Stuff YOU Should Know
Let’s Hear it For Toilets!
It is very likely that you don’t give much daily thought about where you go to the bathroom. This is because you live in a developed country and have access to a sophisticated sanitation system that keeps you safely separated from that sort of thing.
But there are many parts of the world where this is not a reality and the effects are creating a “silent crisis.” The reason why toilets are so important is because inadequate sanitation is a major cause of death from otherwise preventable diseases (usually infection or diarrhea).
In response to the need for improved sanitation the World Toilet Organization was founded on November 19, 2001. This nonprofit, dedicated to raising awareness of this global problem, created World Toilet Day (held each November 19) as a way to raise awareness.
The theme of this year’s commemoration was “Equality, Dignity and the Link Between Gender-Based Violence and Sanitation.” In addition to health issues, many women in developing countries find themselves in danger during these moments of necessity. Communication and marketing was focused on changing behaviors and hygiene habits in addition to raising money to help communities around the world improve their sanitation solutions.
Dig Deeper Go to this website and check out the “One Minute Summary” infographic to find out more about the facts and what you can do to put a stop to this “silent crisis.”
How to (Better) Deal with Thanksgiving
Photo Credit: Ryan McVay/Getty Images; how might you learn better ways to deal with next year’s Thanksgiving stress?
No matter how much we love our families, or how hard we want to honor a holiday specifically designed to make us grateful, Thanksgiving can get, well, complicated. The logistics of getting everyone together and fed alone (not to mention personality differences or long-standing tensions), can cause everyone involved an a little to an enormous amount of stress.
No matter how this year’s Thanksgiving may have turned out . . . (and we hope that it was rewarding, relaxing, and fun!) here are some things to keep in mind as you think about how to handle next year’s holiday. Whether you are going to hit the road, host a houseful of people, or are separated from loved-ones during the holidays:
- Think Ahead Sometimes just reminding yourself that our family members are human, with flaws worthy of our acceptance can be enough to endure being asked the same questions about school for a couple of hours. If that doesn’t work, simply keeping a respectful distance from those who truly push your buttons can make all the difference.
- Plan Ahead It’s not easy to prepare a big meal to suit the dietary concerns and tastes of a big crowd. If you don’t care for the traditional T-Day fare, consider offering to bring a dish to share (or have an appropriate snack before you arrive so you’re not starving and cranky).
- Be Aware Maybe there will be first-time visitors at this year’s gathering, or perhaps an older relative has lost a spouse, or someone has gone through a divorce in the past year. A simple kind word or understanding ear can go a long way.
- Have an “Escape Plan” So a lot of the advice here has, admittedly, been about being aware of your surroundings and giving others a break. But self care is also important, as is knowing when “enough is enough.” So know, in advance, what you can do to blow off a little steam. Whether it’s setting up a jigsaw puzzle in a corner away from the chaos or knowing how to wrangle some younger cousins into a game of freeze tag in the backyard, having a plan in mind is likely to work in your favor.
What Do You Think? Do any of the above issues resonate with you? If so, which ones? And why? If not, what is your own personal strategy for coping with the holidays? (If you are one of the lucky one who have managed to achieve holiday-gathering bliss, please share your secret of success!)
More on Voter ID Laws
Last month, just before the midterm elections, Election Central brought you stories about the battle raging in various states across the nation, most notably, Texas. It can be difficult to determine a real impact of something until historians can look back and scour it for insights. However, opinion-makers are already weighing in on what they believe is the “true impact” of recent Voter ID laws. There is a term called the “margin of disenfranchisement” that stands for the number of registered voters who want to vote but do not possess the proper photo identification required to cast a ballot.
The problem is that there is a big disagreement over how many people actually made up the margin of disenfranchisement and how this group might (or might not) have impacted any of the political races. Some believe that the actual number of people lacking proper ID is actually low and has been inflated. One discrepancy is that people with shortened “nicknames” (Mike instead of Michael) were counted as “insufficient” in an early count of ineligible voters, but then ultimately allowed to vote. Another argument is how likely someone lacking proper ID was to vote if allowed.
Two studies showed vastly different results: 43 percent versus 70 percent. Perhaps the biggest argument surrounding potential voters turned away by strict laws is how they might vote. Many believe that potential most likely to be suppressed would vote Democratic is given the choice. But studies are showing that the gap between Democrat and Republican might be less extreme than once thought.