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What I Heard This Week 05-02-2024
If you drive a double or extended cab, long bed truck, with an extended trailer hitch, then for the safety and well-being of those around you, and out of the goodness of your heart, please be kind enough to park where you don’t stick out into traffic. To the guy that almost hit me this morning backing out of his parking spot… I now say a simple, “good morning,” which is not even close to the words on my mind and on my lips when you pulled out in front of me. You were so kind to wait on ME to back up so you could continue your journey. (Some people ARE born without a conscience.) Long trucks… please park where the cars around you can back up and get out of their parking spots. A couple of weeks ago, I came back to find my Buick Enclave (yes, it is like driving a school bus) surrounded on each side with a long bed truck. I tried, but there was no space for me to get out because there was another long truck parked directly behind me. So, I just sat reading a book until the parking place in front of me became available and I could drive forward. Just saying.
I get most of my exercise by shaking my head in disbelief.
Kentucky Fried Chicken has taken two white-meat crispy chicken fillets, added zesty marinara sauce, melted mozzarella cheese and pepperoni, and call it Chizza (prounounced cheet-za)… you can add toppings like bell pepper and pineapple. For those that need a more hardy meal ☹, you can have it served over rice. The Chizza first made its debut on KFC menus in the Philippines in 2015. Since then, it has become an international sensation in countries like Korea, Taiwan, India, Thailand, Germany, Spain, and Mexico. Coming to a KFC location near you. If smelling the yeast bread when you walk through the front door isn’t enough, Subway has now added their new sidekicks; a collection of 12” (that’s a whole ruler) cookies,12” Cinnabon churros and 12” Auntie Anne’s pretzels (with honey-mustard sauce), OR cinnamon sugar and butter pretzels. Hmmm. What about cheddar cheese sauce?
An archeologist is the best husband any woman can have; the older she gets, the more interested he is in her. Agatha Christie
Question: If I have voted for one party in a prior calendar year, do I have to vote in the same party’s primary this year? No. A voter’s party affiliation ends at the end of each calendar year. Affiliation with a party in a prior year does not affect what primary an unaffiliated voter can vote in this year. (§162.010)… according to Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson.
I’ve reached the age where my train of thought often leaves the station without me.
This is important! It is time for our sweet letter carrier’s annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Saturday May 11th. This gives you plenty of time to clean out your pantry (you need to do that anyway) or run to the store and fill up a bag of new non-perishables. It is the nation’s largest one-day food drive. Please set out your non-perishable food items in a brown bag (plastic if it’s raining), then place your bag/s near your mailbox. Your carrier will do the rest. Please be a part of it all and help stamp out hunger.
RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Actor Ellen Barkin is 70. Singer Jimmy Osmond is 61. Actor Olivia Hussey is 73. Actor Hayley Mills is 78. Actor Elinor Donahue of Father Knows Best, is 87. Keyboardist Alan Price of The Animals is 82. Actor Tim Curry is 78. Dr. Frank-n-Furter in the 1975 The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Singer Mark “Flo” Volman of The Turtles is 77. The actor Ashley Judd is 56. Actor George Takei of Star Trek is 87. Singer Johnny Tillotson is 86. He sang the theme song for the 1965 Sally Field TV comedy Gidget. Bluegrass musician Doyle Lawson of Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver is 80. Keyboardist Craig Frost of Grand Funk Railroad is 76.
Real or Fake? This is a real story. Steve Carell is reuniting with Tina Fey for a remake of the 1981 Alan Alda film, The Four Seasons; the story of three couples who vacation together each season. Changes in the group happen when one of the couples split up and the man brings a much younger woman on their trips. Alan Alda wrote the original story, directed it, and starred in it with Carol Burnett. Netflix won the rights to produce the show in a bidding war after the conclusion of the strikes. That’s real. Then someone told me that there is going to be a remake of Golden Girls with Tina Fey as Dorothy, Amy Poehler as Sophia, Lisa Kudrow as Rose, and Maya Rudolph as Blanche. I’m thinking to myself…OMG, I’m going to need to get Disney+, but, alas, I can’t find any truth to this rumor. The same for a supposed 2024 remake of Overboard, this time with Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson in the roles of the 1987 original Overboard with Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. Nope. I couldn’t find any truth in this story either. Dang. That group has so much movie chemistry together. Well, great ideas for the future.
The 2024 hurricane season starts June 1, and is expected to be active this year because of La Nina in the equatorial Pacific and record warmth in the tropical Atlantic. Do you have a plan in place? Preparation is the key to staying safe during hurricane season.
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.” – Mahatma Gandhi
British researchers are working on recognizing urinary tract infections using (AI) artificial intelligence and robots. Over 50 percent of women will get a UTI in their lifetime. Sensors can monitor potential signs of infections, changes in walking or sleep patterns and hopefully fight overuse of antibiotics. Two more mayoral candidates have been killed in Mexico bringing the total number to 17. Killed. Political candidates are being assassinated as criminal groups seek to clear the field for their preferred picks for mayors across the country before the election on June 2. The Federal Communications Commission announced several wireless cell phone carriers have been fined nearly $200 million… Verizon $46.9 million, AT&T $57.3 million, T-Mobile $80.1 million, and Sprint $12.2 million, for selling access to their customers’ location data to aggregators, who then sold the data to third party location-based service providers. Don’t they need customers’ consent to do that?? (An aggregator is someone or something that gathers together materials from a variety of sources.) A 69-year-old driver of a Ford Explorer mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake, crashing into a New Mexico Thrift store front killing a shopper and injuring 14 other people.
Just once, I want a username and password prompt to say, close enough.
My desk has become a fire hazard with so many valuable pieces of paper loaded with ideas for this column, but I am trying so hard to purge right now. It’s a mindset, plus you must have an extra 15 minutes to actually follow through with purging. So, during my purge, I came across a page I had torn from a magazine advertising the estate auction of Bill Wittliff – the Lonesome Dove, Legends of the Fall screenwriter, writer/director of Red Headed Stranger with Willie Nelson… and so on. An interesting guy. So, that put me on the TexasAuction.com site which took me straight to The Collection of Vikki Carr Auction on Saturday May 11 at 1pm. Property from the life and career of the Mexican-American singing superstar. Designer gowns, jewelry including two rings given to her by Elvis, letters from Frank Sinatra and Richard Nixon, guitars and piano, fine art and antiques from her San Antonio home. Hmmm. Remember: It Must Be Him, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, The First Time Ever I saw Your Face. Great songs. Carr has released 60 albums throughout her career. Yes, 60! OK. I’ve purged one piece of paper now.
A bored 13-year-old kept shining a laser at a police helicopter above him, admitting later (after he was caught), he didn’t realize it was the police. Hmmm. The Drug Enforcement Administration plans to reclassify and loosen restrictions on marijuana, which could make easier access to the drug for medicinal use and could boost cannabis industries in states where it is legal.
