I was walking home from work the other day and I smelled the distinct odor of mothballs. I knew the odor because I would randomly find them when I played in the closets as a kid.
There was an older couple walking in front of me so I wondered was it their clothing?
Who uses mothballs anymore, anyway?
So I decided to look into it.
Checking online, I found there were a slew of mothball suppliers and manufacturers mostly in Mainland China Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Singapore and only one in the United States.
My mother told me the mothballs were used to prevent moths from eating your wool clothing and that I should leave them where I found them. “Anthony, they are poisonous. Don’t touch them!” my mother would say as I held one and gazed at its snowball-like appearance in wonder.
Then I wondered if there were enough wool sweaters, coats and whatnot around to justify stinky mothballs. I also wondered what kinds of moths eat wool – was it all species? Are they around only in warm months? Are they in Richmond or did the state pest control authority wipe them out? What’s the real story here?
So why am I thinking so much about mothballs, wool and bugs?
This process of observing, what ifs, and discovery is what I live and breathe everyday as a digital market analyst – it’s my analytical mindset. This relentless curiosity is as addictive as wool is to moths.
I go about observing a client’s brand and customers with research into digital, social, and traditional media, sales data and Internet presence using a variety of data mining and optimization tools.
Then I ask questions about what the data is telling me and create what ifs based on what I find in the data. (Does anyone use mothballs anymore? Do people still buy wool clothing?)
Then I confirm or throw out the what ifs based on more in-depth research.
This new approach enables me to look at the various data sources, connect the dots and determine how each affects each other for deeper insights and better decision-making – a holistic analysis.
With all that said, I still had to know more about mothballs. I went to one of my most favorite sites, How Stuff Works where you can learn just that – how stuff works.
I found that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyrequires mothballmanufacturers to include a warning on packaging to “avoid breathing in the vapors.” Who would want to?
And there’s more from How Stuff Works,
“Studies on one active ingredient in some repellents, paradichlorobenzene, found that it can cause cancerin animals [source: EPA]. Although scientists do not know if it is also a human carcinogen, the animal trials provided sufficient evidence to urge people to handle them with caution. Other types of mothballs use naphthalene, which after prolonged exposure can damage or destroy red bloodcells[source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]. The chemical can also stimulate nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.”
That’s one reason why there is only one mothball manufacturer/supplier in the US.
And guess what? Harmless cedar wood chips work just as well, according to How Stuff Works. I know that’s true because my mother had a cedar chest where she would store her wedding dress and other clothing items that were precious to her.
So I wondered if there is a strong demand for pure 100% wool clothing that makes you itch. With all the advances in better materials to keep you warm and dry like lighter Gortex, Polyester, Spandex, synthetic fleece and wool blends why would someone risk good money for a wool sweater that can be eaten by bugs?
Looking at Google Trends and based on the number of times wool clothing is searched, I found there was a downward trend starting in December 2010 through December 2012, meaning wool was losing its appeal. My hypothesis was right on so I thought.
Then I found in The Huffington Post that wool is now the hot fashion fabric for this Spring’s outdoor clothing, according to exhibitors at the world’s largest expo for outdoor equipment and apparel, The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market held in Salt Lake City this January.
“Wool was rubbed out by fleece decades ago, but many exhibitors said it’s back without the itch, still warm and quick to dry and it doesn’t hold body odors, a big drawback of fleece,” the article said.
The Guardian/The Observer, UK’s leading newspaper, reported last fall that, “After years of decline, the British wool industry is making a comeback thanks, in part, to luxury fashion‘s newfound love of suits, formalwear and knitwear.” Other publications reported the same news.
So what is the takeaway here? You may want to watch the wool markets for upcoming sales and investment opportunities. You may also want to replace any mothballs in your closets or drawers with cedar chips.
All that from just the smell of mothballs one afternoon after work.
If you vote for Trump and his MAGA GOP members you may indirectly start World War III.
If Trump and his MAGA GOP take control of our Congress, they will cut off support for Ukraine. They already cut support on the advice of Trump when the Congress was ready to approve the spending bill with support for Ukraine.
What will happen next?
Without Ukraine support, Putin will overrun the country
Putin has talked about invading Poland next.
If he does NATO and the US will join forces to defend Poland and that may be the start of World War III.
IT’S EASY
YOUR VOTE COUNTS
More than ever now that our Democracy is under threat by the GOP.
Why you shouldn’t vote for the MAGA Republicans.
*A vote for MAGA GOP Congress members will turn congress into a right-wing do-nothing legislature.
“The Republican party is quickly becoming a party of anarchy and lawlessness,”
said Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota. “This is supposed to be the party of conservative principles, of tradition, of respect for customs and rules that make society governable.
“The idea that the law does not apply to Republicans is something that has now become part of the mainstream of the Republican party. We see it in terms of the approach to elections. We see it in terms of the treatment of immigrants. Some of the actions with regard to abortion may approach that level. The Republican party appears to consider the law and the constitution to be optional and to have lost legitimacy.”
– 19 GOP red states have pending laws suppressing voter’s ability to vote. Historically, dictators and Fascists have suppressed votes to stay in power.
White Supremacy/Racism
– The GOP has come out in support of QAnon, The Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys
Infrastructure Failures
– You may lose a loved one, a relative or a friend in a train crash, a bridge collapse or a plane crash as Republicans strip funds from President Biden’s infrastructure bill.
Abolishment of Women’s Rights
– The Texas abortion ban if left to stand will be passed in several other GOP states. Idaho will pass an anti-abortion law based on the Texas law. 16 states have “trigger” abortion ban laws.
Roe vs. Wade was overturned
by the US Supreme Court.
https://cnn.it/3RaW1zm
https://nyti.ms/3IcANNo
Your children will grow up into a country with polluted air and water
With the recent Supreme Court banning EPA authority from polluters
https://bit.ly/3IfQ1Bf
Universal Background Checks
on Gun Purchases – will never get passed.
Watch Jimmy Kimmel’s emotional plea to improve gun purchase background checks
https://cnn.it/3AnRweO
Federal Minimum wage
– will never go up leaving 18 states still paying $7.25 an hour.
Conservatism
– the last thing America needs are conservative leaders, especially some Republicans who want to keep America from progressing. The last thing America needs is backward-thinking leaders in the 21st Century.
The Party of Opportunists
– Republicans have turned to cheating to stay in power or to get back into power…and nothing is getting done by them for the American people.
The Party of Authoritarianism
The enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.
Are you a traitor to Democracy, the Constitution, the American people,
and everything America stands for: Truth, Justice and Liberty for all? Look what is happening in Ukraine.