Single and Successful: Marriage Isn't for Everyone

Advantages of Singleness

Singles can focus on a career, travel, God, a hobby, etc., without needing to meet the time requirements of a dedicated relationship with a spouse.

Singles can eat what and when desired. Arrange your apartment or house as you desire. Sleep when you want. Solely control the television remote control, bathroom, etc.

Being single often permits a single-minded focus that sometimes leads to enormous success for the single person.

As I see it, many (if not most or all) of the successful singles listed below would have accomplished less if they had been married, allotting time to a spouse instead of their other activities.

Examples of Successful Singles

Numerous online articles list successful singles, including ones on the websites of Reader’s Digest,[1] Buzzfeed,[2] This Is Why I’m Single,[3] and Unmarried Equality.[4] The lengthy list of successful singles below is not comprehensive. And while some successful singles have been involved in some type(s) of heterosexual and/or homosexual romantic relationship, many if not most, have never been involved in a serious one. They seem to have chosen (for whatever reasons) to focus on other things, and thus achieved significant success.

Below is a not-comprehensive list of many successful singles with brief information about them.

Louisa May Alcott; author

Hans Christian Andersen; author

Susan B. Anthony; women’s rights advocate

Jane Austen; author

Clara Barton; nurse, founder of American Red Cross

Anne Bronte; author

Emily Bronte; author

James Buchanan; President of the United States

Coco Chanel; fashion designer and perfume creator

Sheryl Crow; singer and songwriter

Leonardo Da Vinci; artist, inventor, multitalented person

Descartes; philosopher, mathematician

Maureen Dowd; columnist and author

George Eastman; inventor of Kodak camera

Queen Elizabeth I; queen of England

Greta Garbo; actress

Jesus; founder of what came to be called Christianity

Joan of Arc; French hero

Franz Kafka; author

Diane Keaton; actress

Edward I. Koch; New York City mayor

Harper Lee; author

Meriwether Lewis; explorer

Janet Napolitano; Arizona governor, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security

Sir Isaac Newton; physicist and mathematician

Ralph Nader; consumer advocate

Florence Nightingale; nurse, social reformer

Apostle Paul; Christian missionary, Paul is recorded in I Corinthians 7:32-34 as advocating singleness, though some claim he may have been married at some point

Helen Reddy; singer

Janet Reno; U.S. attorney general

Condoleezza Rice; National Security Advisor, Secretary of State

David Souter; U.S. Supreme Court Justice

Mother Teresa; Catholic nun

Nikola Tesla; inventor

Henry David Thoreau; author, philosopher

Ludwig Van Beethoven; composer

Voltaire; author

Oprah Winfrey; talk show host

Orville Wright; inventor, aviation pioneer

Wilbur Wright; inventor, aviation pioneer

Many Successful Married People Might Better Have Never Married

In addition to the large number of prominent singles, a huge number of well-known married persons dedicated so much of their time, talent, and focus to their career achievements that their marriage and family life paled in comparison.

Indeed, they could be considered “failures” at that aspect of life, who perhaps would better have chosen to remain single, never marrying. A 2015 Business Insider article [5] cites “anecdotal evidence” as indicating that those “in the spotlight” are more likely to divorce.

My Choice

Personally, I feel called to remain single. I’m happy, healthy, and feel that I am doing more good as a single person than I would if married. I may not be successful by worldly standards, but I consider myself a successful single.

I seldom take selfie pictures, typically only about once every five years to update photos on websites. But in lieu of a photo of a prominent successful single, below is a June 7, 2020 photo of me, taken when I was 62 years old.

Holidays and Special Occasions

Some singles feel lonely on traditional family get-together holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. But that doesn’t have to be the case.

Singles can focus on what they have to be thankful for and the meaning of Christmas. They can volunteer somewhere. They can get together with other singles. Or they can meet up with extended family such as aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, parents, etc. If they love their career (or a hobby) enough, they may even experience joy by focusing on it even on holidays.

We All Are Single at Times

We’re all born single and we all remain single until we’re married. Also, due to divorce and/or the death of a spouse, the majority of persons are single late in life.

Singleness Isn’t for Everyone

However, lifelong singleness isn’t for everyone. Persons who share common interests and morals with a “soulmate,” may find that teamwork via marriage with that individual is best for them.

Sadly, though, a large percentage of persons become romantically involved with (and then marry) someone with whom they share relatively little in common.

Singleness is better than being married to the wrong person, or even being married to the right person at the wrong time and/or in the wrong way. Please don’t rush into marriage.

But if you’re married, please seek to resolve conflicts with your spouse and salvage your marriage for a lifetime if reasonably possible. Self-help books, marital counseling, sharing problems with a trusted friend, etc., can help.

Closing Thoughts

Singleness is preferable to marriage for many. Embrace and enjoy singleness.

Those who accomplish most for humanity often seem to be those who never marry or who put their careers above their family relationships.

Finally, singles can still maintain family relationships and friendships with others. Singles may even develop and maintain more friendships than married couples, as indicated by studies cited in a 2019 Psychology Today article.[6]

NOTE:

Portions of this article are adapted/reprinted from articles the author published in 2019.

ENDNOTES:

[1] Yuko, Elizabeth; “15 Famous People Who Chose to Stay Single”; Reader’s Digest website; updated December 14, 2021; originally published February 4, 2020; webpage accessed August 30, 2022; https://www.rd.com/list/famous-people-who-chose-to-stay-single/

[2] “Quitmeyer, Maitland; “31 Famous Unmarried People Who Prove That Being Single is Badass”; Buzzfeed.com; February 8, 2015; webpage accessed August 30, 2022; https://www.buzzfeed.com/maitlandquitmeyer/this-list-of-31-famous-people-who-never-married-will-inspire

[3] “Famous People Who Never Married From History That Prove Single Is Successful”; This Is Why I’m Single; webpage accessed August 30, 2022; https://www.thisiswhyimsingle.com/life/famous-people-never-married/?view-all&andro=1&chrome=1&A1c=1

[4] “Famous People Living Solo, Present and Past”; Unmarried Equality; webpage accessed August 30, 2022; https://www.unmarried.org/famous-people-living-solo-present-and-past/

[5] Gillett, Rachel; “Marriage under the spotlight—why successful people get divorced”; Business Insider; July 6, 2015; webpage accessed August 30, 2022; https://www.businessinsider.com/why-successful-people-get-divorced-2015-7

[6] Kislev, Elyakim, Ph.D.; “The Impact of Friendships on Single and Married People”; Psychology Today; April 7, 2019; webpage accessed August 30, 2022; https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/happy-singlehood/201904/the-impact-friendships-single-and-married-people#:~:text=Recent%20studies%20show%20that%20singles,and%20often%20leave%20friendships%20behind.