Sooner or later, we will have to recognize that the Earth has rights too, to live without pollution. What mankind must know is that human beings cannot live without Mother Earth, but the planet can live without humans. Evo Morales
A Texas mother has been arrested after mixing lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and Gatorade together, then poured it into a sports bottle for her son to give to a classmate… a bully, who had stolen her son’s drink the day before at school. The drink was non-toxic, but the bully ended up hospitalized. Hell, hath no fury like a “mother” scorned. I cannot condone that behavior… (but as a mother, that was unnecessary but pretty clever.) Have a great week. Thank you for reading and shopping with us. Thank you to Texas Gulf Bank for the Saturday morning shredding. Thank you to Texas Roadhouse for the rolls and honey butter.
LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 04-25-2024
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the first Arbor Day occurred on April 10, 1872, in Nebraska City, Nebraska. It’s estimated that nearly one million trees were planted on that day.
Arbor Day is April 26th. What will you do? You could plant a tree, then take a picture of your children or grandchildren standing next to it each year on Arbor Day. Or a bigger job is to just plant a tree, don’t take pictures, but keep it watered and alive this summer. You could take kids or friends on a hike with nature. I remember taking a group of 7-year-old Cub Scouts on a hike just around my neighborhood. We found frogs, bones of animals, a tiny little skull (they loved that), flowers, rocks, ants, strings, plastic wrappers, insects, birds (lots of birds), a lake, animal tracks in the mud, squirrels, pretty leaves… there was so much to see and entertain them…and no electronics, yet every single thing was interesting to them. You could also do a family trash clean-up. Or make green Rice Krispie treats. But do something. The Earth needs you. I planted a Black Tupelo tree about three years ago. I named it Van Morrison and it is just now looking like it may live without me dragging water over the hill so often. I added another fertilizer stick to him this weekend. He should be beautiful in the fall when his leaves turn vibrant red, yellow, orange, and purple, but he is still only about three feet tall. I am patient as I admire him from my kitchen window.
Remember, someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.
The iconic Shiner brewery in South Texas is introducing a new line of spirits for our enjoyment. There is craft vodka, craft gin (8 botanicals including pecans, hmmm), and an unaged whiskey aka White Dog or Moonshine. And we all know that once unaged whiskey is thrown in an oak barrel for a couple of years, it becomes more famously known as BOURBON.
The Earth is a fine place and worth fighting for. Ernest Hemingway
Often, my coworkers have ideas for this column, which I readily accept. There is only so much reading one can do, and so many times, I can get through an entire article, then don’t really know how to put it into words what will make the subject sound interesting and appealing. Other times I can spend thirty minutes writing the paragraph, then just delete it. It just doesn’t work. This current suggestion was the “Dune” promotional sandworm shaped popcorn bucket available at the AMC concession counter on your way to watch the movie. Actually, it wasn’t an office suggestion, it was more like a warning; “You don’t want to… or you can’t write about the Dune promotional sandworm-shaped popcorn bucket.” Hmmm. So, now I’m curious. I looked it up. So far, I haven’t found a positive mention about the wasteful hard plastic, finger-grabbing, 80 tentacle, off-color looking, waste of your time, your reputation, and your money at $24.99. Just saying. It looks like just another item for our overflowing landfills.
Like the trees, we are visitors, guests of the Earth. Kim Stafford
RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Actor Julie Christie is 84. Remember her in Dr. Zhivago? Life magazine said 1965 was “The Year of Julie Christie.” She was and still is, a very beautiful woman, a contender for the role of Honey Ryder in the first James Bond film, Dr. No, but the producer thought her breasts were too small. The role went to Ursula Andress. Retired MLB Allstar Pete Rose is 83. Rock musician, and one of the greatest guitarists of all times, Ritchie Blackmore is 79. Co-founder of Deep Purple. Singer musician Iggy Pop is 77. Actor singer Patti LuPone is 75. Actor Tony Danza is 73. Actor Andie MacDowell is 66. Best hair in Hollywood. Singer Fabian is 81. News anchor Tom Brokaw is 84. Actor Lee Majors is 85. Singer Peter Frampton is 74. Actor Jack Nicholson is 87.
Louis Gossett Jr. died at 87. Fiddler in Roots, Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley opposite Richard Gere in An Officer and a Gentleman, 2023’s Color Purple. Dickey Betts, guitarist, singer, and songwriter of classics like Ramblin’ Man, Blue Sky and Jessica, died of cancer and pulmonary disease at 80. With the death of Duane Allman in 1971, he took on the lead role in the Allman Brothers Band. It was said that when Dickey and Duane played, they became one on stage. British author Lynne Reid Banks, who wrote bestselling The L-Shaped Room and The Indian in the Cupboard, died at 94. Self-taught drummer, Albert “Tootie” Heath, who played with many jazz greats, died at 88. New Orleans singer and piano legend Clarence “Frogman” Henry who toured with the Beatles in the 60’s, died at 87.
We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. Native American Proverb
Squatters took over one of Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants and hotel in London, York & Albany, and are threatening legal action against trespassers…wait, aren’t they the trespassers? The business was temporarily closed while the celebrity chef finalized his lease. The squatters believe that the law allows them to be there. (2012 Legal Aid, Sentencing, and Punishment Offenders Act that states occupying a nonresidential building is not a crime.)
In a small Texas town, the mayor’s race includes a newcomer who helped lead the failed effort to pardon Tiger King Joe Exotic. His name is Eric “Big Juicy” Love. Actually, Big Juicy is the name of his English bulldog, but he wanted to pay homage to his dog by including it in his name. He is a private investigator who filmed Trump speaking on Jan. 6th but did not take part in storming the Capitol.
Words to Anything Goes written by Cole Porter for his 1934 musical.
The world has gone mad today,
And good’s bad today,
And black’s white today,
And day’s night today…
The city of Baltimore believes there was an incompetent crew on board the Dali, accusing them of negligence in the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, along with saying the ship was in unseaworthy condition before the collision. More than half the world’s population aged 5 and older (51% or about 4 billion people), are projected to be overweight or obese by 2035. With the blessings of sculptor David Adickes, Huntsville’s Sam Houston Statue, which stands on a 100-foot pedestal and rises 67 more feet into the air, will be wearing a Houston Texans City Edition Color Rush jersey until May 7th. The jersey weighs 200 pounds. The former mortician whose murder case inspired the movie “Bernie” (with Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine and Matthew McConaughey), said his life was in danger because there was no a/c in his prison cell. He has now been moved to an air-conditioned cell. Bernie Tiede is serving 99 years to life for killing Marjorie Nugent, a wealthy widow in Carthage, where he stored her body in a freezer for nine months. It’s a great movie.
A Peruvian Jumping Stick shed her exoskeleton as she was molting, creating a weak spot causing her head to flop back as she climbed upward, so The Houston Zoo created a neck brace from a sterile Q-tip and soft microspore tape. The brace provided support while its exoskeleton hardened, which took just a few days. A baby eaglet was knocked out of its nest when recent storms in Austin took down an entire branch of a large tree. The dehydrated and hungry baby was brought to the Texas Parks and Wildlife where those good people there were able to re-nest it. 25-30 feet high in the same tree, they attached a make-shift nest made out of a laundry basket, securing it with rope and zip ties. The eaglet’s parents were seen at the new nest caring for the baby. Awww. Baby gorilla Jameela is bonding with her surrogate mom and nursing at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. She was born prematurely by emergency c-section at the Fort Worth Zoo, then her mother showed no interest in her.
