Cheese, FDA notice, hypo-allergenic cat(?)

Such an interesting day, hahaha! Kinda like the 'Chinese blessing' of 'may you live in interesting times', maybe? Received e-mail FDA notice of investigation into a listeria outbreak in 'Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheese' in multiple states, including Maryland. The link provided wasn't all that helpful in identifying the specific cheeses. Swell! WTH is 'Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheese'? Is that what's in my bag of shredded '4 cheese Mexican style' cheese that I put on or in some dishes? Ok, Google, what is Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheese called and it answered me, LOL. That thing is sometimes amazing. It's fine, the bag has cheese names not mentioned in the notice. Also, turns out that the notice seems to be for the blocks of the affected cheeses? 

I don't even like cheese remember. Hubby #2 was Wisconson born and raised. He taught me a bit about cheeses. I grew to kinda sorta a little bit like Monterey Jack. We'd sometimes have a 'cheese board' for an evening get-together. A little while ago I found that cream cheese (I have always liked that) is called queso fresco in the 'Mexican style' or similar bag of mixed cheese shreds, but that's not in the 4-cheese bag in the fridge. Another result on that page talked about 'Velveeta'. Hubby #2, Wisconsin cheese aficionado, really disliked that stuff. Much like beer, I prefer cheese that doesn't taste too cheesy (cuz I don't really like cheese or beer, LOL). Pasteurized, pulverized, processed, imitation cheese-like faux-food I think is what he called it? LOL! He wasn't wild about cottage cheese or cream cheese, either. He did very much like the no-bake cream cheese "cheesecake" I made though. Sometimes American, or Gorgonzola(!) or Muenster or Limberger or some other stinky cheese were his favorites. Then again, he liked Heineken where I  kinda, sorta, a little bit 'liked' Coors Lite, which he claimed tastes like cow [urine] (not his exact word). I didn't bother to ask how he knew that. Reminds me though that he would also say "it's raining harder than a cow [urinating] on a flat rock", so I guess they're really familiar with cows in Wisconsin? LOL 

Also received e-mail adoption inquiry on Princess (again). She attracts a lot of attention because she's 'Bengal type' in color, markings and personality. She's whip-smart, athletic, and has learned to be very loving. She is not a Bengal cat -- she is a street cat rescued with her kittens from a horrible neglect situation. The first email asked 'is she still available?' and stated "I have been looking for a hypoallergenic cat for a long time and I feel like Princess would really like me". OK then! Sent application info and asked "Why you think Princess or any other pet would "hypoallergenic"? What does that even mean?" I didn't even bother to ask why she thought Princess would like her in particular, but sure, Princess likes most people. Potential adopter responds "Is Princess hypoallergenic?". Sigh... All I can do is try to educate. I put a bunch of links together explaining there's no such thing as a hypoallergenic mammal pet; explaining the causes for the irritation (not hair). Pointed out there are small mammal and non-mammal options. Mentioned there are allergy shots, allergy pills, allergy de-sensitivity through slow, gradually increasing exposure over time. She answered in less than one minute -- "Thanks for the information". I'm sure she really read, absorbed, and considered the info I'd sent. /s 

Received a surprise phone call from a very, very dear long-time friend Cheryl (name changed). She had fallen prey to a telephone scam yesterday, working from a previous telephone scam of 2-year 'computer support contract'? The scammer yesterday convinced her to open her computer to an outside connection so he could "refund" the 2-year contract charge. She did (she thinks). She logged on to her banking site so he could refund her money! She used the copy/paste function to get the password from the spreadsheet she opened to paste the password at her banking site login(!). Can I help her make sure everything is OK with her machine? No, she doesn't remember what she launched to give him access to her machine. No, she's not sure she was really at her banking site (green lock indicator). No, she's not sure what exactly he typed in "the black box" behind what she was seeing on-screen. No, she can't check right now because she's calling me from a fast-food breakfast spot. Oh wait, she can get the machine out of her car(!) so I can help her now (cuz McD's has WiFi service) "just like at home". No Cheryl, it's not. Je-eez-uz!! Fun times! I'm awaiting her call back once she gets home again. At least she was wearing a mask in an almost empty store, she says. Ah, lordy!

Today is Darwin Day. The lack of education among Americans, particularly many Evangelical Christians, is depressing. This has been going on for well over 20 years. The people who have been taught that 'creationism' is science; that dinosaurs and people lived together at the same time; that the Ark Encounter is history are holding jobs and voting today. That's probably how we end up with elected representatives who think climate change is a hoax (or that the 2020 presidential election was 'stolen'). We must stop failing our children. Media outlets could just mention reality in their coverage of items as discussed in the NPR piece above. We need aware, informed, *thinking* adults. The 'problem of evil' and morality, in general, is not answered by religion or any version of any 'god'. We humans decided long ago that if we somehow suggested that killing was okay, we might be killed by our neighbor. We decided it was best to not condone murder. The below screen capture is from Religion for Breakfast's YouTube video on this topic.

I agree with his highlighted text except that 'god is dead'. I think the concept of any god is what should be dead. There is no evidence that any particular god ever existed outside humans' imaginations.