What! Sept. 14, 2017
By Lisa Baker • 09-14-17
We are Texas, come hell or high water.
I’m sure there are words to describe the past few weeks in Brazoria County and the Greater Houston area, but it’s still hard for me to wrap my thoughts around it all and say what’s in my heart, without big tears forming in my eyes. Harvey’s wreckage is still everywhere but so is Texas love. I am humbled. We saw the biggest outpouring of love, concern and physically hard labor that was absolutely, positively overwhelming. People outside Texas are awed by what has been accomplished. Neighbors helped neighbors with donation sites, people feeding people, sandbags filled and placed by volunteers, friends giving up beds and meals to share with those left homeless…I can’t say enough about our first responders, police, county leaders, and our city personnel. Our thoughts and prayers for our community, friends, loved ones and neighbors remain in abundance. I don’t know of a single person that was not affected by this deadly storm. And it’s not over, clean-up has only just begun. But Brazoria County will stand proud and strong.
My son left for college a month ago. Recently, I received a “ransom text” that looked like letters cut out of magazines. It said that in order to guarantee phone calls from my son, I would need to send two cases of Topo Chico mineral water, asap, to an address vaguely similar to my son’s college dorm address. Hmmm. Without any further thoughts, I paid the ransom.
Pay attention. It’s a thing in Europe. You can now snort your chocolate. Coco Loko (available on Amazon, 1.25 ounce is 10 snorts for $25, but not actually approved by the Food and Drug Administration) is a snort-able blend of cacao powder, plants and organic compounds like ginkgo biloba, taurine and guarana, which is found in energy drinks and has been linked to spikes in blood pressure and heart palpitations. No one has really studied what happens when you put chocolate into your nose. No one knew that we would need to. When we were kids, we stuck erasers, pennies, rocks and sticks in our noses but MOM NEVER SAID, “Don’t stick that chocolate up your nose!” I think I’ll just continue my chili pepper chocolate bar I pick up at Central Market that lasts me about 2 weeks. But I’ll never be able to pinch off my little evening piece without thinking about sticking it up my nose.
A California geophysicist believes that the Houston area was 2-centimeters lower because of the load of the floodwaters on the Earth’s crust. Water is heavy…about a ton per cubic meter and GPS data showed that the flood was so large it is believed that it flexed Earth’s crust, and pushed Houston down. Then when the floodwaters totally recede, we would expect a similar, opposite elastic response…like jumping on a mattress or trampoline. Isn’t that interesting.
Harvey and Irma Schluter have been married for 75 years. He turned 104 in July and she will be 93 in November. Mr. Schluter was a barber and owned his own business. Together they have taken in over 120 foster children during their marriage, some physically or mentally disabled. They remember the first time spotting a plane, the Great Depression, Neil Armstrong walking on the moon and what the weather was like on the day that President John F. Kennedy was shot…so let’s just say that there’s a Harvey and Irma living in Spokane, Washington, that any of us would be proud to know.
To preserve the planet’s resources, Swiss supermarket chain Coop, has begun selling burgers made from insects. The burger is made of rice, chopped vegetables, and spices with about 1/3 of the burger being mealworm larvae. The texture is a bit like a meaty falafel with a crunch. “Where’s the BEEF?”
Don’t be a victim of disaster fraud…TexasAttorneyGeneral.gov or 800-252-8011
HAPPY BIRTHDAYS: Cajun singer Zachary Richard is 67. German composer Hans Zimmer is 60. I believe the world is better place because of his music. Singer Gloria Gaynor is 74. Rock singer Chrissie Hynde is 66. The Pretenders. Actor Corbin Bernsen is 63. Actor Topol is 82. Fiddler on the Roof. Actor Hugh Grant is 57. Actor Adam Sandler is 51. Model Rachel Hunter is 48. Pop-jazz singer Michael Buble is 42. Country singer-songwriter Hunter Hayes is 26. Cutie pie.
Actress Jacqueline Bisset is 73. Actress Jean Smart is 66. Designing Women. Actress Linda Gray is 77. Dallas. Singer Maria Muldaur is 75. Midnight at the Oasis. Original MTV VJ Nina Blackwood is 65. Actor Peter Scolari is 62. Michael Harris on Newhart. Actress Rachel Ward is 60. Rock musician and drummer Neil Peart is 65. Rush.
DEATHS: Walter Becker, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted bassist-guitarist and co-founder of Steely Dan, died at age 67. ”Reelin’ in the Years” in 1972. “My Old School” in in 1973. “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” in 1974 and the list goes on and on.
Don’t forget to put out your hummingbird feeders. With the lack of flowering vegetation after the storm, they need us even more through the end of October.