Living in the 20th and 21st Centuries: Enjoy the Blessings

I feel blessed to live in the 20th and 21st centuries. Those of us born before 2001 and still alive enjoy such blessings.

Longing for the “Good Old Days”

A lot of folks complain about things now and long for the “good old days” in our nation’s early years. But do people really want to do without modern inventions like computers, televisions, automobiles, telephones, refrigerators, electric lights, air conditioning, indoor plumbing, etc.?

Some Quality of Life Improvements in the 20th and 21st Centuries

The 20th century saw the invention of television, VCRs, DVD players, microwave ovens, air conditioning, and numerous other modern creations that make life easier and more fun.

Also, although electric power may have been discovered by Benjamin Franklin in the 1700s, and electric power used for such things as lighting in some places in the 1800s, it was not until the 20th century (the 1900s) when electric power use became widespread in businesses and homes. Electric lights, refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, dryers, toasters, and the things listed in the last paragraph became available to the public.

Furthermore, while radio transmission, telephones, and automobiles were invented in the 1800s, only a small percentage of U.S. households had access to them when the 20th century began. Folks in the 1800s had limited options for contacting folks outside their households.

Persons living in households before the 20th century lacked many modern conveniences that I often probably take for granted.

It’s hard for me to imagine living without electric lights, refrigerators, television, radio, microwaves, computers, etc.

Now may be the best time in the history of the world to live, at least since the Garden of Eden if the Bible is to be taken literally. The Bible’s words indicate that Adam and Eve had it nice before their fall, with all their needs met.

However, over the thousands of years of recorded history, the world has experienced many problems. But many problems have been solved since 1900, through human progress under God's leadership, as I see it.

In the last century or so, steps have been taken to better prevent, treat, and cure numerous diseases. Antibiotics, vaccines, and better quality drinking water all help.

Slavery has been eliminated in most of the world. Progress has been made toward equal rights for minority groups, women, etc., in many ways.

Supermarkets today offer a huge variety of food at relatively low prices thanks to modern methods of agricultural production, transportation, and storage.

Below are photos of a few modern inventions. The first photo shows a VCR, DVD player, and television. The second shows a microwave oven.

Communication Advances

Radio and television provided major improvements in mass communication in the 20th century. This was followed by a massive advance in communication after the Internet was invented in the 20th century and expanded enormously in the 21st century.

A vast amount of information and entertainment can be seen (and heard) online from newspapers, television stations, governments, companies, individuals, etc., around the world. Much of it is free, as long as you have access to the Internet. And here in the United States public libraries typically offer Internet service and public computer access free. Many businesses and apartment buildings offer free Wi-Fi too.

Keeping in contact with relatives, friends, etc., has become much easier in recent years thanks to social media websites on the Internet. Lots of such sites exist, but “In the early 2020s, Facebook was the most popular social network in the world with three billion users” according to Britannica.com.[1] That’s a huge number of people.

I’ve personally reconnected with several friends and relatives thanks to Facebook. And the numerous “groups” on Facebook help one to keep up with various topics. Furthermore, Facebook is just one of a vast number of resources online.

Cell phones that can be carried around in one’s backpack, purse, or pocket can store a huge amount of information and offer Internet service as well as the ability to make phone calls, take pictures, use GPS, write notes, etc., etc., etc.

The photo below shows a cell phone, as well as an 8-GB USB computer flash drive that can store an astounding amount of text, pictures, and video. Much larger flash drives are available too.

Cell phones accessing the free Google Translate website [2] can even quickly translate between over 100 languages according to the website. Amazing! How’s that for improving communication?

What About the Past?

Thinking about how things likely were in the past can maybe help us appreciate how blessed we are now.

A few generations ago persons lived without any type of telephone or television or radio or electricity or automobiles or a lot of other things we may take for granted. To converse with a neighbor, I guess they typically had to walk or ride a horse or mule (or wheeled vehicle pulled by such an animal) to where they thought their neighbor was, and hope they were there. Communication with persons out of town was done via letter or postcard mostly I guess.

The majority of persons in the United States lived in rural areas then. In many cases they likely built their own houses, grew most of their own food, got their water from their own well or a nearby spring, used an outhouse for a toilet, washed clothes by hand, and in many cases sewed their own clothes.

Concluding Thoughts

Visitors to the 21st century from a few centuries ago would be astounded by modern technology.

Human beings have flown to the moon, landed, and returned safely home. And airplanes even allow relatively quick travel between many destinations here in Earth.

We are blessed immeasurably to live at this time. I don’t know what advancements will come in the future. But I’m confident that the world is going to get better, not worse. I even optimistically think that we humans, under God’s leadership, will eventually find and implement ways to resolve our differences peacefully and fairly, thus ending war and violent conflict. Indeed, I’m confident that, as William Shakespeare reportedly wrote in the play Twelfth Night centuries ago, “the best is yet to come.”

ENDNOTES:

[1] Ray, Michael; “social network"; Britannica.com; webpage accessed August 23, 2022; https://www.britannica.com/technology/social-network

[2] Google Translate; webpage accessed August 23, 2022; https://translate.google.com/

May Your Food Costs Be Lowered Despite Inflation? Some Tips

You probably don’t need me to tell you that food prices in the United States increased significantly recently.

