Oh the Things I've Learned on the Internets

photo attribution below

Who says spending hours on the internet is a waste of time?

I've learned so many valuable things, simply by scrolling through my Facebook page. Those oh-so-thoughtful folks are always suggesting stories I might like, based on things I've clicked on in the past.

Just to confirm that I've been paying attention, here are some of the important bits of info I've picked up simply by devoting countless hours to social media.

Flushable Wipes Aren't Flushable.
Say it ain't so! Flushable wipes – the staple of babies and the incontinent – cannot be sent on their way through your plumbing, lest you plug up your pipes or damage your city's sewer system. I know this because I saw a video of sanitary workers dredging tons of flushable wipes that blocked the sewer system. Those things are like cockroaches, apparently. They'll be here long after we are. So, lesson learned: toss used wipes in a garbage bag – they may not degrade there, either, but at least they won't screw up the pipes.

Putting Your Cat's Litter Box Outside Won't Bring Fluffy Home.

If Fluffy makes a run for it, you can put up flyers to enlist the help of others, look for her around the bushes near your home or set out a piece of your clothing to help her recognize your scent. But putting out her litter box will simply provide other cats in the neighborhood with a public toilet, thereby defeating the purpose.  There has been a lot of back-and-forth on this topic, so I know of what I speak.

Don't Give Away a Family Pet to a Stranger

I've seen this a bunch of times, where someone's parent passed away and they had to get rid of a beloved dog or cat. The writer wants to unload the animal but only to a good home, and for free. At which point, several folks chime in and warn them they need to charge at least a nominal fee because there are bad people out there who will use Fido for nefarious purposes. Just to note, I'm not sure charging someone $10 is going to deter the buyer from being an asshat. I think the message here is to be careful and research the person who wants to adopt the pet. 

Fabric Softener Is Bad for Your Washer...Sort Of

You need to go easy on the fabric softener. Avoid using it on every load and don't use more than what's called for. The chemicals that make your clothes soft and cozy can mess with your washer and encourage mold growth.

Turn Faucets to a Trickle to Keep Them From Freezing

I sort of already knew this one, but it was a good reminder. If you lose power in the icy cold of winter, turn on your faucets to a running trickle. Open any cabinets under kitchen or bathroom sinks to promote airflow and reduce the risk of freezing pipes. Plumber's advice: If you're remodeling your kitchen and thinking about having the pipes installed on an outside wall, don't do it. They will freeze, and you'll be left with an expensive mess. You can disregard this if you live in a climate that's above freezing all year.

Child Stars Die Too Soon

Ron Howard, Jackie Cooper and a few others excluded, child stars don't fare well when they hit their teenage years. This is a particularly popular topic for clickbait, and I'm ashamed to say that I've taken that bait more than once – only to head down the rabbit hole reading about some poor unfortunate kid who was fleeced by parents and/or managers, picked up a drug/alcohol problem and overdosed/committed suicide well before their time. Just to note, Mr. Ginley: Online rumors to the contrary, Jody from Family Affair was NOT fragged in 'Nam.

Deer Come Out at Dawn and Dusk

Sure, Bambi will hang out at other times of the day, but dawn and dusk are a deer's favorite time to roam. If you're cruising through the park (or in neighborhoods near the park – deer don't have GPS), take it very slow. Keep a lookout for running deer – and don't forget, they tend to travel in pairs or packs. The same treatment applies if you pass a rider on a horse.* Go very slow and give them a wide berth. And for crying out loud, don't honk your horn. (Are you really going to miss that 30 seconds you spend going slow if you get to your destination safely?)

Well, I believe I've imparted enough FB wisdom for the day. Please feel free to chime in with any tidbits of information you've picked up along the way. 

By the way, if something sounds fishy, you can always run it by Snopes.com. They research a lot of weird claims to see if they're true or not.

They even looked into the incident this week about Harry and Megan's alleged car chase.

Here I go back down the rabbit hole...

*Props to Vicki, who shared this from her friend's post.

Photo attribution: Jason Howie, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons