January 2026 chitchat

[agate]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We're in the midst of the '20s now though they can't be called the roaring '20s because we've already had those.

This place has been here more than 20 years and here we still are. Some of us anyway.

Virginia hasn't been well enough to be here but let's hope she'll recover and be well enough to return before long.

What's going on with you? Are you celebrating the New Year somehow?

I'm just hoping the fireworks won't get too loud. The holidays have been quiet here but that wasn't bad from my standpoint.

[Prot]

Happy New year to posters and lurkers alike. No celebrating here. But a good start to the New year nonetheless.

[agate]

No partying here either but a celebratory mood prevails. Celebrating surviving the season without any falls and I hope without hurting anybody's feelings. Those are real achievements.

[Virginia]

You did a good job, not falling, also not hurting anyone's feelings. A real feat if one can accomplish those two things over the holidays.

Tim, glad you are having a good start to the New Year.

I am doing alright. Still, dealing with a bad leg that I have to spend a lot of time on and also having bad fatigue. I assume it is MS fatigue kicking me in the rear. I am really tired of being tired, but that is often the nature of the beast. However, I have food and a clean house because my housekeeper came yesterday.

I would love to have a vacuum that is automatic and doesn't run into the furniture and picks up good. They have them that map out the room and do what I want (I think) but they are quite expensive for a really good one. I can no longer handle a regular vaccuum at all. After the house hasn't been vacuuned for a few days it begins to bother me. My housekeeper only comes every other week.

Everyone have a good month. Thanks for starting us Agate.

[Prot]

I'm glad you're well enough to post again,Virginia. Worst vacuum I ever had was a Dyson. The handle broke after 6 months!

[agate]

How nice that you're back, Virginia!

Vacuuming? I do less and less of it as time goes by even though I have two vacuum cleaners--one upright with attachments, the other more of a stick vacuum. On the plus side, I don't have to keep buying bags for either of them. On the other hand, the upright one has 3 filters that have to be replaced from time to time. Also it is heavy and hard for me to navigate.

So my "solution" is the handy carpet sweeper. I don't have any more upholstered furniture, and so the carpet sweeper takes care of the carpeting but the furniture, curtains, etc., have to wait until I feel like vacuuming.




.

[Prot]

It's been several decades since I used a carpet sweeper! Do they still make them?

[agate]

Oh yes, indeed they do. I have a Bissell that works well and has the huge advantage of being very low maintenance. No cord, nothing to plug in, light up, or beep. No battery. Cleaning it is a breeze. Just open up a couple of compartments and empty the dust out. Maybe replace the brush now and then. Works on hard floors too.

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

[Virginia]

I saw just a snippet of the robotic vacuum that I think I want. I can't be sure unless I buy it to find out. I saw it on HSN before Christmas, so they were having a sale. I didn't get the price snd I didn't get enough information to try to look it up somewhere else such as Amazon. I was obviously flipping channels but I saw enough that it has stuck in my mind.

Agate and Tim, hope you both are set to have a good weekend and a good week ahead. Hope both of you are staying healthy and safe.

[Prot]

I'm prone to bowel problems. Varies in intensity . Last few days quite bad gripping pain lower stomach and like my hips are inflamed. Apart from that-I'm OK. Dentist this coming Friday then Friday after that I should get my dentures.

[agate]

Hope you can get the robotic vacuum of your choice, Virginia! Have you tried looking at the robotic vacuums being offered on Amazon? I've found that the user reviews and ratings are really helpful, as well as the "Ask Rufus" feature where you can get questions about a product answered. It does take time to sort through all of the options.

And how are you doing now?

Tim, congratulations on the dentures! It's been quite a long wait, I think? I just "escaped" from the dentist recently myself. Every time I have a scheduled regular appointment there and come away with no bad news, I feel as if I've had a reprieve. This time I had a tooth that had been looking terrible for several months, and I knew I'd lost a big filling. So I was dreading this recent appointment but he filled the tooth with no anesthetic, and it took only a couple of minutes, no Xray. He did say something about how it might need a crown eventually and how he didn't know if the filling would hold. Not such good news but at least I got out of there without needing another appointment for 6 months.

[Prot]

agate , thank you.It will have taken over 6 months to get the dentures when I get them.Do all Americans have very good teeth compared to us Brits? Or is that a impression shaped by a lack of interaction with dirt poor Americans? . You did well having your tooth filled without anaesthetic. There is no way I could ever have done that!

Virginia,How are you doing? It's good that you're posting again. A robotic vacuum sounds like a good thing to get. I think hoovering is the household task that knackers many people the most.

[agate]

I hadn't ever heard this and so asked AI about whether people in the US have better teeth than people in the UK.

No, the idea that Americans have significantly better teeth than people in the UK is largely a myth, with studies showing mixed results, but often finding Americans have more missing teeth, though Brits report more negative impacts on daily life from their oral health. A major 2015 study found Americans had worse oral health in some areas (more missing teeth) and that socioeconomic inequalities in dental health were much greater in the U.S. due to reliance on insurance versus the UK's NHS system. While the stereotype persists, it's often fueled by media, and cosmetic dentistry in the U.S. focuses more on aesthetics, creating a different perception of "good teeth".

Key Findings from Studies:

• Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...: Americans tend to have more missing teeth on average, notes a Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register....
• Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...: Oral health inequalities are much wider in the U.S. than in England, with lower-income Americans faring worse than their UK counterparts.
• Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...: People in the UK report a greater negative impact on daily life (like eating or smiling) from their oral health issues, despite Americans having more missing teeth.
• Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...: Some data suggests higher tooth decay rates in the US and lower dental visit rates compared to the UK, though results vary by study.

Why the Myth Persists:

• Cosmetic Focus in US: A strong emphasis on cosmetic dentistry (whitening, straightening) in the U.S. contributes to the perception of "perfect American smiles," notes a dentist in NJ.
• Media Stereotypes: The "bad British teeth" trope is a long-standing cultural joke, reinforced by media.

Conclusion:
The reality is complex, but evidence suggests the stereotype is inaccurate; the U.S. often lags behind the UK in overall population oral health metrics, especially concerning socioeconomic disparities, even if cosmetic treatments are more prevalent.

My mother's sister, of Scotch-Irish and English ancestry but the family has been over here across the pond since the 17th century, died in her 80s without ever having had a cavity. That proves nothing of course but I like to brag about her.

[Prot]

Thanks agate . That surprised me. 69th birthday today.

[agate]

Happy birthday, Tim!