Indeed, over the last year food prices may have increased the most on an annual basis since 1979.

“The food index increased 10.9 percent over the last year, the largest 12-month increase since the period ending May 1979” according to the July 2022 Consumer Price Index [1], released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on August 10th, 2022.

Despite the price increases, you may be able to spend less than you did last year on groceries.

Eat at Home

Despite the increase in grocery costs, preparing food at home is cheaper than eating out at restaurants.

Indeed, preparing an entire day’s food at home could cost less than one typical meal in a restaurant. And if you’re like me, you probably eat three or four times a day at least. But my daily food bill often works out to around $5-8 per day.

The United States Department of Agriculture “Thrifty Food Plan: U.S. Average, July 2022” [2] estimates weekly and monthly food costs for various persons. Its plan is based on a diet that is detailed in its “Thrifty Food Plan, 2021” [3]. As an example, for a male my age, the USDA estimates the weekly cost for food at $60 in July 2022 under the thrifty food plan. That’s a reasonable figure, but I often spend less.

Eat Whole Grains for Breakfast

Whole grains are cheaper (and healthier) than processed, prepared foods.

For breakfast, oatmeal you cook yourself is healthier for you than the processed, microwavable, sweetened types sold in stores. You can add your own fruit to it (bananas, blueberries, raisins, etc.) or nuts (walnuts, etc.).

I enjoy the taste and texture of Quaker five-minute oats. They only take five minutes to prepare after the water comes to a boil.

But you can buy generic brands that may save you even more if they meet your taste and quality standards. Furthermore, you can buy oats that cook in one minute instead of five.

When I’m in a hurry, I often settle for Cheerios with Silk brand enriched soymilk. If you’re not seeking to adhere to a vegan diet, cow’s milk works too.

Cheerios has several nutrients added to it, is lower in sugar than most processed, boxed cereals, and is made from whole-grain oats. Although it’s more expensive per serving than oatmeal, Cheerios is on sale in some local supermarket almost every week, and manufacturer coupons are often available. It will keep for months, so I recommend buying it on sale using a manufacturer coupon.

There are other whole grain cereals you can eat for breakfast such as Cream of Wheat and Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Cereal, as well as muesli.

But I confess I too often indulge in less healthy options for breakfast. Seek to do as I say, not as I do. And I’m seeking to do better.

Whole Grain Flour and Cornmeal

Whole grain flour is cheaper (and healthier) than the processed, already baked products in stores. I prefer white whole wheat flour, which I think is tastier than the more common red whole wheat variety.

Bake your own biscuits, banana-nut bread, cinnamon-raisin walnut bread, chocolate chip cookies, etc.

Enriched, processed white flour is even cheaper than the whole grain flour, but not as healthy. Although processed white flour is enriched with certain nutrients, it lacks many of the nutrients that occur in whole grain flour.

Also, buy some whole grain cornmeal to prepare your own cornbread or corn muffins. Find the brand you like best that is available in your area. Personally, I buy Weisenberger Mill yellow, bolted cornmeal from Good Foods Market, a local Lexington, Kentucky supermarket.

Beans, Nuts, Seeds, Lentils

Dry beans are cheap to buy, can be stored a long time, and are nutritious. Pinto beans, lima beans, great northern beans, cranberry beans, kidney beans, black beans, red beans, and others are available.

Nuts, seeds, and lentils are other relatively cheap sources of proteins.

I’m not sure which supermarkets operate in your area. In Lexington, Kentucky, where I live, Meijer sells raw sunflower seeds and some tasty peanuts roasted in peanut oil. Aldi sells some tasty raw nut mixtures. Kroger carries a wide variety of dry beans.

If the gas from beans concerns you, consider adding ginger to the beans. I do, and it seems to reduce the gas.

Fruits and Vegetables

I love fresh fruit. Bananas are typically reasonably priced here at only 50-60 cents per pound, which is about 25 cents per average size banana. Buy other fruits on sale. And typically a few varieties are on sale every week.

Buy fresh vegetables on sale too. And keep a supply of frozen and canned ones too.

Fruits and vegetables are relatively cheap per serving, especially bought on sale. For example, last week I bought ears of corn in the husk at Meijer on sale priced at 5 for $2. I bought 12 ounce bags of mixed vegetables at Aldi for 84 cents each today. Frozen broccoli, brussels sprouts, and other frozen vegetables are reasonably priced there too. Meijer has some nice prices on frozen vegetables too, including squash. Kroger also does sometimes.

Fresh carrots are typically reasonably priced, and potatoes are on sale somewhere usually. Tomatoes are usually on sale somewhere too, but I prefer the taste of those from a local farmers’ market when in season.

Coupons and Weekly Sales

Aldi, Kroger, Meijer, Save-a-Lot, and other supermarkets run weekly ads. These sales allow you to buy products at relatively cheap prices.

Kroger also has online coupons you can clip and special prices for persons with Kroger Rewards cards (free cards). Kroger also puts deli items near the sell-by date on a rack. That can offer bargains.

Meijer has online mPerks coupons and sometimes mails coupons to mPerks members (join free).

Other supermarkets in your area likely have special offers of some type, possibly similar to those I just mentioned.

Some stores offer coupons that provide a certain percentage or dollar amount off your total purchase. These help too.

One Store Per Week

It takes time and money to travel from one store to another.

Personally, I don’t own a car, and to save time and reduce bus trips, I typically only shop at one store per week.

I may take a bus to Aldi one week, then Kroger or Meijer the next. Over the course of a month, I may visit each store at least once, and Aldi twice.

I sometimes go to Save-a-Lot, Walmart, etc., but less frequently. I’ve bought a lot of canned greens (collard greens, mustard greens, spinach, and turnip greens) at Save-a-Lot at reasonable prices.

Over the course of time, I can stock up on items from the different stores at reasonable prices.

