Articles from the Week of December 30, 2022
Interesting Quotes
"There must be a limit to the mistakes one person can make, and when I get to the end of them, then I'll be through with them. That's a very comforting thought."
L. M. Montgomery
"Good manners will open doors that the best education cannot."
Clarence Thomas
To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it.
G. K. Chesterton
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more."
Melody Beattie
Truth does not become more true by virtue of the fact that the entire world agrees with it, nor less so even if the whole world disagrees with it.
Maimonides
We have to inspire our children and grandchildren to take on challenges and risks that at first may seem to be overwhelming… They need to understand that the only failure is not trying.
Jimmy Carter
"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love."
Lao Tzu
No one is perfect – that’s why pencils have erasers.
Wolfgang Riebe
“If you're trying to show off for people at the top, forget it. They will look down on you anyhow. And if you're trying to show off for people at the bottom, forget it. They will only envy you. Status will get you nowhere. Only an open heart will allow you to float equally between everyone.”
Mitch Albom
Fascinating Facts and Trivia (many from InterestingFacts.com)
“Spider silk is stronger than steel.
“Despite being thinner than human hair and lighter than cotton, spider silk is stronger than steel — and it isn’t even close. According to Science magazine, the insect-trapping, egg-protecting material is a full five times stronger than steel of the same diameter. It’s also highly elastic and can hold its strength at extreme temperatures, making it one of the most versatile substances in the world.”
Santa Claus has an official address
The U.S. Postal Service receives thousands of letters to Santa every year. For that reason they have given Santa Claus his own official address. Should you (or your child) wish to write to him next year, the address is: 123 Elf Road, North Pole, 88888.
“Toy Story 2” was accidentally deleted during production but saved by an employee on maternity leave.
“New parents are responsible for a lot: Feeding a hungry baby, keeping track of naps while not sleeping much themselves, and in one instance, saving years of their coworkers’ hard work. At least that was the case for Galyn Susman, the Pixar technical director credited with bringing Toy Story 2 back from the depths of deletion in 1998. Susman, a new parent out of office on maternity leave, was notified that 90% of the film had been accidentally deleted thanks to a software snafu; what’s worse, the studio’s on-site backups had failed. Miraculously, Susman had copies of the film on her laptop, which she had been working on during her leave. The laptop was wrapped in blankets and gingerly carted back to the Pixar studio, where the files ended up saving the production.”
Who was the first U.S. President who was born a United States citizen? Answer: Martin van Buren. He was the eighth President and the first one actually born in the United States.
Bananas are slightly radioactive. One element in bananas, K-40, can spontaneously decay, releasing beta and gamma radiation. This small amount is not harmful to humans (we are actually about 280 times more radioactive than bananas), but truckloads of bananas have been known to set off radiation detectors. It is totally safe to eat bananas: the average person would have to eat millions of bananas in a single setting to get a lethal dose. Among the many things God has designed in our bodies is a process to keep potassium levels within a healthy range. If you happen to take in too much potassium the body automatically excretes the excess.
Reindeer eyes change color during the year. Their eyes are golden during the summer months and turn blue during the winter months. This is adaptive: their blue eyes are 1,000 times more sensitive to light during the dark months of winter. You may have noticed that cats’ eyes also change color and may seem to glow in the dark.
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Counseling Articles
Autistic Kids Targeted by Transgender Activists
Children and teens who are on the autism spectrum often feel like they do not fit in. As a result of their insecurities, they are a vulnerable target for those who offer the promise if they declare they are transgender, they will find this change in identity will give them a new identity and help them find a new peer group that will accept them. Click here to read the full article.
A 20-year-old mother placed her son for adoption. His new family refused to leave her behind.
Sometimes single mothers give their babies up for adoption, believing that is best for the baby. Here is a beautiful story of how one adoptive family did it differently, and the result. Click here to read the full article.
Purposeful People Live Longer—and Better—According to Research
A good article, relevant for both our lives and the lives of our clients, compiles several research studies that demonstrate that having a purpose in life helps the body produce cells that decrease the likelihood of cancer, dementia, and increase the happiness people feel. Click here to read the full article.