Jason Kelce lost his coveted Super Bowl Championship ring during a chili pool diving competition. That’s when you jump into a pool full of chili, in case you didn’t know… (I didn’t know and would have never guessed that there was such a thing – and if I had guessed there was such a thing, I wouldn’t have guessed that anyone would actually do it.)
Remember to sell something…soon. Thank you for reading and shopping with us this week. Don’t forget to plant your tree.
LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 04-18-2024
The future is here. TSA Pre-Check at Reid International in Las Vegas unveiled new self-screening, futuristic-looking pre-check equipment, complete with do-it-yourself instructions telling passengers how to pass themselves and their carry-on luggage through pre-flight screening with little or no help from uniformed TSA officers. Hmmm. Having just gone through pre-check several times last week while visiting my son in Boston for his thesis, I would guess it will probably, eventually save time, but wouldn’t you feel better if the human sitting next to you on your flight had been required to look eye-to-eye with a human being before he/she got on the plane. Just saying. At one airport security, they separated us into groups of two, then a security dog (outfitted with a cute little apron that said Do Not Pet Me) walked in front of us, then behind us. I think I would trust the dog more than a machine.
I had the slowest, rudest, and most impatient cashier today. I am so done using self-checkout.
A couple of weeks ago, my Ring doorbell sent me a neighborhood post stating that morning, a man out for a walk had seen an alligator on the sidewalk. The nice part about Ring neighborhood posts is that you can support your announcement with a picture, and there it was… somewhere on the corner of Creekside Lane and Rock Rose off Old Angleton Road in Richwood, an alligator.
Gardening Tip: When you bury a body, cover it with endangered plants so it’s illegal to dig it up.
Last week, I found Rat cheese, the yummiest cheddar ever, at Stewart’s in Brazoria. The taste brought back memories from childhood when we would go to Nemechek Brothers meat market in West, Texas, get fresh ring bologna, cheese, linked wieners connected to each other, and fresh baked bread from the Czech bakery next door.
EARTH Day is Monday April 22. The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970 with hopes that it would bring attention to issues affecting our environment. The main message of Earth Day 2024 is the need to commit to ending reliance on plastics, says EarthDay.org. The goal is a 60 percent reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040. Plastics are bad for the environment, and a growing body of research indicates they have an adverse effect on the major systems of the body, including immune, respiratory, digestive, and hormonal systems. Studies show that we now have micro plastics in our bloodstreams. You can take your soft plastics to LJ City Hall to a collection box, and benches will be made out of the plastics.
Americans throw away 25 billion Styrofoam coffee cups every year – enough to circle the earth 436 times. It is not biodegradable, so it never decomposes.
A Georgia man wanted a woman to terminate a pregnancy because he didn’t want the child. When the baby’s mother gave birth, she remained hospitalized for a period of time. The father of the child would pick up bottles of breast milk then deliver them to the child’s grandmother who was caring for the infant, but not before he added antifreeze to the bottles. The man was found guilty and sentenced to 50 years in prison and 10 years’ probation. Sorry, this would be a life sentence if I was on the jury. Or worse. Or better yet, let him order his favorite meal serve it with antifreeze cream sauce and antifreeze sprinkles. His cell mates will not favor him for messing with a baby.
O.J. Simpson died of cancer at 76. Most of us, even if you weren’t alive in ‘94, know the story of the white Ford Bronco, low-speed chase with Orenthal James Simpson sitting in the backseat and his best friend and former teammate, Al Cowlings, driving. That day Simpson was supposed to turn himself in after being charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. It was broadcast over live TV and radio by helicopter news, so everyone knew it was happening, while it was happening. Cars pulled over in the path and waited to witness the chase, with large crowds of people cheering and holding handmade signs. A procession of police cars followed gently behind because it was reported that O.J. had a gun to his head. It was a big deal. O.J. was an icon, a hero in our eyes, not just an accomplished athlete, but he appeared in movies, commercials (Hertz: Run, O.J., Run, PowerBurst, AT&T, RC Cola, Golden Pioneer Chicken, Boy’s Club, Made in the USA, Chevrolet, Schick, TreeSweet Orange Juice, Dingo Boots… & probably more) … O.J. had everything going for him. Sigh. Since O.J.’s death, the current owners of the Ford Bronco say the time is now for selling it, with the latest offer for the Bronco around $750,000. The owners say they are looking for at least $1.5 million. It is, after all, the 30th anniversary. They will probably get it.
Trina Robbins, comic book creator (in 1986, she was the first woman to ever draw a full run of Wonder Woman) and historian, died at 85. In the early 60’s she posed nude for men’s magazines. In her 20’s, she started a boutique named Broccoli in the East Village of Manhattan where she designed, and dressed people like Donovan, Cass Elliot, David Crosby, Jim Morrison, and she even inspired a verse in Joni Mitchell’s song, Ladies of the Canyon. As a cartoonist, she always felt shut out by her male peers, and they were all male. She also created a Marvel comics character, Misty, geared toward young women; and co-founded Friends of Lulu, a nonprofit organization that promoted the reading and creation of comics by women.
When was the last time you passed up a Lemonade Stand?? I try not to ever pass by one without stopping. Two weeks ago, there were two kids close to Buc-ee’s and Plantation Drive. I turned the car around and went back to give them a donation because as adults, it is what we are supposed to do. So, this Friday April 19th from 9am to 11am, Brazosport Christian School (200 B Willow Drive LJ), is sponsoring Lemonade Tails – A Sip & Save Serve Day. The elementary students are hosting a lemonade stand with all their proceeds benefiting the SPCA. Surely you have time for a cup of lemonade for the kids and all the abandoned fur babies. Hope to see you there.
Donation Day at SPCA. Saturday April 20th from 9am to noon. Bring your gently used donations to the SPCA at 141 Canna Lane and they will transport the items to the Thrift Shop. Clothes, shoes, purses, kitchen items, décor, sports equipment, books, DVDs, hats, jewelry and so much more. There are a bunch of fur babies in need of help. Clean out the closet. If you need a box, let me know.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her ex-fiancé Ken Urker now have matching husky dog tattoos as a symbol of their strong bond. Oh, my. She is also divorcing her husband that she married while in prison.
Dominique Sachse says, never say never. Her next chapter finds her back in the news in Dallas, as a part of Dr. Phil McGraw’s Merit Street Media. She is cohosting Morning on Merit Street in a program “like most morning news programs covering the latest news while also offering a lifestyle-focused approach with such topics as health, fitness, parental advice, financial guidance and more.” Go to MeritsStreetMedia.com/channel-finder/ to find out where to watch.
