Tid Bit Musings

and emerging artists, we offer a supportive place to debut being on stage and to learn from more seasoned musicians,” she adds. “For older artists, it’s the perfect place to try out new material or rekindle being an artist. There’s a lot of wonderful talent out there, we want to meet you!”

by Elva Patterson Rutters RSSW

Winchester Open Mic Café (WOMC) returns to the Old Town Hall after a two-year COVID-19 hiatus, and organizers could not be happier.

Coordinator Ann Brady, who took over the summer student project from the Township of North Dundas in August 2012, says people have been messaging her, asking when WOMC would be back.

“The short answer? Sunday, Sept. 11,” Brady enthuses. “We’ve missed everyone so much during the pandemic. So many wonderful artists and loyal audience members have come through these doors, over the past decade, to be part of this little oasis of music and friendship. People have visited from across Canada and all over the world. Young people, older people, moms with nursing babies coming to relax on a Sunday afternoon. It’ll be so nice to open our doors to everyone again.”

Brady, who is a musician and singer-songwriter herself, says the weekly gathering is one of the few adult oriented events in the region that is alcohol-free. Guests may bring their own snacks and non-alcoholic sips if they wish. The café will also be offering complimentary treats, made by local business Wiggly Tails Pet Bakery, for all service dogs wishing to enjoy them.

“This is a safe space that is proudly inclusive and fully accessible. People with hearing aids can comfortably attend, as we do not use amplification. The acoustics are great, here,” Brady says. “Artists of all genres and at all levels of the performing arts are welcome. For young

Starting September 11, Winchester Open Mic Café runs every Sunday, 2 pm to 5 pm, at the Old Town Hall, 478 Main Street in Winchester, ON. Admission is free, masks are encouraged. For more information, visit Facebook at “Winchester Open Mic Café”.

Latch key kids. That is a term coined to define youth who come home to an empty house after school. Apparently it doesn't appear to apply any other time of the day but coming home after school. Not sure of that logic but.... It is believed to be the key time students share what happened at school that day. It is overwhelming if you have more than one child telling their experiences at the same time as another. Afterwards, they settle into "home" mode, diffusing any angst of the day. In a perfect world it would be beneficial if a parent can be there, but it is not always possible.

For parents who can't be at home to hear the stories, can you call and have them put you on speaker phone so you get the gist of the topics to follow up on later? Ideally the ability to sit down over a snack and process the events helps the child learn how to process situations. Do you have a homemaker who can fulfil this role?

How do you know when a child can be left alone? The law says no child 10 and under shall be left alone, but no definite yes to an age. There must be proven responsibility and accountability. Do you have all the emergency contact numbers visible and easily accessible? Does your child know your address?

For what length of time will your child be left alone?

Highly recommended is having a communal supper at the table devoid of electronics (including parental cell phones). More than one child has been thwarted from drug use knowing they had to be present for supper and use would be obvious. Explore the involvement for the entire family in making supper and you will hear conversations flow. That is the responsibility that goes with the "right to food" for a child. Teaching the "responsibilities" that accompany the charter of "rights" is key to maturation, and preparation for independence. Naturally, there must be a consequence for non-compliance. Removing cell phone privileges is quite monumental in effectiveness!

Today is the start of new strategies. The highway of options is there- use it.

MP Eric Duncan launches nominations for Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

Member of Parliament Eric Duncan (StormontDundas-South Glengarry)

is pleased to announce the creation of a new program to celebrate local community leaders in honour of Her Majesty the Queen’s 70 years of selfless service to Canada and the Commonwealth.

While the current government did not create a similar program to Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee medals in 2012, many Members of Parliament have opted to create programs in their communities to recognize the hard work and achievements of deserving Canadians.

“Over the last two years, our community has faced significant challenges and hardships. Yet, in spite of these challenges, countless local residents came together to support their neighbours, friends and local organizations, all united by one common purpose: to make a difference,” said MP Duncan. “This program is a great way we can say thank you and recognize the many wonderful people for their contributions to our community.”

MP Duncan’s office is asking residents to submit nominations of deserving Canadians in StormontDundas-South Glengarry who have made significant efforts to improve our

Baldwin's Birds Holidays are over!

community or our country. Nominations for this award are open to educators, artists, athletes, scientists, coaches, entrepreneurs, emergency responders, community volunteers, activity organizers, and other everyday Canadians striving to make their communities a better place.

Chosen recipients will be awarded a unique Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medallion and will be officially recognized at an award ceremony this fall.

Nomination details are available online at www. EricDuncanMP.ca/nominate. Submissions will be accepted until Friday, September 9th, 2022.

Is now the time to quit alcohol?

Alcohol in moderation can be good for your health. We have written dozens of articles on the topic and an entire section of our website is dedicated to the topic. In short, there are plenty of good reasons to enjoy a drink at the cocktail hour. But is there a time for quitting altogether?

Some people think so. And the idea seems to be catching on.

You may have heard about the “sober curious” movement. Coined by writer, Ruby Warrington, being sober curious is about enjoying the benefits of an alcohol-free lifestyle. It has nothing to do with achieving sobriety after problems with alcoholism.

