research that needs to be done concerning the research. Such as, continuing to follow the children who were studied initially to see if reducing stress would also reduce the aging risk once they got older.

To learn more about Telomeres and the role they play on aging and your DNA, National Geographic did a video on Telomeres.

eBooks for Kids – Here We Go!

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With all the emphasis lately on eBooks and their acceptance into the mainstream especially with the onslaught of Kindle, Nook, et al, it was only a matter of time until this spilled into the Children’s Book market. I am happy to report that spillover is now taking place.

Scholastic Inc., is developing an app called Storia, which includes around 1,300 e-books and multimedia e-books that can be bought directly from the publisher or from retailers. Such favorite picture series as “Clifford the Big Red Dog” and “Ready, Freddy!” will be in digital format for the first time. The app also will feature games, quizzes, interactive stories, an e-dictionary and a virtual book shelf that kids can organize.

Scholastic has been around for nearly 100 years and has become a global distributor of children’s books through its programs to schools, teachers and children. Scholastic carries an exclusive with the Harry Potter series books for children.

Scholastic Media president, Deborah Forte, says the idea is to make e-Books “more accessible and more relevant.” Forte went on to say that she sees the app “as a way to support reading and something that’s just plain fun.”

A beta version will become available Tuesday for teachers and families who buy through the Scholastic Book Clubs and other Scholastic sales channels. Storia is expected to launch for the general public in the fall, when it should have more than 2,000 books.

The app is free and is available first at scholastic.com/storia, then on iTunes later this March. Forte says the e-books should range in price from $1.95 to $20, but those who download the app will get five free books, including two multimedia selections.

Kids are still well behind in the e-book race, and before this week Scholastic had apps for only a handful of books. Vice president for business development Jeff Mathews says that e-books are around 5 percent of sales for Scholastic children’s books, a fraction of the percentage many publishers report for adult books.

Mathews and Forte cite the relative expense of a Kindle or Nook e-book reading device, even as they drop under $100, as a reason few kids have them. They also say that the typical e-book device is not designed for young people.

Personally I have seen movement to bring more eReaders to children lately and while these primarily carry their own stories and are not accessed to the web, once a company like Scholastic gets behind a program like this, it is only a short period of time before the Apples of the world see the marketing potential and will follow suit.

“The devices, the reading experience and the ecosystems are showcasing all manners of books, magazines and videos,” Forte says, “We are dedicated to kids and reading.”

Storia is intended for children ages 3-14, and Forte says that the app is carefully tailored for each age, whether the books themselves or the difficulty of the quizzes. Parents can track which books their kids are reading, how long they read them and which new words they learned.

“We see Storia as following three basic principles,” Forte says. “One size does not fit all. Parental involvement. And the activities and functions allow for interactive engagement.”

Food Police? Seriously?

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By now probably everyone has heard at least one, if not several versions, of the story of the “food police” story that came out of North Carolina. It has many variations by now with everything from taking the young girls food away (not true) to giving her enough extra food to feed several children (also not true).

The big problem I have is why we need anyone watching over what parents feed their children in the first place? Okay, I certainly know that nutrition is a cornerstone to a child’s development and growth, but seriously, do we really need others to tell parents what to pack in their kids lunch?

So many things we were told to eat that was good or better for us than what our parents ate, I wouldn’t touch now for any reason. Margarine loaded with trans fats, fast food that would make faire from a garbage can look healthier. Have you seen the latest on Facebook about processed chicken? You will never touch a chicken nugget again in your life if you have.

Fact is, that unless you live on an organic farm and grow and harvest everything yourself, you will just have to trust that everything you eat won’t kill you somewhere down the line. I did a stent for a meat packer for several years and when I got my first tour of the processing plant, I couldn’t eat meat for a week. Enough said. Since that experience, I have repressed the visions and blocked out what I know in the deep recesses of my mind, and yes, I still love sausages of all type to this day.

Missing milk from your lunch is no big thing. In fact, depending who you may talk to, many people think all dairy is a killer anyway (just ask Marilu Henner). Maybe the parents thought all that milk might not be good for their child so they gave her apple juice instead. Should we clasp them in irons and throw them in the pit for their misguided beliefs?

So this is the best way states and federal government can spend our money? Really? What could possibly be next? Fashion police sending children home who are wearing shorts before it’s 75°? In response to this incident, Congress members Larry Kissell and Renee Elmers penned a letter to Tom Vilsack, the U.S. Agriculture Department Secretary. It rightfully stated this incident is a terrible example of “government overreach” and calls it a waste of money and an embarrassment to North Carolina Schools.

I can think of a bunch of foods that could be far more potentially harmful than missing out on milk. And many of these are highly recommended by the USDA. For instance, did you know that apple seeds contain cyanide? Potatoes and tomatoes have very poisonous stems and leaves filled with glycoalkaloid poison. Green potatoes can cause death, normally after a period of weakness and confusion, followed by a coma. Yes, it happens. And don’t even get me started on how many poisonous mushrooms there are. The point is, we have more important things to keep on eye on our kids, like developing their brains over their palates.