The infamous Mr. Darcy, wet, white, ruffled shirt that Colin Firth wore in the BBC 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries sold at auction for $32,000. The 26-year-old gun supervisor and armorer for Alec Baldwin’s Rust movie, received 18 months in prison after finding that she brought live ammunition on the movie set, which was responsible for the death of their cinematographer. She was acquitted at trial of allegations she tampered with evidence in the investigation and pleaded not guilty to a separate felony charge that she carried a gun into a bar in Santa Fe where firearms are prohibited. NOTE: I’m not sure how you selfie-video yourself carrying a firearm into a bar. Hmmm. At an 80th birthday bash, 11 people became violently ill after eating their Uncle John’s infamous pea and ham soup that took him three days to prepare. Uncle John also just happened to be the birthday boy. Someone needs to tell Uncle John that after the first day, pea & ham soup is considered leftovers with just a three day life expectancy. An adored 32-year-old father died after contracting a serious infection which led to multiple organ failures, after receiving a tattoo from a man who operated his tattoo parlor from a garden shed in the back yard. Needless to say, the studio was not licensed. Campbell’s Chunky soup honored Eagles’ Jason Kelce’s retirement with a Legend #62 Edition of 620 collectible soup cans with his cute, bearded face, plus a $62,000 donation to his charity.
Happy Earth Day. Don’t forget to plant a tree so that the next generation can get air for free.
LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 04-11-2024
Well, on Monday, we certainly had a bit of fun here at the office sharing two pairs of eclipse glasses and taking turns going outside to the front sidewalk to watch the eclipse. All while listening to our downtown neighbor blasting Bonnie Tyler’s hit, “A Total Eclipse of the Heart”. You should study the lyrics if you don’t know the song by heart. It was just a FUN day. I hate that we have to wait another twenty years for the next one in 2044. During this eclipse watching time, some of our office group talked about significant moments in our own history that we remember vividly. They’re called Flashbulb Memories when you can remember exactly where you were and what you were doing. A snapshot in time. The day President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed (November 22, 1963), I was sitting in Mrs. Post’s second grade classroom at Parkdale Elementary in Waco, Texas with many adults around me crying; then they dismissed us from school in the middle of the day. The moon landing was July 20, 1969. We lived on Lake Bistineau, outside Bossier City, Louisiana. We (my sisters, brother, mom & dad) were glued to the TV set with rabbit ears that was placed right next to the console stereo… I was wearing a Moon Racing Cams t-shirt that my uncle Mac had sent me from California. I didn’t even know what a racing cam was and still don’t, but I can remember the big moon-eyes on front of the oversized shirt. On August 16, 1977, when I found out that Elvis had died, I was sitting at my desk at Forrest Chevrolet in Cleburne, Texas. I didn’t cry, but the lady that I worked with (that was married to a police officer and had a rose tattooed on her hip that she was very proud of), was definitely in distress. The early morning 9-11-2001 hijacking attack of The World Trade Center found me sitting in a chair nursing my baby daughter while I watched the news. I yelled downstairs to the other members of the house, but they didn’t really understand the seriousness of the request, so I yelled again, “I need you to turn on the TV right now!” When the space shuttle Columbia broke apart on Feb 1, 2003 while re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere, killing all seven crew members, I was in the car with my young daughter on a most beautiful clear, sunny day with big white puffy clouds, driving to Austin for a baby shower. Now, this is just my own history, but I do have the most vivid mental picture of where I was sitting when the doctor told me I had breast cancer, just a few days before Christmas in 2003. I knew when he touched me on the shoulder, it wasn’t good news. Sigh. I wonder if our kids will remember the eclipse 50 years from now…where they were, what they were wearing and who they were talking and sharing with. Twenty years from now, I hope I have a snapshot in time of this day. And that I can actually remember it before I take my Geritol.
You should not be a slave to your telephone. The technology is there to serve you, not the other way around. Martin Cooper
The ad mentioned… if you’re looking for a job, love animals and don’t take yourself too seriously, an opportunity at the Blackpool Zoo might pique your interest. They were looking for five successful candidates to join the visitor services team as seagull deterrents by wearing bird costumes (think Big Bird dressed like an eagle) to scare away nuisance seagulls and pigeons that harass and steal food from visitors and in animal enclosures. The zoo had significant interest with over 200 applications from all over the world, along with enclosed videos of people dressed as bananas, pineapples, and birds. What a story. They even offered a position to James Corden. He would have been great.
Recent Birthdays: Musician Yoko Ono is 91. Actor John Travolta is 70. Fashion and Costume Designer Bob Mackie is 85. (Cher). Fashion Designer Tommy Hilfiger is 73. Former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning is 48. Country singer Bobby Bare is 89. Movie director Francis Ford Coppola is 85. Singer John Oates is 76. Singer Janis Ian is 73. Actor Jackie Chan is 70. College and Pro Football Hall of Fame Tony Dorsett is 70.
Grammy-winning Japanese conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for 30 years, Seiji Ozawa, died at 88. Henry Fambrough, the last surviving original member of The Spinners, died at 85. Some of their classics include It’s a Shame, Could It Be I’m Falling in Love, The Rubberband Man, I’ll Be Around, and Working My Way Back to You. Former NFL linebacker Carl Weathers, who graduated with a B.A. in drama, then became a Hollywood star playing Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies, died at 76. Richard Lewis, the actor and stand-up comedian known for his recurring role on Curb Your Enthusiasm, has died of a heart attack at 76.
In the nonstop tsunami of global information, librarians provide us with floaties and teach us to swim. Linton Weeks
Libraries are just the greatest places. Remember the thrill of the bookmobile when we were kids? Libraries not only serve people of all ages, income level, location, ethnicity, and physical ability, they help you grow, learn, and develop new interests along with research assistance and classes… genealogy, job search, personal finance, music, newspapers (cool idea), movies (great selection), and eBooks. Did you know that libraries are struggling to afford the costs of eBooks? For instance, let’s say the latest novel costs the library $18, it may cost $55 to “lease” the digital copy. Then, the leases usually expire after a year or so, or around 26 checkouts, whichever comes first. Then the library must renew, creating a financial strain for them and their ability to build a decent library collection. You are a taxpayer, but there is only so much money allotted for each library. In Brazoria County, there is a book sale each year to help raise money. Used books are available For Sale at each location, and donations are always accepted. Support your library system. They are here for everyone.
Libraries are only good if people use them, like books only exist when someone reads them. Nicholas Meyer
What is Imitation crab? Glad you asked. Let’s just say, if you love imitation crab, then you should stop reading right now. Well, imitation crab is made primarily from surimi which is a paste made from pulverized fish like Alaska pollock, Atlantic cod, haddock, or hake. It looks a lot like toothpaste. Then they add filler like water, starch, sugars, oils, salt, and proteins like soy. Oh, and then a very small amount of extract made from boiling, baking, and pulverizing actual crab, which is then added to give it flavor. Yum. Imagine a processed hot dog, stuffed full of all the things we don’t even want to think about. Does imitation crab taste like crab? No, it doesn’t. The video I watched was interesting… but not appetizing at all. Pull up the video on how to make imitation crab.
In Washington State, BFRO (Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization) investigated a sighting of what was described as a 10-foot very large, human-like figure running on a ridge while making a beeline for some trees, across pretty rugged terrain. Actually, in real life, it was two high school cousins that run cross-country, easily identified as Yeti, Sasquatch, Abominable Snowman, and Bigfoot… How embarrassing.