Cooking in Batches and Reducing Waste

To save time, I often prepare food in big batches, even though I’m single. I typically refrigerate leftovers.

Expired food that is thrown out is a big expense item for many. I seek to eat leftovers before they spoil, and to rotate my canned and frozen foods to help me eat them before their use-by date. If it helps, put the date prepared on a food item or the date a bottle is opened on it. I do these things some, but I’m not perfect at it. I still waste some.

Snacks

Aldi store-brand bagels are reasonably priced ($1.99 for a six pack) and tasty. I often eat those as a snack. On a per serving basis, cookies and many other snacks are relatively cheap. But it’s typically healthier to prepare your own with less added sugar, fat, salt, etc. Popcorn is a cheap, healthy snack when air popped from kernels. I bought an air popper that I can use in my microwave.

Drinks

I usually keep water from my water faucet in my refrigerator. It is my #1 drink. But I also buy 12-ounce frozen concentrated orange juice enriched with calcium, Gatorade, and other drinks.

Gatorade in powder form is much cheaper than as a liquid. Meijer sells a resealable container of Gatorade powder for $8.99 that makes six gallons of Gatorade. That's about 1/4 the cost per serving of buying liquid Gatorade.

I also keep some cases of bottled water on hand for emergencies or travel, but I generally drink refrigerated tap water, and use refrigerated tap water to prepare my orange juice and Gatorade. I rarely drink decaffeinated green tea, but I might do well to drink it a bit more often.

Closing Thoughts

Each individual’s dietary needs and budget are different. I am neither a medical professional nor a dietician and cannot give medical or dietary advice. But I hope you find the information I’ve provided helpful. Enjoy quality, nutritious food in moderation.

DISCLAIMER:

I am a bivocational freelance writer, and my second job is as a part-time store clerk at a retail store. I took no payment from any store or product manufacturer in exchange for writing any part of this article.

NOTES:

[1] “Consumer Price Index Summary: Consumer Price Index--July 2022”; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; August 10, 2022; webpage accessed August 22, 2022; https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm#:~:text=The%20energy%20index%20increased%2032.9,the%20period%20ending%20May%201979.

[2] “Official USDA Thrifty Food Plan: U.S. Average, July 2022”; United States Department of Agriculture; August 2022; webpage accessed August 22, 2022; https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/media/file/CostofFoodJul2022Thrifty.pdf

[3] “Thrifty Food Plan, 2021”; U.S. Department of Agriculture; August 2021; webpage accessed August 22, 2022; https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/TFP2021.pdf

U.S. Electric Car Dominance Coming: Electric Grid Ready?

The consensus is that electric cars will dominate new vehicle sales in coming decades.

I’m glad. Though I don’t own an automobile and have no plans to buy one, I look forward to breathing cleaner air while walking, bicycling, waiting at bus stops, etc., due to the absence of emissions from vehicle tail pipes.

As mass production of electric vehicles ramps up, their prices will drop. Furthermore, improvements in batteries and chargers will enable the cars to charge faster and to travel further between charges.

Will the U.S. Electric Grid Support 100% Electric Vehicles?

Plans are underway to greatly expand the number of charging stations and to upgrade the electrical grid to accommodate the extra demand.

But concerns raised over whether the United States electric grid is capable of handling the extra load that would occur if 100% of vehicles were electric may be exaggerated. A November 2019 report [1] on the Department of Energy website anticipates the electrical grid providing enough capacity to meet the extra demand that will occur when all (or almost all) autos are electric.

Estimates vary widely on how much making all vehicles electric will increase the load on the electric grid. I’ve seen estimates from 10% to 100%, with about a 25% increase being a common estimate.

With blackouts already occurring sometimes in some places (California, etc.), how will the electric grid accommodate these electric vehicles?

It’s generally agreed that the current electric grid would not accommodate charging all those vehicles at the same time during peak electrical usage. But all electric vehicles would not be charged every day, and to encourage charging them at off-peak times, electric utilities could offer different rates for charging them at different times. A Forbes article [2] claims this would enable the grid to accommodate them. A key is ensuring vehicles primarily charge at off-peak times (maybe while persons sleep overnight and other electric devices are being used less?).

Furthermore, the changeover from gasoline-powered to electric vehicles will take decades. Even if all new cars sold become electric ones in a decade or two, it will likely take another decade or more after that for almost all existing gasoline-powered cars to wear out and be replaced. This allows time for modifications to the electric grid to accommodate the electric vehicles' extra power use.

What About Pollution When Fossil-Fuel Electric Plants Recharge Electric Cars?

In many areas, including Lexington, Kentucky where I live, most electricity generating plants are powered by fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas). However, even when fossil-fueled power plants produce the electricity for recharging electric cars, there is less net pollution caused by electric vehicles than by gasoline-powered cars in most areas of the world, including the United States, according to a June 2020 Nature Sustainability article [3].

An EPA webpage [4] dispels many myths about electric vehicles. Among other things, the webpage notes that electric vehicles typically pollute less than gasoline-powered ones even allowing for a fossil-fuel-powered electrical grid and for the energy used to manufacture electric cars' batteries.

Electric Vehicles and Chargers Are Improving

Advances are leading to faster battery charging times, longer driving ranges between charges, and cheaper prices for electric vehicles. These advances will likely accelerate as mass production of electric vehicles ramps up.

In addition to electric cars, increased use of electric buses, trucks, and vans is occurring. More chargers are coming to accommodate them.

Below is a picture that I think I took June 8, 2021 of one of the chargers for electric Lexington, Kentucky city buses.

Though most Lexington city bus service (Lextran) buses are still diesel-powered, there are some diesel-electric hybrid powered, some compressed natural gas powered, and I hope there will soon be an increasing number of electric powered ones.

Even electric 18-wheelers are being built. A March 22, 2022 Colorado Department of Transportation news release [5] announced that electric 18-wheelers would soon be coming to the state, stating that Nikola Tre trucks to be sold in the state would have "a range of up to 350 miles" between charges.

