CLIMATE CHANGE is motivating people to relocate to parts of the country that seem to be immune from the flooding, droughts, fires, hurricanes and other traumas that are occurring elsewhere.

One of those cities is Duluth, Minnesota which is on the western shore of lake Superior.

Lake Superior stands alone as a reason to move to Duluth. It has 3 quadrillion gallons of fresh water.

The lake also affects the weather, which means Duluth has warmer winters and cooler summers.

In 2010, Duluth was designated a Yellow Ribbon Community in recognition of the city’s efforts to unite residents, government organizations, agencies, and employers in order to support the servicemen and women in the military and their families.

Access to fresh water will continue to grow in importance.

For this reason, other midwestern cities located on or near the Great Lakes will see an influx.

Changes in weather patterns seem to be getting more of our attention.

This past Sunday, Fareed Zakaria announced that his mother had just passed away in India.

His father died when Fareed was 8 years old and his mother had an enormous influence on him.

She was a well-educated, prominent journalist who wanted her children to come to America for their higher education.

When I heard him talk about his mother, I thought about my parents.

I believe both of my parents were equal influencers in my life.

Both were college educated and both were equally committed to their marriage and to raising our family of six children.

I learned about the values they lived by and I have tried to live by those same values.

How about YOU?

Who was or were your biggest influencer(s)?

And as an adult, do you continue to live by the same values?

And do you try to avoid their mistakes?

And what kind of influencer are you on your children?

Think about it. It’s important!

If not today, when?

Well, what are you?

Conservative or liberal?

Republican or Democrat?

Immigrant or born here?

Caucasian or African American?

Church goer or non-believer?

Straight or gay?

Rich or poor?

Labels are harmful.

They put an unnecessary spotlight on how we differ from one another.

I prefer thinking of everyone as a FELLOW HUMAN BEING!

As such, we have THE MOST ESSENTIAL QUALITIES IN COMMON!

We all are born of our mothers and we die.

Our bodies have all identical organs and physical requirements.

We all experience joy and sorrow.

We all want to love and be loved.

We all want to be safe from harm.

Harmful labels are tearing our country apart.

Have we forgotten our name?

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

Let’s live up to our name!

If not today, when?

Nick Muerdter (Website creator)

For weeks, Nick Muerdter had been hearing about his coworkers’ concerns and frustrations as they tried to navigate complicated and evolving Covid 19 vaccination systems to land an appointment for their parents.

“It seemed like a lot of people were just spending a lot of time on these pharmacy websites,” said Muerdter, a 34-year-old software engineer for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado.

In mid-February, Muerdter began creating a tool in his free time that scanned local pharmacies’ vaccine appointment availability and gathered all that information in one place.

It allows users to view nearby available appointments just by plugging in their zip code and how far they were willing to drive. (CNN)

Vaccine availability information is now on his website for all 50 states and is kept current every minute.

The websites address is: vaccinespotter.org

Another way to increase your income is to get a nice raise in pay at your existing job.

Do you feel that your efforts are worthy of a raise?

Does your boss also think you’re worthy of a raise?

If not, why not?

Here are some thoughts on how to earn that raise you want:

Always be on time-Promptness is an attribute that is appreciated by employers. It demonstrates that this job is important to you. It also says that you have the self-discipline to get up and get to work on time.

Work hard. No laziness-Do you put in an honest day’s work in return for an honest day’s pay?

Get along with fellow employees-The last thing your employer wants is a trouble maker. You may not like everybody you work with, but you must decide to get along.

Suggest improvements-If you have an idea that could help your company, it would show you want to help it be successful.

Good luck!

We all have cash flow problems sometimes in our lives.

If not handled in a timely manner, your life becomes even more complicated.

The worst consequence of unpaid bills is the fracture between you and local vendors you need.

And your credit rating begins to head south jeopardizing future borrowing power.

So, what’s the answer?

You only have two alternatives if you don’t have a relative or friend to help you.

You must either lower expenses or increase income.

Identifying unnecessary expenses is an easy solution. Raising income is not!

Let’s talk about raising income.

Will your existing job and career path provide the income you need now and in the future?

If not, you have no alternative but to develop a higher paying skill!

You don’t need college.

Roll up your sleeves and find out what kind of job training is available in your area.

Develop a skill in high tech or some other hot field!

If not today, when?

There is a very revealing series on Amazon entitled, “American Farm.”

It profiles 5 farming families and the tremendous financial risks taken in pursuit of a profitable life on the land.

It doesn’t seem to matter which path they choose.

There are abundant challenges whether they raise animals or crops.

CROP RISKS

Each Spring, the seeds must be planted while hoping they don’t get washed away by a heavy rain.

Thereafter, the growing crop must not be subjected to weather that is too dry or too wet.

There is also the threat of bug infestation such as the boll weevil.

By the time for harvest, the market price may be less than needed.

ANIMAL RISKS

A certain percentage of the livestock must become impregnated each year so that the size of the herd can grow for future earning potential.

Another potential danger is disease.

As with crops, the market price for meat or poultry may not go at auction for the profit margin necessary.

We are indebted to our farmers who work hard and take big financial risks to put food on our tables year in and year out never knowing whether or not they will be able to support their own families.

One of my good friends passed away last Saturday at the age of 75.

His name was Dennis Lorence.

He was a retired school teacher in Detroit.

I met him in 2005 when I joined the crew of a racing yacht named “Venom”.

He was the bowman which is the most dangerous job on a sailboat.

He was courageous in all kinds of weather and good at his responsibilities.

He died after a multi-year battle with cancer.

Although sick, he felt that his role in life was to bring fun and laughter to everyone he met.

The last time I spoke to him, there he was telling jokes.

In the midst of a three day yacht race from Port Huron, Michigan to Mackinac Island, Dennis told me his favorite joke.

“Why don’t cannibals eat clowns? Because they taste funny!”

He will be missed.

He was determined to make this world a better place!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

An undercover report showing members of the Paris elite enjoying secret dinner parties in luxury restaurants and flouting Covid-19 restrictions has sparked fury in France.

A TV report shows hidden camera footage of two upmarket restaurants filled with mask-free guests.

The maitre d’ says, “Once you’re through the door, there’s no more Covid.”

The menu starts at $190 per person. For $580 per person, diners can sip champagne while feasting on foie gras (liver of a duck or goose which is illegal in most cities) with truffle and langoustine (a large prawn) in a ginger sauce.

All Paris restaurants have been ordered closed since late last year. (CNN)

The President of France has said the Country is losing control of the pandemic.

Shouldn’t people, who are blessed with great wealth, set a proper example by living according to the rules expected of the rest of us?

With privilege comes responsibility!

If not today, when?

I was sent on an errand to the grocery store to get a box of Graham Cracker Crumbs.

So, I asked one of the employees where they were and she said, “Aisle #5.”

Well, I went up and down Aisle #5 twice and couldn’t find it.

A fellow shopper was in the same aisle and I asked her if she had seen them.

She had not, so I wandered into aisle #6 still looking for them.

As I was getting to the end of the aisle, the lady who was in aisle #5, came up behind me with the crumbs I was looking for.

She went out of her way to find me and help a complete stranger.

That’s the America I know!

She didn’t ask what religion or political party I belonged to.

She was just a person helping another person.

Can we please get rid of the LABELS and become fellow citizens once again?

If not today, when?