When I write this column, I try to include something that gives you memories… makes you think… makes you smile… makes you smarter or helps the environment. About a year ago, I had fruit flies in my kitchen. Connie told me to buy a ZEVO Flying Insect Trap, but I forgot and she got tired of waiting on me so she just bought me one. They are fantastic, collecting little tiny gnats and flies in abundance on replaceable sticky pads. They plug into your sockets with a very attractive blue light that spellbinds the bugs. In fact, I now have two ZEVO’s in my kitchen, one by the sink and one by the door. My inside kitchen lights attract an avalanche of flying critters that should stay outside, but don’t. Last night I was feeding the cats when Sully decided she couldn’t wait, and jumped up on the cabinet just as I turned to carry a full bowl to their feeding area. I shooed her down, the cat food spilled, scared her, she backed into the ZEVO with her tail, her tail stuck to the sticky pad which threw her into a panic, she screamed a cat scream which frightened the two other cats who were patiently waiting for dinner, then the dog thought everyone was playing a game and he joined in. There were four animals running, hissing, growling, howling and barking in all directions of the kitchen as they searched for their safe places. Except for Teller who thought we were having a party. I ran after Sully, fur all stress-puffed out, her tail straight up in the air, with the pad on the end, like a balloon on a string. I just wanted the sticky pad off. I finally found her under a chair in my bedroom. Hissing. It was a mess, I just had to grab the ZEVO and pull it off, along with a lot of her fur, then she wouldn’t speak to me the rest of the evening. Hope I’m leaving you with a smile. Thanks for reading and shopping with us this week. It’s perfect weather for a garage sale and they’re FREE.
LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 04-04-2024
A VERY good person sent me a thank you card last week for some love that I had extended to help prepare a proper send-off for friends leaving town. The card was unnecessary, but very much appreciated. The cute quote on the card said: A good person is a gift to the whole world. Heidi Wills.
My daughter finishes graduate school in about a month. I’m excited on several different levels. Money… I hope she can make some really soon. Expertise in her field of environment. We need people like her to help us save ourselves and our world. Graduate school has been hard, but I see she has grown so much in the past two years, both personally and intellectually. I’m so excited for her as she starts this new chapter in her life… BUT… in today’s mail at my office, she received a pamphlet announcing the new 2025 National Geographic Expeditions – travel around the world on a private jet. Yes, I opened it – the word JET got my attention. Yep, it’s a customized Boeing 757 with VIP accommodations. An Around the World 24-day Trip starting at just $107,995. That’s less than $5,000 per day. Hmmm. AE, I’m listening. Is there something you want to tell me? And all this time I was worrying she wouldn’t be able to pay her phone bill after she graduates…
Nature is not a place to visit. It is home. – Gary Snyder
According to a new study by nonprofit Carbon Mapper, more than half the landfills in the U.S. are “super-emitters” of methane.
Question: How can I change my party affiliation? After affiliating with a party by voting in a party’s primary or by taking an oath of affiliation with a party, a voter cannot change their party affiliation during the calendar year. (§162.010) However, affiliation will automatically expire at the end of the calendar year…
Have you seen the Joe Namath hearing aid commercial? It made me sad. I was young but I remember Broadway Joe in his controversial pantyhose commercials stating with a chuckle, “Now, I don’t wear pantyhose. But if (Hanes) Beautymist can make my legs look good, imagine what they’ll do for yours.”
April 8 • Partial Solar Eclipse at BASF Planetarium: Local skywatchers are invited to observe the solar eclipse at BASF Planetarium from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM on Monday, April 8. This event is FREE and open to the public! The eclipse will begin locally at 12:18 PM when the moon will first touch the sun’s edge. At 1:38 PM, viewers will experience the maximum eclipse when the moon will be closest to the center of the sun. The eclipse will conclude by 2:59 PM when the moon will leave the sun’s edge. Eclipse glasses will be on sale for 2/$5 at the planetarium during the event. Please remember that it is never safe to look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing. 979-265-7661
A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life. Henry Ward Beecher
There is discussion about Kathie Lee Gifford being a perfect candidate for “The Golden Bachelorette” set to premiere sometime in Fall 2024. Hoda and Jenna of the Today show. unofficially nominated Kathie Lee on the air. Hoda said, “The storyline would be really good because, first of all, you’re not someone who would ever go sucking face with someone in a hot tub…” Hmmm. That already sounds more appealing than what I saw with The Golden Bachelor. Those women were sometimes a touch on the trashy side.
Walmart plans to remodel 650 stores across 47 states creating thousands of jobs. In addition to improved layouts, the remodel will be part of its Store of the Future concept with new paint, new signs, shopping carts, expanded product selection, technology, and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. The pharmacies will be moved closer to the entrance and vision centers will be upgraded. I guess they are working on the Walmart in LJ because I saw new paint and designs on the outside of the building as I left the dry cleaners this morning. I will add that I’ve started ordering online from Walmart instead of Amazon (they tend to be gobbling up small businesses), plus Walmart has superfast delivery and you can get almost anything you need online. FYI
Back in November, a 70-year-old woman in Uganda gave birth to twins, (a boy and a girl) after in vitro fertilization. Each twin weighed 3lbs., 7oz. and were just recently last week, discharged from the hospital. I wish I knew the back-story on this. One report said that she also has a daughter born in 2020 with the help of IVF. Interesting that the same report says that her partner abandoned her when he realized she was having twins. Now, I’m scratching my head because the woman’s eggs were donated but the doctors used the father’s sperm and in order to have that happen, he really had to agree to the whole procedure. I’m just a little confused. I try to fact-check but always remember, just because you read or hear it, doesn’t make it true.
I am so lucky people can’t hear what I’m thinking.
Dicephalus Conjoined twins, Abby & Brittany Hensel, who had their own TLC reality series about their journey as they prepared to graduate from college and travel to Europe, revealed that three years ago, twin Abby (34) secretly married Josh Bowling, a nurse, US Army veteran and divorcee with one daughter. The twins are now fifth grade teachers. Nice, I bet that when they were born, all their parents wanted for them was a healthy, normal life. Against all odds, it sure looks like they’re getting their wish. Then today, I read that a paternity case was filed by Josh Bowling’s ex-wife. What?!? – but he acknowledges he has a daughter. What? Yep, a normal life in today’s world.
A rare Rothschild’s giraffe was born at Chester Zoo in the UK. The yet-to-be-named six-foot tall baby giraffe was delivered by Orla, his mom, after just a 3-hour labor which was captured by video. Punxsutawney Phil, famous mostly on Groundhog Day, is now a dad, welcoming 2 healthy groundhog babies with his wife, Phyllis. It was a surprise because no one knew Phyllis was expecting.
What is a popular social activity that can help ward off dementia? Bingo played often. It can help improve memory, thinking, orientation and even language.
Police found a hidden camera under a bathroom sink at a California Starbucks, then the search began for who put it there. They found him… along with about 20 firearms, an assault rifle, unregistered firearms, high-capacity magazines, and many more micro cameras. From just one-day of footage, police have identified more than 91 victims that the camera caught using the bathroom, as young as 4 and as old as 85, in graphic detail. How disturbing.
A veterinary tranquilizer, Xylazine, a powerful horse sedative, is being mixed with the powerful opioid fentanyl and related illicit lab-made drugs, in order to increase profits. Injecting xylazine can lead to skin wounds that cause necrosis which often requires amputation or limb removal. Addiction is scary and can be deadly.