Electric semi-trucks can work out well for short routes according to a Canary Media article [6] and other sources, though battery life doesn’t yet permit use on long routes.

However, efforts are underway to reduce the time to charge electric vehicle batteries. For example, a new charging cable developed at Purdue University [7] may allow cars to be charged in less than five minutes if it lives up to expectations.

Closing Thoughts

As I see it, new electric vehicles are likely to be mass produced and outsell their gasoline-powered competitors within a decade or two. Improvements in battery-life and chargers will enable these new electric vehicles to be recharged as fast as a car gas tank can be filled and to drive as far between recharges as a gasoline-powered car can between fill-ups.

ENDNOTES:

[1] “Summary Report on EVs at Scale and the U.S. Electric Power System”; November 2019; Energy.gov; webpage accessed July 26, 2022; https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2019/12/f69/GITT%20ISATT%20EVs%20at%20Scale%20Grid%20Summary%20Report%20FINAL%20Nov2019.pdf.

[2] Morris, James; “Electricity Grids Can Handle Electric Vehicles Easily – They Just Need Proper Management”; Forbes; July 13, 2021; webpage accessed July 25, 2022; https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesmorris/2021/11/13/electricity-grids-can-handle-electric-vehicles-easily--they-just-need-proper-management/?sh=4b8a09a57862.

[3] Knobloch, Florian; Hanssen, Steef V.; Lam, Aileen; Pollitt, Hector; Salas, Pablo; Chewpreechah, Unada; Huijbregts, Mark A. J.; and Mercure, Jean-Francois; “Net emission reductions from electric cars and heat pumps in 59 world regions over time”; Nature Sustainability; June 2020; Vol. 3, pages 437-447; webpage accessed July 25, 2022; https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-020-0488-7.epdf?shared_access_token=4HVrFlvKvrUrkik37QDrHNRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0OMBHrNGD6k2npei17x4aWW28rGsQX6mDMk4uVBOBG-qCojvkQyjh434dPvXp7ULPURDTxD_zdRyr5LDQB18mR-o3_0tqT_xsIWbcYUw5V5vQ%3D%3D.

[4] “Electric Vehicle Myths”; United States Environmental Protection Agency; last updated June 30, 2022; webpage accessed July 26, 2022; https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/electric-vehicle-myths.

[5] “Colorado Welcomes Arrival of New Zero-Emissions Big Rigs”; Colorado Department of Transportation; news release; March 22, 2022; webpage accessed July 26, 2022; https://www.codot.gov/news/2022/march/colorado-welcomes-arrival-of-zero-emissions-big-rigs.

[6] “Electric heavy-duty trucks are hitting the roads in California and beyond”; Canary Media; May 17, 2022; webpage accessed July 26, 2022; https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/electric-vehicles/electric-heavy-duty-trucks-are-hitting-the-roads-in-california-and-beyond.

[7] “Electric vehicles could fully recharge in under 5 minutes with new charging station cable design”; Purdue University; November 10, 2021; webpage accessed July 26, 2022; https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2021/Q4/electric-vehicles-could-fully-recharge-in-under-5-minutes-with-new-charging-station-cable-design.html

Abortion: What About Young Children Becoming Pregnant?

The June 24th, 2022 United States Supreme Court decision overturning Roe vs. Wade has led to much discussion. One topic is “What about young kids who become pregnant in states where virtually all abortion is banned?”

The Supreme Court builiding is pictured below in a June 21, 2019 photo.

The issue got national attention after a pregnant 10-year-old Ohio girl denied an abortion in her state went to Indiana to obtain one, as reported on numerous news websites, including the Columbus Dispatch.[1]

Few Abortions Involve Moms Under Age 15

First of all, while pro-choice persons emphasize cases like this 10-year-old girl’s situation, abortions (and pregnancies) are rare among young children. Only 0.2% of abortions in 2019 involved persons under age 15 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.[2]

The 0.2% figure means that only 1 out of every 500 abortions involved a mother under age 15. Most of those children were likely teenagers ages 13-14, not 10-year-olds.

Seek to Prevent and Report Sexual Abuse

Secondly, ideally, all pregnancies among children would be prevented. If the child doesn’t get pregnant, neither abortion nor an unwanted child come about.

Teaching the importance of sexual abstinence to children, and getting them to quickly report cases of sexual abuse to a trusted adult could go a long way toward achieving this.

Voluntary sexual activity of children with peers is harmful and needs to be prevented. Rape and sexual abuse of children by adults and older children is a terrible tragedy.

Plan B Is an Alternative

For those rare cases when a young child is raped, Plan B or the morning-after pill, is still legal despite the United States Supreme Court ruling, as reported by USA Today[3] and numerous other news sources. It is effective taken within three days after intercourse.

But the child needs to quickly report the rape to a responsible, trusted adult to obtain treatment. Understandably, this isn’t always easy, especially if the guilty party is an adult relative and the child is young.

Obviously, preventing abuse of children is key and eliminates the pregnancies and the desire for abortions. If ardent pro-choice (and pro-life) individuals focused as much on sexual abstinence, sex education, and creating a safe environment for children to report abuse, as they do on abortion, we might virtually eliminate child pregnancies.

Young Moms, Even a 5-Year-Old Who Gave Birth

Young children who become pregnant, elect to carry their unborn child to term, and give birth, do face more health risks than older mothers. Children’s babies face higher health risks than those born to older moms too. But quality prenatal care reduces the risks for both moms and babies.

Many young children do give birth safely to healthy babies. LiveScience [4] reported in 2011 that “twelve-year-old mothers aren’t unusual in some parts of the world.”

Indeed, the mental and emotional health risks are probably greater than the physical ones to young moms. Most young mothers physically give birth safely, especially if they get good prenatal care.

But children typically are not mentally, emotionally, and financially able to be parents. It would be unfair to expect them to be.

Preventing rape and sexual abuse are keys. Furthermore, since it isn’t reasonable to expect a child to be a parent, adoption is the best choice for babies of children.

The youngest verified age of giving birth is that of Lina Medina, as reported by numerous news sources. She was only 5 years old when she gave birth in May 1939. Wow!

She went through precocious puberty (early puberty), was raped, and gave birth via Cesarean section. You can read more about her case in Time,[5] The Sun,[6] WomenintheWorld.org,[7] and numerous other news sources. Snopes.com[8] verified her story as true.

Prevent Unwanted Pregnancies

I’m not a medical professional, so I can’t give any medical advice. But regarding abortion, I think our number one goal is to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Even pro-choice persons prefer avoiding the pain, expense, and health risk of an abortion.

In cases where undesired pregnancies occur, carrying the baby to term and then giving it up for adoption is a wonderful option.

Safely Dropping Off Unwanted Newborns

Safe Haven Baby Boxes[9] “staffs a 24-hour hotline (1-866-99BABY1)” that persons can phone about “safely surrendering their baby.” As a last resort, they also have drop-off boxes in many locations where moms can “safely, securely, and anonymously surrender” their newborn baby. According to the website the boxes are in the exterior walls of certain fire stations and hospitals.

All fifty states have safe haven laws to encourage dropping off newborns at a safe place according to information on ChildWelfare.gov,[10] and other sources. The website ChildWelfare.gov[10] provides details, including information about what are considered safe locations in various states.

Abortion Is Just a Symptom of the Underlying Problem

Abortion is just a symptom of the underlying problem of selfish sexual lust. Pro-life persons, including me, typically don’t just support life for the unborn baby.

We also usually advocate eliminating the underlying problems of selfish sexual promiscuity, supporting quality prenatal care, and making adoption available as an option for parents unable to care for a newborn child.

Closing Thoughts

Relatively few young children become pregnant. But there are still far too many. Personally, I think even age 15-19 is too young to take on the mental, emotional, and spiritual task of parenting in most cases. We need to do a better job of preventing such sexual intercourse, whether consensual with peers or not.

But in cases where a young person becomes pregnant, I think it is wrong to compound the problem by murdering the unborn baby. Many young moms choose life voluntarily. Making quality prenatal care available, including counseling and support for sexual abuse victims, is important and can help make life better for moms and babies, as can adoption.

The physical health risks young moms face are greater than those of moms a few years older, but they pale compared to the mental, emotional, and spiritual problems faced by pregnant children. Let’s all seek to unite to help prevent children’s pregnancies, and when they occur to help the children and their unborn babies cope effectively. Do you agree?

ENDNOTES:

[1] Rudavsky, Shari and Fradette, Rachel; “As Ohio restricts abortions, 10-year-old girl travels to Indiana for procedure”; accessed on The Columbus Dispatch website (though the byline states the writers are with the Indianapolis Star); July 1, 2022; updated July 5, 2022; webpage accessed July 6, 2022; https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2022/07/01/ohio-girl-10-among-patients-going-indiana-abortion/7788415001/

[2] Kortsmit, Katherine, PhD; Mandel, Michele G.; Reeves, Jennifer A., MD; Clark, Elizabeth, MD; Pagano, H. Pamela, DrPH; Nguyen, Antoinette, MD; Petersen, Emily E., MD; Maura K. Whiteman, PhD; “Abortion Surveillance—United States, 2019; Morbidity and Mortality Report, Surveillance Summaries/November 26, 2021/70(9):1-29; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website; webpage accessed July 6, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/ss/ss7009a1.htm#T3_down

[3] Grantham-Philips, Wyatte; “Can I still Buy Plan B? Where can I get it? What to know after SCOTUS overturns Roe v. Wade”; USA Today; June 25, 2022; webpage accessed July 6, 2022; https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/06/24/plan-b-what-you-need-know/7567434001/

[4] “What’s the Youngest Age at Which a Woman Can Give Birth?”; LiveScience.com; March 30, 2011; webpage accessed July 6, 2022; https://www.livescience.com/33170-youngest-age-give-birth-pregnancy.html

[5] “Little Mother”; Time, May 29, 1939, No. 22, pages 57-58; webpage accessed July 6, 2022; https://time.com/vault/issue/1939-05-29/page/57/

[6] Hodge, Mark; “Child Mother: Harrowing Story of youngest mum ever who was just 5 & had to have c-section as she was too small to give birth”; The Sun; November 7, 2021, updated November 8, 2021; webpage accessed July 6, 2022; https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/16552270/youngest-mum-ever-lina-medina-peru/

[7] Bhavya; “Lina Medina: The Youngest Mother in the World”; Women in the World; January 6, 2022; webpage accessed July 6, 2022; https://womenintheworld.org/lina-medina-the-youngest-mother-in-the-world/

[8] Mikkelson, David; “Was the World’s Youngest Mother Only 5 Years Old?”; Snopes.com; July 21, 2004; webpage accessed July 6, 2022; https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/youngest-mother/

[9] “Safe Haven Baby Boxes”; Safe Haven Baby Boxes; webpage accessed July 6, 2022; https://shbb.org/

[10] “Infant Safe Haven Laws”; webpage accessed July 7, 2022; https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/safehaven.pdf

Ban Forever Tobacco and Alcoholic Drink Sales to U.S. Kids Born in 2003 or Later

Does permanently banning tobacco or alcoholic beverage sales to persons seem radical? One U.S. town has already passed legislation to forever ban cigarette purchases by persons born in 2000 or later, as discussed later in this article.

We know tobacco and alcoholic beverages are harmful. Indeed, the majority of current smokers want to quit to save money and/or improve their health. Furthermore, new studies indicate that even moderate alcoholic beverage consumption is harmful, and urge abstinence.

Banning tobacco and alcoholic beverage use forever for persons born after a certain date is one way to virtually eliminate their use by children and the next generation of adults.

I support the United States passing legislation to prevent persons born in 2003 or later from ever purchasing (or consuming) tobacco, e-cigarettes, or alcoholic beverages, assuming legislation can be enacted during 2022 or 2023.

