Kitchen Table Kibitzing Friday – filtering out the cooties

I’ve been thinking about trying to communicate better without having to cover my mouth with a mask, or while I’m protecting myself, since I assume you haven’t been pronged by my trekking pole.

For me, food shopping is the only instance I need such gear, but that should change once a CV-19 vaccine arrives. On the other hand, detoxifying one’s diet seems important as well.

Actually a unified product that would combine one’s music headset gear, one’s cellphone accessories and PPEs. That would probably be a seller considering the potential pandemic demand. 

One way might be to combine a wireless bluetooth headset/microphone, a face shield, an external microphone, and an external shoulder speaker that could make our supermarket audio communications easier; the first version would run through your smart phone’s bluetooth.

The best thing would be a single unit that would appear like something that one could get onto a more friendly-appearing wearable accessory that doesn’t look like scuba gear.

Then one could combine a plain or serious face shield with the above shoulder speakers

OTOH one can repurpose one’s riot gear

Another way would be to build the gear around some ball cap, but the creation of a semi-transparent surgical mask would be useful, because if anything the nonverbal reading of faces is still necessary for more effective transactions. More interesting are the more concentrated urban Asian cultures that consider such head gear much more normal for everyday interactions.

There actually a lot of factors

COVID-19 is reminding some of the fear of the Ebola virus, much like Trump’s negligence reminds one of Wilson’s negligence of the 1918 flu. PPEs have been evolving.

The other issue is trying to use a surgical mask that would be less opaque so the mouth could be more visible given the communication essential with smiling. Dentists are more into these.

Because we’re going to be filtering everything….

From charcoal ice cream to charcoal lattes, we've all tapped into our dark and gothic souls by rushing to consume things that are pitch black. Despite places like New York City cracking down on the sale of charcoal-infused foods, companies like Starbucks are still selling activated charcoal goodies around the world.

www.eatthis.com/…

Just when we thought the latest trend in foods was rainbow, a new color has arrived that threatens to darken the mood. Yes, pitch-black foods (and beverages!) are sweeping the Internet, from hamburger buns and savory crackers to ice cream cones and Ikea hot dogs.

What gives these foods their deep dark hue? Activated charcoal, which is the byproduct of burning coconut shells, wood, or other plant materials. If that sounds dangerous to eat, don't worry: charcoal made from coconut is harmless, and is different than consuming food that has been charred or burnt.

The charcoal is considered “activated” due to its negative charge, which means it supposedly has the capacity to bind positively charged ions (such as chemicals) together, removing them from the body, according to Dr. Jeffrey Morrison, a family practice physician and certified nutritional specialist. This property has prompted charcoal to be touted as the latest detox ingredient—in fact, it's long been used in emergency rooms to stop certain cases of acute poisonings or overdoses.

“Charcoal works by essentially binding the drug or toxic chemical in the stomach before it can be absorbed by the body, providing an effect like stomach pumping without having to pump your stomach,” says Julie Upton, MS, RD of Appetite for Health.

www.realsimple.com/…