Useless/Useful Advice?

 Dear you,

Another busy week, notably related to hurricane devastation across Florida and still in Puerto Rico.  That, and the usual attacks on democracy and far right lunacy.  So, all this in mind, what exactly is up with the inane articles that Google selectively delivers to my phone?  Mixed in with relevant news, I find startlingly silly titles.  Alas, this is based on previous searches; omnipotent algorithms have decided I need to know this stuff, now.  A few days ago, dear Google brought these stories to my attention:

From Southern Living, "Should You Point Silverware Up or Down in the Dishwasher?"

From Insider.com, "I'm an Interior Designer.  Here Are 10 Things in Your Living Room You Should Get Rid of."

I don't use my dishwasher.  Even if I did, why would this matter, really?  And as for my living room, the "I'm an Interior Designer" person ordered me to remove all book or DVD collections from that area.  Of course, all that pesky artistry might discomfort guests who may or may not use my improperly washed flatware. 

Something else came to my phone recently, not from mind-reading Google, but via text from a friend (James in NYC). He was actually being helpful, sharing ideas about my next move (this interminable project).  His link featured an article listing the top ten places to retire. This was useful, but the candidates for my silver/golden years came with caveats:

Charleston, S.C.  (Floods and ghosts.  Seriously, that town is haunted.)

Orlando, FL.  (Floods here too. See Ian and the evacuation of nursing homes.)

Cincinnati, OH.  (Relentless Trump rallies and J.D. Vance.)

Miami, FL.  (Hurricanes.)

Ft. Lauderdale, FL. (Ditto above.)

San Francisco, CA. (Expensive as hell and I smoke. Smokers in Cally are shunned or institutionalized.)

Scottsdale, AZ.  (Relentless Trump rallies and Paul Gosar.)

Wilmington, DE.  (No clue about this place.)

Tampa, FL.  (Ditto again on flood dangers and a ticking hurricane clock. They got lucky last week.)

I can find reasons to resist every suggestion in useful advice as well as useless advice.  But I will try to keep an open mind.  Let me check the Google thing on my phone now and see what pops up. Okay. The standout news bit in the useless category was this:

From News-Medical.net, "Increased Risk for All-Cause Dementia in People Who Abstain from Alcohol".

Excellent.  A "scientific" reason to knock back a few cold ones on a Sunday in a fractured, nomadic world. Imagine the Bacchanalian displays popping up in The Villages right now.  "My Google Doctor told me to drink dementia away!"

Useless?  Useful?  Probably just stupid and possibly misleading.

Is any of this advice worth taking seriously?  Time will tell. I'll let you know a few years from now when I am not living in Ohio, not obsessing over silverware washing techniques, and not purging books from my living space.

Curmudgeonly yours,

Joyce