Brazoria County Junior Achievement will present the Business Hall of Fame on Sept.14th at the LJ Civic Center. Each year, they honor individuals that make great contributions to our community. The 2017 Class of Laureates are Howard Goe of Goe Harley-Davidson, David Novosad of Brazosport Tire, Andy Reyes of Reyes Realty and Earl Shipp of Gulf Coast Operations VP Dow Chemical Company. If you know any of these guys be sure to drop them a note of congratulations. They have helped to make Brazoria County a great place to live, work and raise a family.
All the living former US presidents (Carter, Bush, Clinton, Bush, and Obama) have joined together and formed the OneAmericaAppeal, an online campaign to raise money for those affected by Hurricane Harvey and the floods it caused along the Texas coast.
Dozens of wildfires burned in western US states and sent smoke into cities from Seattle to Denver, prompting health warnings and cancellations of outdoor activities. A 16-square mile fire east of Portland was believed to have been started by a 15-year-old boy and his friends while using fireworks.
Contrary to what I’ve heard from friends and customers, hurricane season is not over. Hurricane season is from June 1st to November 30th. Don’t get too comfortable.
Insurance adjusters are bringing in drones to help assess the damage from Harvey and Irma. This will allow insurance to get in to unsafe areas either because of nature or police protection. There are limitations because drones cannot fly in heavy wind or rain and cannot go inside to inspect for damage.
The Angleton branch library had to cancel their book sale but it’s been rescheduled to September 21-23. Don’t forget to visit to get your book “fix” and help support the library. Most items are $1 or less. Angleton Branch Library, 401 East Cedar. 979-864-1519.
Tetnus shots are recommended for those that worked during and after the storm filling up or slinging sandbags or those that had to wade in the rising waters. Bacteria can get into the smallest cut.
Ways to spot a flood-damaged car: Look for condensation on the inside surfaces of the windshield and windows. Sniff it. Close the windows and doors, sit inside and sniff for mold or mildew. Be aware of strong air fresheners. They may be covering up something. Run your hands along the carpet and pat to locate moisture. If able, peel back the carpet for signs of rust. If the carpet is brand new, but it’s an older car or even if sections of the carpet is new, beware. Open the trunk and feel there as well. Pull the seatbelts all the way out to see if there is discoloration from water stains farther down on the straps. Look for rust or corrosion on screws, door hinges, hood springs, trunk latches or brackets under the dashboard. Use a mirror and look below the seats to see if the springs are rusty. Use the mirror to check the undercarriage of the car for signs of corrosion. Electrical wires may be brittle. Try out all the electronics. Be sure all the dashboard lights come on…check headlights, turn signals and emergency blinkers. Turn on the AC, wipers and cigarette lighter then listen to the radio – static or distorted audio could be the result of water damage. Check the oil. Changes in color and viscosity may indicate water in the oil. Oil that’s affected by flooding may also feel sticky to the touch. Check the paper air filter for water stains. Check inside the wheel well where water tends to pool. Mud and grass may be hard to remove under the spare tire. Look. Hope this helps. Always hire a professional if there is any question.
With all the reconstruction after the storm, I can’t stress to you enough…know the contractor that you’re dealing with. Call and check references, call local Chambers of Commerce. Call the Better Business Bureau. Do not pay in advance. There will be so much scamming going on. And there will be MANY, many people that are taken advantage of because of this storm.
Great tip: Not that it will do us a bit of good now, but we can sure use this idea in the future. If you evacuate or leave town and need to know if your electricity went out while you were gone, put a cup of water in your freezer. Freeze it solid, then put a quarter on top of it and leave it in your freezer. That way when you come back you can tell if your food completely thawed, then re-froze or if it stayed frozen while you were gone. If the quarter has fallen to the bottom of the cup that means all the food defrosted and you should throw it out. But if the quarter is either on the top or in the middle of the cup then your food may still be ok. Better idea: Leave the cup in your freezer all the time and if you lose power for any reason you will have this tip to fall back on. If you don’t feel good about your food, just throw it out.
A study conducted with 549 people from 29 countries has shown that you should NEVER use a smiley face in work emails because it does more harm than good – it’s not the warm fuzzy feeling that you want to portray. Messages without smiley faces led people to believe the sender was more competent than the same emails with added smileys. Hmmm. 😊
Houston billionaire and Galveston native, Tillman Fertitta, 60, has reached an agreement to purchase the Houston Rockets for $2.2 billion, the highest sale price in NBA history. Fertitta is chairman and CEO of Landry’s (Landry’s Seafood, Keman Boardwalk, McCormick & Schmick’s, Morton’s the Steakhouse, Golden Nugget Casinos, Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, San Luis Resort, Spa and chairman of the UH board of Regents, and star of Billion Dollar Buyer. In 2008, Fertitta had to sell his share in Houston Texans franchise to comply with the NFL rule prohibiting team owners from having an interest in gambling-related business. Casino ownership is not considered an issue with the NBA.
Don’t be a victim of disaster fraud…TexasAttorneyGeneral.gov or 800-252-8011
– Lisa