Best of Breakpoint 2022: The Nigerian Schoolgirls Eight Years Later
Breakpoint reprinted what they consider their most inspiring story of 2022. This story of the Nigerian schoolgirls, captured by Boko Haram terrorists, and their faith and courage can inspire us all. Click here to read the full article.
Students Speak Out on Anti-White, Anti-Christian, Anti-American Culture at Florida University
If your children or the clients you counsel are deciding which college to attend, it would be wise to read this article and then check the colleges they are considering before they make a final decision. Even though Governor DeSantis has tried to get colleges to return to the process of giving out educational knowledge and skills and allowing free speech, apparently many colleges are not doing so. Click here to read the full article.
New! The ADHD Healthy Habits Handbook for 2023
This handbook, developed by persons with ADHD and specialists in this area, offer a handbook that can be downloaded at no cost. If you work with adult clients with ADHD, this may be a helpful resource to recommend to them. Click here to read the full article.
What to Do When Loved Ones Don’t, or Won’t, Understand Bipolar
This author, who, like many others, lived with misdiagnoses for many years, explains what it is like when friends and family refuse to understand what living with bipolar disorder is like. Click here to read the full article.
Parents Often Bring Children to Psychiatric E.R.s to Subdue Them, Study Finds
This article is from the New York Times, so you probably won’t be able to read it unless you have a subscription to that newspaper. The main points of the article are that many parents bring their children and teens to Psychiatric E.R.s because they are overwhelmed with the child’s behavior, and sometimes there are no vacancies in the psychiatric hospitals themselves. But the research says that such repeated visits to the psychiatric E.R.s do not seem to improve the situation. Click here to read the full article.
Target recalls over 200,000 weighted blankets after 2 children died
Weighted blankets are sometimes touted for their alleged ability to help individuals sleep better. However, they apparently represent an asphyxiation hazard for children. Click here to read the full article.
The Rise of Totalitarian Science
A concern that many of us probably share is the concern that certain views are being touted as the one that science totally supports, and every other view is being labelled “disinformation” or misinformation, stifling the constitutional right to free exchange of ideas. Here is an article by a leading scientist who articulates this concern very clearly. Click here to read the full article.
No, no, no. I will never accept this as normal
Some of you may have heard Michael Brown. He is a Christian speaker with a resonant bass voice who has a lot of good ideas to consider. He is not afraid to contradict what he believes are false ideas. Here are some of his thoughts on the gender issues facing our nation. Click here to read the full article.
Constitutional Law Professor Issues Warning After FBI Criticizes ‘Conspiracy Theorists’
Many of you probably know and respect constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley for his balanced analysis of the legal news of the day. Here he warns of the recent trend of the FBI attempting to suppress the constitutional right to free speech by labelling anything that does not agree with current administration policy as “disinformation” being pedaled by “conspiracy theorists.” Click here to read the full article.
SWITCHED AT BIRTH
This is a true story of two newborns who were accidentally switched at birth and the mistake was not discovered until three years later by one of the observant mothers. As you might imagine, this led to some agonizing decisions. How these two families worked out a solution is inspiring. Click here to read the full article.
The ADHD Co-Parenting Guide to Consistent Treatment
Parental separation or divorce is hard for most children and parents, but its especially difficult when a child has ADHD. Here are some good suggestions for such parents. Click here to read the full article.
“I See My Childhood OCD Rituals in My Son’s Innocent Bedtime Routines”
Another worthwhile article related to ADHD. Some children with ADHD also have OCD. This article has two very good features. (1) For those who don’t have OCD, it’s a good introduction to how difficult some of these obsessions and rituals can be, and (2) It includes a good handout to help people differentiate OCD from ADHD. Click here to read the full article.
“How I Calm Down My ADHD Brain: 14 Quick De-Stressors”
These 14 techniques might help someone with ADHD calm down their over-active brain. Click here to read the full article.
Kirk Cameron's Christian book reading draws record numbers of parents, kids after Indianapolis Public Library refused to host him
I think this story demonstrates the importance of Christians being persistent in trying to tell the Christian message. Click here to read the full article.
I may not have consistent access to the Internet this coming week, so there may not be a Friday News next week. I wish you much happiness in the coming year!
Henry Virkler