A permanent ban on cigarette purchases for persons born January 1st, 2000 or later already exists in one town, Brookline, Massachusetts.

Brookline, Massachusetts Tobacco Law

The town of Brookline, Massachusetts has passed and begun enforcing a law prohibiting persons born January 1st, 2000 or later from ever purchasing tobacco according to an article by Jon Berrick posted on BMJ.com [1]. Brookline’s ordinance is also discussed in a Time.com [2] article and many others.

At least two nations are considering similar laws.

New Zealand and Denmark Proposed Tobacco Laws

The entire nations of New Zealand and Denmark are considering legislation to permanently ban young persons from using tobacco.

Health officials in New Zealand are urging that nation to enact legislation that would basically prohibit persons age 14 or younger as of a certain year from ever being able to legally purchase cigarettes according to numerous articles, such as these linked to on NPR [3], NBCNews [4], and the Associated Press [5]. Denmark is considering legislation that would ban persons born in 2010 or later from ever smoking according to articles on TheDailyMail website [6], and many others. A VapingPost.com [7] piece. noted that an EU Directive would need changed to permit such legislation to take effect.

Reasons for Banning Tobacco and Alcoholic Beverages

The harmful effects of using tobacco products and consuming alcoholic beverages are well documented.

Tobacco is a leading cause of lung cancer and many other diseases. Surveys indicate that the majority of current smokers would like to quit. Indeed, millions have quit in recent years. Sadly, a large percentage of poor persons spend much of their limited income on tobacco products. Indeed, if millions of SNAP (food stamp) recipients who smoke quit smoking, they could probably buy their own food with the money saved, lower their medical costs (and Medicaid costs) and likely live happier, healthier, longer lives, too.

Alcohol use contributes to automobile accidents, liver disease, brain damage, several types of cancer, and numerous other problems. You may have read or heard that consuming alcoholic beverages in moderation has benefits that offset negative effects. Recent studies indicate otherwise.

A World Heart Federation policy brief [8] urges persons not to drink alcoholic beverages at all. It specifically urges abstinence for persons with “chronic illnesses.” The same brief states that even for “adults with no underlying health conditions” that “there are no safe recommended levels of alcohol consumption.” An Oxford study reported about on Forbes.com [9] is quoted as including the words “No safe dose of alcohol for the brain was found.”

Final Thoughts

Banning tobacco and alcoholic beverage sales (and consumption) forever to persons born in 2003 or later can improve the health of this generation and save them money, without impacting current smokers or drinkers.

Side benefits may include lower Medicaid expenses, fewer disability claims, and increased work productivity. There will even be a significant reduction in trash from cigarette butts and packages, as well as beer containers. We’ll also have fewer fires from discarded cigarettes and fewer cuts from broken glass beverage containers. It will be great not to see litter like the three cigarette butts on a sidewalk in Phoenix Park here in Lexington, Kentucky shown in the May 18, 2022 photograph below.

Tobacco and alcoholic beverage companies will protest this disruption to their sales. But my guess is that the majority of persons will support it. What do you think?

ENDNOTES:

(1) Berrick, Jon; “U.S.: Brookline Introduces Tobacco-Free Generation Law”; BMJ; May 2022, Vol. 31, No. 3, page 399-400; webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/tobaccocontrol/31/3/399.full.pdf

(2) Ducharme, Jamie; “How One Massachusetts Town Could Shape the Future of Tobacco”; Time.com; December 9, 2021; webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://time.com/6126252/brookline-tobacco-free-generation-law/

(3) Sullivan, Becky; “New Zealand’s unique cigarette ban may be model for other countries”; NPR; December 15, 2021; webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://www.npr.org/2021/12/15/1064212737/new-zealands-cigarette-ban-model

(4) Chuck, Elizabeth and Stoakes, Emanuel; “ ‘long overdue’ New Zealand models generational tobacco purchasing ban on a U.S. suburb”; NBCNews; December 24, 2021, updated December 29, 2021; webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/new-zealand-wants-smoking-ban-future-generations-us-town-already-one-rcna9757

(5) Perry, Nick; “New Zealand’s plan to end smoking: A lifetime ban for youth”; AP News; Dec. 9, 2021; webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://apnews.com/article/business-health-new-zealand-smoking-wellington-7e5393f99502e89959181031d614aa85

(6) McLaughlin, Charlotte; “Denmark considers BANNING cigarettes by ensuring nobody born after 2010 will ever be able to buy them”; DailyMail; March 15, 2022; webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10616415/Denmark-considers-BANNING-cigarettes-ensuring-born-2010-allowed-buy-them.html

(7) Caruana, Diane; “EU Directive Comes in the Way of Danish Government’s Planned Tobacco Ban”; VapingPost.com; April 18, 2022, webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://www.vapingpost.com/2022/04/18/eu-directive-comes-in-the-way-of-danish-governments-planned-tobacco-ban/#:~:text=If%20the%20bill%20becomes%20law,born%20in%202010%20turn%2018

(8) “The Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Cardiovascular Health: Myths and Measures”: A World Health Federation Policy Brief”; webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://world-heart-federation.org/wp-content/uploads/WHF-Policy-Brief-Alcohol.pdf

(9) Ramirez, Elva; “Study: No Amount of Drinking Alchol Is Safe for Brain Health”; June 1, 2021; Forbes.com; webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://www.forbes.com/sites/elvaramirez/2021/06/01/study-no-amount-of-drinking-alcohol-is-safe-for-brain-health/?sh=538a64687eaa

Raise U.S. Gasoline Taxes; Expand Mass Transit; Cut Gas Use

Why raise gasoline taxes? Many advocate suspending gasoline taxes while gas prices remain high in the U.S. I sympathize with the good intentions. Yet, I urge the opposite. Raise gas taxes.

The same supply and demand issues that led oil companies to increase prices and earn immense profits can be used to benefit the government and U.S. citizens.

