The Writer's Life 9/9 - Ewwwww!

An article at Yahoo Odd News warns of the danger of eating food that has fallen to the floor. It states that the five-second rule is a "significant oversimplification of what actually happens when bacteria transfer from a surface to food." I'd had no idea there was such a "rule." Researchers at Rutgers University say bacteria can contaminate food instantaneously. They found that longer contact results in more bacterial transfer. And the type of food and surface is just as, or more, important. Researchers tested watermelon, bread, bread and butter, and gummy candy on stainless steel, ceramic tile, wood and carpet and that found watermelon had the most contamination, and also that transfer of bacteria is affected most by moisture. So there it is. I don't recall the last time I ate anything that had fallen to the floor, but I have eaten Cheerios I've found hours later on counter tops. And I consume vitamins that have fallen, wiping them with a tissue first, of course. Confession is good for the soul.

Talk radio was more interesting than usual today, as conservative hosts found themselves in the odd position of defending Today host and liberal icon Matt Lauer, who is being taken to task by the left for having had the audacity in his interviews to be as tough on Hillary as he was on Trump. It is also amusing to see another former hero of liberals, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, now praised by the right for publishing hacked material detrimental to Hillary. I just listened to a conversation between Sean Hannity and Newt Gingrich in which the host excoriated James Comey for not having indicted Hillary, and Gingrich giving the FBI director a pass, saying the process would have taken too long to derail Hillary. He praised Comey for making his findings public and leaving the decision to the American people. He believes there is an 18-20% block of undecided independents who will swing to Trump, as happened in 1980 when Reagan was elected. Interesting, but I remain as pessimistic as ever politically. I believe the nation is in an irreversible slide into socialism. How I would love to be wrong about that.

It wasn't as hot as it was a few weeks ago, but it was no picnic out there today for the floating book shop. My thanks to the latina who purchased The Incredibles (2004) DVD for her cutie-pie daughter, who was wearing a purple St. Mark's T-shirt, and to the gentleman and lady who each bought a book in Russian; and to the tall guy who bought four paperback thrillers. Unfortunately, I gave a lot of that money back. It began raining as soon as a young man asked the cost of Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, a graphic memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. I said: "Two bucks" and was handed a five. Concerned about getting the books, especially my own, under cover, I gave the guy change and the five, so I essentially paid him to buy the book. It's my first significant financial error -- at least that I caught -- since I started selling books on the streets circa 2002. Bummer.

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3

Vic's Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
Vic's Short Story Collection: http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tiny.cc/0iHLb Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

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