I pray that parents always do their best for their children, with all the resources they have available to them. But please, let us not disintegrate to the point where we need food police to inspect and determine whether or not additional supplements need to be supplied to our kids on their say so. I wish those people who want to butt into someone else’s business all the trans fats and apple seeds they can ingest.

Lead Poisoning – Still A Threat?

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Is Lead Poisoning Still an Issue in 2012?

Even today in Ohio, hundreds of children are found to have high levels of lead in their blood, affecting their health and their development.

In Ross County, Ohio, over 1,000 children were screened in 2010, and 10 were found to have elevated levels of lead in their blood. In an effort to assist with screenings and to identify affected children sooner, the Ross County Health District has a new tool available to it.

Recently, the health district received a LeadCare II machine, which is a state-of-the-art blood-lead testing system. Developed by Magellan Biosciences, the machine in just three minutes can provide accurate results with only two drops of blood.

“Studies with the CDC have shown that it’s more accurate than a lab test,” said Jeanne Loftis of Ryan Diagnostics. “It provides accurate, on-the-spot lead testing.” Loftis delivered the machine and taught the health district’s nurses how to use it.

The ability to deliver such rapid results is critical.

“Previously, if we had someone tested through a lab, it took time to get the results, it was costly and we often had to work to get the patients back in here for additional testing and education,” said Kathy Wakefield, the district’s director of public health nursing. “Now we can have results while they’re still here with us and we can address the problem immediately.”

Lead issues aren’t as common as they once were, but in many large cities, and in older cities like Chillicothe, old homes still can have lead-based paint on the walls or in the soil around the home. This was before the metal’s use in paint, gasoline and children’s toys was banned.

Wakefield said the Ohio Department of Health lists areas as “at-risk” by their ZIP code, and many areas in Ross County are considered at-risk. “Lead poisoning is especially detrimental to young children,” she said. “It can harm the body, slow development and affect learning. In high doses, it can also be fatal.”

Lead can be swallowed, inhaled and, in some cases, absorbed through the skin. In Ohio, Wakefield said children covered by Medicaid can have the testing paid for, but the district also will seek grants to pay for additional test kits, allowing children who might not fall into the lower income categories to be tested, too.

So what are some of the questions concerning Lead Poisoning?

What is an elevated blood lead level?

Lead is a highly toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around our homes.  An elevated blood lead level in a child is defined as 10 or more micrograms of lead in a deciliter (μg/dL) of blood.

Who is effected by elevated blood lead levels?

Children are more vulnerable to lead than adults. While all children are at risk from lead, children living in older housing and in poverty are at the greatest risk. Children who eat paint chips or breathe dust from flaking or peeling lead-based paint are the most likely to develop a problem. Children may also develop high blood lead levels by drinking water contaminated with lead that may be in the plumbing system or by being exposed to contaminated soil or other lead hazards.

What are the symptoms?

Most children who have elevated levels of lead in the blood do not have any symptoms. When symptoms, such as stomach ache, poor appetite, and irritability appear they are often confused with other childhood illnesses. Very severe lead exposure (blood lead levels greater than 80 μg/dL) can cause coma, convulsions and even death.

The long-term effects of elevated blood lead levels in children may include slow development, reduced Intelligence Quotient (IQ) scores, learning disabilities, hearing loss, reduced height and hyperactivity. How quickly these symptoms may appear would be dependent on the level of lead in the blood.

How is an elevated level of lead in the blood detected?

The only way to find the problem is to test the blood. Children who are at high risk for elevated blood lead levels should be tested at 6 months of age. Other children should be tested at age 12-15 months.

If a case is found, should family members be tested?

A case of elevated blood lead indicates an environmental source of lead, often in the home. Brothers and sisters up to 6 years of age should be tested. If the source is a home renovation project, parents and older siblings may need to be evaluated to check for signs of exposure. If the source is found to be a day care center, other children in that facility should be tested.

How is an elevated blood lead level in a child treated?

High levels of lead in the blood (45 μg/dL and above) should be removed by a treatment called chelation. Doctors may decide to use this therapy at lower blood lead levels, depending on the child’s age, housing situation, and clinical signs and symptoms. Chelation is sometimes done on an outpatient basis, but hospitalization may be needed.

Can a child with an elevated blood lead level return home?

If a child is to receive chelation therapy as an outpatient and the home is found to be the source of the lead, the child should live somewhere else until the source of the lead is removed from the home.

What can be done to prevent childhood lead exposure?

Keeping the home clean, eating a good diet, and washing hands can help prevent lead poisoning. Adults can check the home for potential danger areas, looking for flaking paint, crumbling plaster, indoor dust and outdoor dirt that may have lead in it. Any peeling paint should be removed and the paint chips swept away. Children should not be present when scraping or cleaning up paint chips. Dust should be kept to a minimum by damp mopping and using a wet cloth to clean walls, window sills, and other surfaces. Painted wood should not be burned for heating.

If you think your child may be at risk, get them checked. Because even in 2012, lead poisoning is still a serious issue.