Some Facts

Many oil companies earned huge profits in the first quarter of 2022 according to a Guardian article [1] and other sources. The Saudi Arabian company Saudi Aramco became “the world’s most valuable company” after its huge quarterly profits according to the Associated Press [2] and other news sources.

Retail gasoline prices in the United States have increased substantially because the supply is down and demand is high. Three gas stations near my Lexington, Kentucky, apartment on May 9th, 2022, advertised gas at the highest prices I've ever seen there: $4.29 per gallon for regular unleaded and $5.29 per gallon for diesel fuel, as shown in pictures of their signs.

Today, May 17th, 2022, AAA [3] reported a record high national average gasoline price of $4.523 per gallon, with diesel over $1 per gallon more.

Supply and Demand

Currently the supply of gasoline is down a bit (due to war in Ukraine, limited production by OPEC and other countries including the U.S., etc.). Demand remains high.

Until supply increases, persons need to reduce purchases. If it’s not done voluntarily, it will be done via (1) price increases, (2) rationing, or (3) stations running out of gas.

Maybe the best free market approach is to increase prices. Furthermore, instead of just oil companies raising prices to cut demand, I support raising gasoline taxes to increase federal tax revenue.

The higher taxes and thus higher retail gasoline prices, will lead to a decrease in demand. Decreased demand can lead oil companies to lower their prices.

Though for simplicity, I refer only to the gasoline tax, I support raising the tax on diesel fuel as well.

More Reasons Why Increasing the Gasoline Tax Makes Sense

Many problems with infrastructure have been mentioned in recent years. Bridges and roads need much maintenance and repair. In some areas we need new construction.

Furthermore, mass transit in the United States pales in comparison to the transit systems in several other countries. It could be partially funded by fuel tax increases.

The federal gasoline tax of 18.4 cents per gallon (and the diesel tax of 24.4 cents per gallon) have not increased since October 1, 1997 according to Table FE-1A on a Federal Highway Administration webpage [4]. Furthermore, the federal gasoline tax in the United States is much lower than that in many other countries, as shown on numerous websites. Indeed, almost all countries shown in a chart on CarScoops.com [5] have higher gasoline taxes than the U.S.

A gasoline tax increase could pay for much needed infrastructure repair. Furthermore, if part of the tax revenue is used to support mass transit (city and intercity bus systems, subways, intercity rail travel, air travel, etc.), it could encourage more people to use mass transit, thus reducing traffic congestion. Adding more sidewalks and bike lanes/paths would likely increase pedestrian and bicycle travel too.

It could be great if persons:

• use mass transit more,

• carpool more with trusted friends, neighbors, relatives, coworkers, etc.,

• bicycle more,

• walk more,

• and avoid unnecessary trips.

Fewer cars traveling fewer miles would lead to less pollution (as well as less wear-and-tear on highways). The increased exercise could help make us healthier.

Eventually we will run out of oil. But if we dramatically reduce our consumption of it now, it will be better for the environment. The production, transportation, and consumption of oil create a lot of pollution.

In addition, the huge production of oil from oil shale in recent years adds new environmental risks. The fracking process that is frequently used in producing oil from oil shale produces numerous small earthquakes and some damaging earthquakes, as noted by the USGS [6] and other sources.

Electric vehicles may be an alternative to gas and diesel-powered vehicles. But it will be at least a few years before electric vehicles are mass produced at affordable prices—and an electric grid supported by renewable energy sources adequate to recharge them exists.

Closing Thoughts

Tax increases are typically not popular with the public. But, we currently have a huge federal budget deficit. Furthermore, the deficit is expected to get worse due to infrastructure needs, increasing costs of Social Security and health care (Medicare, Medicaid, etc.) and other expenses.

Our transportation system needs major repairs according to many (most?) people. Therefore, it seems logical to get additional funding for fixing problems. Increasing taxes on gasoline (and diesel fuel) can help fund maintenance of highways and bridges.

A tax hike will hurt drivers, especially persons like truck drivers who travel thousands of miles annually in vehicles that get relatively poor fuel efficiency. But these drivers are already being impacted by current high prices. Better to have price hikes benefit the government and pay for needed projects for citizens than fill the coffers of oil companies.

Increasing taxes on gas and diesel fuels makes sense to me. The costs of maintaining and building highways have increased substantially since the tax was last increased in 1997. To generate revenue and to decrease demand for gasoline, the tax increase needs to be a large one. At least a 50 cents-per-gallon figure seems reasonable to me. Over the long term, I’d even support a significantly larger increase. Do you agree?

NOTE:

This article is adapted and updated from articles the author submitted to other websites in past years about raising the U.S. tax on gasoline.

ENDNOTES:

(1) Milman, Oliver; “Largest oil and gas producers made close to $100bn in first quarter of 2022”; Guardian; May 13, 2022; webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/may/13/oil-gas-producers-first-quarter-2022-profits

(2)Debre, Isabel; “Saudi oil giant Aramco’s first-quarter profits soar 80%”; Associated Press; May 15, 2022; webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-arab-emirates-saudi-arabian-oil-co-44809d786ae32adc178684a5ce3c6837

(3) “National Average Gas Prices”; AAA; May 17th, 2022; webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://gasprices.aaa.com/

(4) “Federal Tax Rates on Motor Fuels and Lubricating Oil (1)” November 2021; U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration; page last modified November 16, 2021; webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2020/fe101a.cfm

(5) Chilton, Chris; “Which Countries Pay the Most and Least Tax on Their Gas”; CarScoops.com; April 10, 2022; webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://www.carscoops.com/2022/04/which-countries-pay-the-most-and-least-tax-on-their-gas/

(6) “Does the production of oil and gas from shares cause earthquakes? If so, how are the earthquakes related to these operations?”; USGS; webpage accessed May 17, 2022; https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/does-production-oil-and-gas-shales-cause-earthquakes-if-so-how-are-earthquakes-related-these#:~:text=Fracking%20intentionally%20causes%20small%20earthquakes,a%20M4%20earthquake%20in%20Texas.