Some efforts are short-term, like “Dry January” and “Sober October”. These trendy campaigns are often paired with charitable causes.

But over recent years, more and more people, especially young professionals, are making a deliberate choice to abstain from alcohol – not for a month, but as a lifestyle choice for the long term. Their online tributes to the benefits of not drinking are compelling.

Despite the list of reasons for healthy moderate drinking, they are celebrating a new list of all the reasons for not drinking at all.

In terms of good health, they point to higher energy levels, better sleep, healthier livers, and lower risk of heart disease. But they are also attributing their position on alcohol to a more authentic engagement with friends and family, as well as with the world around them.

following my lawn-mowing exercise yesterday, their interest will have considerably diminished, although we have been compensated in our bird viewing by a Baltimore Oriole feeding where the Hummingbirds have returned to - the sugar water! Our other common visitors, the Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers and the Nuthatch, were soon back to the peanuts, so we haven't been entirely deserted by them all.

In some countries, the growing numbers of teetotalers are having an economic impact. In Japan, for example, the sober-curious younger generation is rejecting past customs of heavy drinking after work. This trend has resulted in tax revenue from alcohol sales declining by 50% since 1994. Although neither the tax agency nor the liquor industry will point to it, Japanese life expectancy from birth climbed from 80 to 85 years over the same period. There are other tax-related correlations between alcohol consumption and societal health trends. When governments increase taxes on alcohol, traffic fatalities decline. So does the rate of violent crime. The spread of sexually transmitted diseases is reduced. There are fewer cases of cirrhosis of the liver.

In other words, people are highly price conscious about alcohol. When it costs more, people purchase less of it.

This may be the ultimate reason why now could be an optimal moment to quit drinking. With everything getting more expensive, cutting alcohol from the shopping list may help ease the squeeze on the pocketbook. According to 2017 Survey of Household Spending, the average Canadian household spends about $1,100 per year on alcohol.

In the U.S., a whopping 63% of people aged 21-25 drink alcohol. Whether it be school expenses or early-career wages, it’s easy to see the financial motivation for sobriety.

But is the sober curious movement as good for the old as it may be for the young? Sir William Osler, famed Canadian physician and one of the original four founding professors of Johns Hopkins Hospital, remarked, “Alcohol is for the elderly what milk is for the young.”

But never forget about moderation. And know that moderation is surprisingly easy to exceed.

A months worth of grass growth greeted us back, after a month of scorching hot weather in the UK. Instantly gone were the memories of the cheerful little Robins singing just above our heads, whilst sitting drinking tea in two English family gardens, and the Blue Heron standing in the waters of the River Wye, whilst visiting Tintern Abbey.The soaring Red Kites in the Cotswold hills and also in many parts of the UK, and the abundance of different water birds at The Cotswolds Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, (formerly The Seven Wildfowl Trust founded by Peter Scott) in Gloucestershire, England.

But wait, where are all our own garden birds that were in profusion before our departure? Well, many are still here, and a little bit of incentive was required for them to reveal themselves to us again, such as a restocking of the peanut and sugar water feeders to get them started. However, on a closer look into the tall grasses surrounding the house, a considerably large-sized flock of Sparrows were seen to be very active, and a young Bluebird was sitting surveying the scene. I suspect that,

My wife and I had a lovely surprise when she spotted a Monarch butterfly hanging upside down on a leaf. We think that it might have just emerged from its chrysalis there and was still drying itself out. There seemed to be some evidence of the chrysalis on an adjacent leaf, but I am not certain. The butterfly was left alone, and when the leaf was inspected a few hours later, it was gone.

The picture is of a male Downy Woodpecker. Note how it uses its claws and Vtail to stabilize itself whilst feeding.

I hope that everyone has stayed safe and well during my absence, and will continue to do so.

Cheers, John Baldwin

Adult men should not exceed two standard alcoholic drinks a day. Women, due to their smaller size, should not exceed one drink a day. A standard drink means a 12oz. or 341 ml beer with 5% alcohol, or a 5 oz. or 142 ml glass of wine, or 1.5 oz or 43 ml shot of 40% spirits. Sign-up at www.docgiff.com to receive our weekly e-newsletter. For comments, contactus@docgiff.com. Follow us on Instagram @docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones

Top 5 malware myths debunked and explained

by The Surfshark Team

Myth 1: You don’t need an antivirus if you use a VPN

A VPN is a cybersecurity measure that protects your data online. Meanwhile, antivirus software protects your device, so using only a VPN is not enough to keep the viruses away.

Myth 2: Malware can only harm your files. No important files = no harm

Keylogger malware can log all your keystrokes, uncovering your usernames, passwords, and other sensitive data. Moreover, your device can become a virus spreader to your family.

Myth 3: Phones are safe since they don’t catch malware

Mobile devices are a frequent and easy target for malware, and the number of phone hacking attempts grows yearly.

Myth 4: macOS is fully resistant to viruses

Considered relatively secure, macOS still has security flaws. For example, the Silver Sparrow malware targeted Macs before, and about 30,000 computers were breached.

Myth 5: A virus is not malware

Malware is a term that covers all malicious programs, including viruses. Besides them, many more types of malware can enter your device.