As I sat at my computer writing this column, the words “selling goods” seemed necessary in order to explain something in a new paragraph, but selling just wasn’t the word I was looking for. I thought of the word hawking or hocking but just wasn’t sure which was the right spelling to use. According to Grammarist; as a verb, hawk means (1) to sell goods, especially noisily or aggressively on the street, and (2) to clear the throat of phlegm. One definition of hock is to pawn. Because hock and the first sense of hawk both have to do with selling things, the words are easily confused.
Trump has sold much merchandise with his name on it; steaks, vodka, neckties, furniture, digital trading cards, Victory 47 cologne, mug shot t-shirts, mugs, sweatshirts, coolers, posters, gold champagne glasses, jellybeans, gold sequined pillows, $399 gold sneakers, (actually now that I’m researching it I realize there is not enough room in the column to list it all) and now a $60 God Bless The USA Bible complete with copies of the U.S. Constitution. My initial thought: Perhaps it should come with copies of the Ten Commandments. Just saying. Have a great week and thank you for reading and shopping with us.
LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 03-28-2024
Typically, each morning around 7, I boil water and then fix myself a pour-over coffee, climb back in bed, watch the news, and receive enough cat love to start my day properly. But surprise, there were no cats in the bed waiting for me when I got back, so I strolled back to the kitchen thinking that 3-cats and 1-dog were waiting there to tell me some heart-breaking story about me forgetting to feed them, for like months… like cats always do on a normal day. But no cats were there to mention that they were starving… but listening, I could hear cat-talk chirping chatter. I found the four of them all lined up at the back windows to the porch, excited and watching something. There was the cutest little baby squirrel going back and forth from window to window, entertaining each one of my babies. It was like he was asking if they could come outside and play. I watched for a few minutes, scanning the creek waiting for an irate mother squirrel to come running up and scold the little fellow. It was so cute. I slowly opened the back door, the baby hesitated, then ran back to the creek with a great story about finding new friends.
Pets aren’t our whole lives… but they make our lives whole.
How to Walk a Human
A Dogs Guide
- Humans need exercise. If they don’t get it, they become chubby. It’s up to you to save them.
- Allow your humans to tether themselves to you. This keeps them from wandering off or running away.
- Your human will probably need breaks. Be considerate, stop and sniff
- Bark Humans have very short attention spans.
- After you potty, walk away. If you have trained your human correctly, they will pick it up so you don’t have to scratch the ground to keep your territory clean and fresh.
- Periodically drag your human as fast as you can. This is called internal training. Do not allow your human to shorten the walk. They are being lazy. Sit in protest if you must.
- Once back home, allow your human to remove their tether, then lick their face many times. This is positive reinforcement for a job well done.
Readers, hope you like this. Since mom read it, she seems to be much more patient on our walks, almost welcoming to my stop and sniffs. Humans just take time to break in… or you can always send them off to PetSmart for classes. Teller
Anybody who doesn’t know what soap tastes like never washed a dog. – Franklin P. Jones
Happy 25th anniversary to Grapevine Gifts located by Hobby Lobby. Such nice people, who give so much back to our community. I am always surprised at the great novelties, specialties, and unusual items they carry in their gift store. Hmmm. Especially the chocolates. Sometimes I stop and select just four chocolates that they box up for a simple little gift for a friend. To our sweet friends, we say congratulations… from “your” friends at The Source Weekly.
The headline said: I Hope You All Feel Terrible Now. The reference is to how Princess Kate was hounded into revealing her cancer diagnosis. I remember vividly what it was like to have two kids under the age of 7, trying to figure out how to explain to them that first I was going to have surgery, then the doctors were going to give me some super strong medicine that was going to make me really sick, but then that same medicine would make me better. I was going to be very tired, my hair would fall out, but it would come back. All you pray for during times like that, is for normalcy in your life and the lives of your children. And yes, you think quite a bit about dying and how it would affect your children. Yes. Shame on everyone that gossiped and trash-talked Kate. I hope you do feel terrible now, but you can’t ever really understand until it’s you in that same situation.
My life coach just informed me that I did not make the team.
Since the weather has been so nice, I have been trying to get my frozen yard back into shape. I had installed three new LED fixtures at the back of the house that go on at dark so I can work until 10pm if I want to. LED lights are so much brighter than old fixtures; I have them on the lowest setting and it’s still too bright. Anyway, last week it was late, and I was in-and-out the back door fertilizing plants on the back porch. I reached down to brush something off my pants and felt a strange lump on my leg. Uaah! Almost immediately I realized that it was a June bug and then the dance started. I hate those things. It had crawled up my pants legs, past my knee without my knowledge. Never has a woman removed her clothing so fast. There is an old Frank Zappa song… There Will Come a Time When You Can Even Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance. Yep.
A total solar eclipse is about to hit Texas. On April 8th, the path of totality will begin before 1:30pm near Eagle Pass crossing Texas, moving northeast towards Oklahoma and Arkansas, then on to Maine. Texas is expecting millions of people to come see it. My sister is in Georgetown where they are telling people to stay home because they expect the roads to be jammed packed full. The path of the eclipse will be so dark that Texas electric grid managers are forecasting a sudden, brief drop in solar power as the eclipse crosses the state. Go to: GreatAmericanEclipse.com.
I’m fairly certain that the person who put the first “r” in February also decided how to spell Wednesday.
Rumor has it that there will be a third and final film of Downton Abbey, according to Imelda Staunton, who portrayed Queen Mary’s lady-in-waiting Maud Bagshaw in the first two films. The Conservancy of SW Florida caught a nest of 11 Burmese pythons weighing 500 pounds, including one that was 16 feet long. Olivia Munn, 43, revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy several months ago. Supposedly Aaron Taylor-Johnson has received a formal offer to play the next James Bond. The Esperanza “Hope” Andrade is the first ferry to be added to Galveston Ferry Fleet in more than a decade. Hope cost $33 million, is 293 ft. long, 66 ft wide, and will carry passengers across Galveston Bay in 18 minutes.
Shohei Ohtani, Japanese baseball star and MLB’s highest paid player, signing a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers, says he was duped by his now-fired, long-time interpreter who, guess what, has a massive gambling problem with at least $4.5 million wire-transferred to an illegal bookmaking operation. Hmmm. This was a guy that had been with Ohtani for years and was considered to be a friend. Hmmm.
April Fools’ Day or All Fools’ Day is Monday April 1, a day where jokesters play harmless pranks or fibs to your friends and neighbors. I’m telling you so you have time to think about what you’re going to do. Thinking about it reminded me that as a parent, you really lie every single day, not just April Fool’s. Remember the spaghetti tree, or being told that if you picked the sesame seeds off the hamburger buns, you could grow a hamburger tree. How about NOT swallowing watermelon seeds because you were guaranteed to have a watermelon vine grow out your ear. Or you would go blind if you sat too close to the TV. Or that I wasn’t born, they found me in a cabbage patch. Or if the ice cream man plays music, it means they are out of ice cream. Or my grandma’s favorite; when it thunders, God is just moving furniture. Or when Grandaddy told me that all my freckles would spread together when I turned 18 and I would just look like a had a nice tan. (What actually happened was I turned 18 and didn’t care anymore that I had freckles – he was such a smart man!) I personally told my own two kids that when we went through the toll tag E-ZPass electronic toll tunnels, that if they would just sit very still and pay attention, they could feel it when we went under it. Then I would say, “Get ready, we are almost underneath the toll thingy. There! Did you feel it?” They felt it every time, and yes, I’m a bad mom. A very bad mom. Have a great week and Happy April Fool’s. Don’t be mean!
LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 03-21-2024
A man walks into a bar with his dog and says to the bartender… Whoa! Wait a sec. Wrong story. I will need to start over. A man in Tennessee walked into a Buc-ee’s with his 3-year-old Pekin service duck named Wrinkle the Duck. Wrinkle was situated in a pet stroller and had her service animal certification, so she was allowed to stay in the store for a short time, but only if leashed. The owner mimed putting a leash on the duck. Then Wrinkles’s guardian/owner, trainer, parent, and best human friend, posted a YouTube video. You should also know that Wrinkle belongs to two circus jugglers just trying to make a living. Oh, and I should also mention that Wrinkle has 2.75 million YouTube subscribers (at least, as of today – can’t imagine what the numbers are now…) and 4.2 million followers on TikTok. Her video, I Took my Duck to Hooters and I Took My Duck to Petsmart, have quite a few million views. Anyway, eventually the police arrived, and a citation warning was given explaining that Wrinkles is not to trespass on ANY Buc-ee’s property in the future. Health Codes. What a great story. Customers were amused, even the police took time to pet Wrinkle. I haven’t laughed this hard in quite a long time and I believe this story to be real and not exaggerated. (Wrinkles has even run the NYC Marathon, can fist bump with her beak, and what if…Beaver Aplin’s nickname had been Duckie... we might be driving to Duckie’s to get gas, an iced tea and a breakfast burrito… instead of a Beaver Dynasty, it might be a Duck Dynasty… wait, that’s already taken… but see how your destiny can change depending on your name…) On Wrinkle’s website, you can buy merchandise including calendars, toys, sweaters and Quackson Pollock paintings – you know like Jackson Pollock. Giggle. Go to: seDUCKive.com
Wrinkle posted: I’ve always loved Buc-ee’s. And now I can’t go to Buc-ee’s anymore. Because it’s illegal for me to go to Buc-ee’s. It’s sad to think. We’ll never be able to experience Buc-ee’s ever again. Our road trips will never be the same.
A positive attitude and a sense of humor go together like biscuits and gravy. Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton says, “What’s cookin’, good lookin’?” Dolly and her sister Rachel Parton George, believe that good food and good times are the next best thing to pure love. You can pre-order their new cookbook called Good Lookin’ Cookin’ or wait until it comes out September 17th. More than 80 delicious recipes including country ham and biscuits, barbecue spareribs, Family Favorite meatloaf, Slaw of Many Colors, watermelon fruit salad, mac and cheese and strawberry shortcake, along with hosting tips, menus, and pictures.
The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain. Dolly Parton
Martha Stewart is making a return to Sports Illustrated in the magazine’s 60th anniversary “Legends Photoshoot.” She will join two dozen former cover models, including Christine Brinkley, Paulina Porizkova, Kate Upton, Tyra Banks, and others when the swimsuit issue debuts in May. Last year, Martha became the oldest model ever to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated wearing a gorgeous white bathing suit and gold wrap.
Netflix has a comedy-drama based on David Nicholls’s 2009 bestseller, One Day. There was also a movie by the same name released in 2011 with Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess which I haven’t watched yet but intend to. The Netflix adaptation is really good. It’s listed as BINGE worthy by PEOPLE magazine. I agree.
Singer, actress Vanessa Williams (Miss America 1984 but later resigning her title due to controversy about nude photos published in Penthouse magazine), is set to play editor in chief Miranda Priestly in London’s stage adaptation of the 2006 film, The Devil Wears Prada musical. Meryl Streep would be a hard act to follow. Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s new cocktail line, called Gin & Juice, comes in apricot, passion fruit, citrus and melon flavors. The new Michael Jackson biographical musical drama film will have his lookalike, 27-year-old nephew, Jaafar Jackson portraying the superstar. “Michael” is scheduled for release in April 2025. Timothee Chalamet will play the young Bob Dylan in a new biopic project. The 4th Ghostbusters movie, Frozen Empire, is coming out this week. Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, and others reprising their roles from Afterlife, alongside Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and others reprising their characters from the earlier films. Cheech and Chong’s Last Movie explores their 5-decade career of performing stand-up, making records, and starring in hit films. This detailed history and bio-doc covers their lives, comedy partnership, and lasting influence on pop culture. It’s a lot of fun, man!
Attention Golfers. Brazosport College Foundation Gator Classic 25th Annual Golf Tournament on Friday April 19, 2024. www.brazosport.edu/classic. 979-230-3234. Maybe you don’t play golf but want to donate to the Silent Auction, be a sponsor, or donate to the scholarship fund so kids can go to college.
Let’s get back to the Princess of Wales… the frenzy continues. So, Kate wanted to keep her medical information private (good for her) and reported she will be back after Easter, but rumors and conspiracy theories continue… like the couple are divorcing, or Kate is dead (until she was videoed this past weekend in public with her husband, looking good and healthy), or perhaps now she has a body double. Haven’t you even heard of someone whitening teeth or taking off a zit in a picture that you just happen to be sending out to the world. It’s done all the time. At this office, we even thinned someone’s thighs in an ad that we did about 25 years ago here at The Source Weekly. At their request, of course. Yes, conspiracy was involved but the customer is always right.
Be the woman who fixes another woman’s crown, without telling the world that it was crooked. Amy Morin
Buc-ee’s had a float in the RodeoHouston parade downtown Houston last month, which marked the start of the 2024 rodeo season. Despite bad (really bad) weather, the Jonas Brothers set an all-time attendance record of 75,600, beating the record set just days before by Los Tigres del Norte, who sold five (5) fewer tickets. The Jr. Market Grand Champion Steer of Show was Woozy, a beautiful animal shown by Blaize Benson, who then sold at auction for $1 million, tying the rodeo record set in 2022.
Don’t squat with your spurs on. Will Rogers
If we pollute the air, water and soil that keep us alive and well, and destroy the biodiversity that allows natural systems to function, no amount of money will save us. David Suzuki
Mount Everest has an estimated 12,000 pounds of human waste each year – not just leftover meals, it’s empty fuel cans, bottles, plastic and discarded climbing gear, and miscellaneous pieces of old camp sites, in addition to human excrement, aka poop. With climate change, there is also melting snow exposing dead bodies. The mountain has been called the world’s highest garbage dump. Humans are unbelievable. Climbers are now expected to take their own doggy poop bags and carry everything back down with them. Teller thinks it’s a cool idea. Have a great week-end and don’t forget to sell something!
LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 03-14-2024
It’s not easy being green. Kermit the Frog
Miller64, the ultra-light beer from Molson Coors (which I have never seen or purchased at the store, (probably because I’m hanging around the really good high calorie stouts). Anyway… what was I telling you? They are rebranding to Miller Extra Light – now flaunting their low alcohol content (2.8% ABV), instead of the low (64) calories in a 12 ounce can. Their advertising campaign debuts in April and will have some kind of presence in pickleball, the fastest growing sport in the country. The new Miller Extra Light will also be available in 24-ounce cans which it seems, is very popular with the convenience store crowd – you know who I’m talking about, those that put their open can in a brown bag so the rest of us have no clue that they’re drinking… hmmm.
May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been, the foresight to know where you are going and the insight to know when you have gone too far. Irish Proverb
Rupert Murdoch first tied the knot in 1956, married for 11 years with one child. He married his second wife in 1967 and remained married for 32 years with three children. He married his third wife in 1999, was married for about 14 years and had two children. He was married to Jerry Hall from 2016 to 2022, with no children, but she was SO OLD. About a year ago, he announced his engagement to a retired dental hygienist and former San Francisco police chaplain but broke off that engagement after just two weeks. Rupert Murdoch (92) is now engaged to a retired molecular biologist (62) with plans to marry in June on his California vineyard and estate, Moraga. She was previously married to a billionaire. Must be love this time.
Be sure to wear green on March seventeen, or else Irish leprechauns pinch your bones clean! Richelle E. Goodrich
Two young Colorado women vacationing in Playa Del Carmen, visited a pharmacy there and bought what they thought was oxycodone for a friend, then smuggled the drugs back into the U.S. in multi-vitamin containers, where their friend then paid $300 for the drugs they delivered. The next morning the guy’s roommate found him dead, and a lab analysis found that the pills contained fentanyl. The “ladies” pleaded guilty and were given three-year’s probation and 240 hours of community service, along with paying $10,000 to a nonprofit that promotes substance abuse awareness. The victim’s family requested that the women avoid a prison sentence. Now come on, why did they get off so light? Smuggling drugs is smuggling drugs, no matter who you are…
In the long run, you make your own luck—good, bad, or indifferent. – Loretta Lynn
A 66-year-old NY man who killed a 20-year-old woman after she and her friends were lost and made a wrong turn into his driveway… was convicted, receiving 25 years. The group had lost cell service and realized they were at the wrong house then were pulling out when the man felt threatened, firing a warning shot with his shotgun, then said he tripped over nails sticking out of his deck, which caused him to fire a second shot that killed the woman. The group traveled five miles to call for help because they did not have cell service. Oh, and did I mention that he was also sentenced to 2.1/3 to 7 years for reckless endangerment and 1.1/3 to 4 years for tampering with physical evidence… to run consecutively. “Every person out there needs to know that you can’t murder someone because they accidentally pulled into your driveway,” the judge said.
May your home always be too small to hold all your friends. Irish Proverb
The article mentioned that Suzanne Somer’s (who died last year at 76) beloved 28-acre desert hideaway and five-building compound, was on the market again. She and her husband owned it for over 40 years, and it is accessible by an open-air funicular. Well, I didn’t know what a funicular was. According to the dictionary, it’s a cable railroad, especially one on a mountainside, in which ascending and descending cars are counterbalanced. Hmmm.
Here’s to a long life and a merry one. A quick death and an easy one. A pretty girl and an honest one. A cold beer – and another one! Irish Proverb
Many schools are now bringing back the SAT/ACT test score system. A recent study at Harvard found that standardized test scores have more power for predicting academic success in college than GPA’s. Brad Pitt will team up with Quentin Tarantino for a third time for The Movie Critic, said to be Tarantino’s last film. Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone invested in Big Nose Whiskey described as really smoky whiskey. Another celebrity liquor. So, the Princess of Wales isn’t very good at Photoshop, making minor improvements on the family picture… but she seems to be a really good mom who just had some surgery and now has some extra time on her hands. If she was as good at Photoshop as she is a princess, then we would all be worried about our own jobs. I vote, leave her alone as she recovers. Jon Stewart called Marjorie Taylor Greene a bridge troll. Giggle…
Before the Ethan Crumbley school shooting in Michigan, the 15-year-old made an entry in his journal saying, “I will have to find where my dad hid my 9mm before I can shoot the school.” Then he wrote about having access to the gun (that his dad had bought him on Black Friday) and the ammo, along with an entry about having mental health issues, but his parents wouldn’t get him any help. So sad. His father, James Crumbley, had jail communication privileges restricted after threatening statements he made over the jailhouse phone and by mail while awaiting trial. Hmmm. Not smart.
Victor Allen’s Coffee Cinnamon Toast Crunch bottled Iced Coffee will be available at major retailers this month. I bet it’s great with rum. Just saying. For something that is also delicious, try the following.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cocktail
Ingredients:
3 oz. Rumchata
1 oz. Vanilla Vodka
½ oz. Fireball Whiskey
Cinnamon Sugar
Wet the rim of a lowball glass then roll the rim in the cinnamon sugar. Mix the three ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice, shake and strain into the glass. Serve immediately. I like mine over ice.
May you be at the gates of heaven an hour before the devil knows you’re dead! Irish Proverb
During a recent Madonna concert, the superstar shouted to a fan in a wheelchair, “What are you doing sitting down over there? What are you doing sitting down?” Then, after walking to the end of the stage and realizing her mistake said, “Oh, OK. Politically incorrect, sorry about that. I’m glad you’re here.”
Here are a few things you might need to know about Leprechauns.
Leprechauns are fairies.
There are no female leprechauns.
There’s a leprechaun colony in Portland, Oregon.
Leprechaun means small body.
Sometimes leprechauns are red.
Leprechauns have a troublesome cousin called the clurichaun.
Leprechauns are the bankers and cobblers of the fairy world.
Leprechauns are sneaky.
But leprechauns can be generous if you’re kind to them.
In 1989, a man claimed to have found the remains of an actual leprechaun.
Leprechauns are protected under European law and have their own sanctuary.
Some believe that leprechauns can live underwater.
Leprechauns might have a divine heritage.
You can pretend to be a leprechaun for a good cause.
You can make your own leprechaun trap.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Don’t forget to wear green so the leprechauns don’t pinch your bones clean.
LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 03-07-2024
The Oscars air on Sunday, March 10th and we gifted you with a cheat sheet ballot on page 6 of The Source Weekly, so you can follow along, or to use as a reminder of the great movies you just haven’t seen yet. One of the highlights in the Barbie movie was when America Ferrera delivered a short speech about the impossible double standards of being a woman. Greta Gerwig, an amazing woman, wrote it. It took two days to shoot the scene, with 30 to 50 full runs. Whether you have seen the movie, plan to see the movie, or refuse to see the movie, you should read these words in print… male or female. After you read it, you might change your mind about it “just being a movie about Barbie and Ken.” It is truly an amazing movie despite Greta Gerwig snubbed as a director and Margot Robbie left out of the best actress category. Here’s the speech.
“It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills me that you don’t think you’re good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow, we’re always doing it wrong.
You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have to have money, but you can’t ask for money because that’s crass. You have to be a boss, but you can’t be mean. You have to lead, but you can’t squash other people’s ideas. You’re supposed to love being a mother, but don’t talk about your kids all the damn time. You have to be a career woman but also always be looking out for other people.
You have to answer for men’s bad behavior, which is insane, but if you point that out, you’re accused of complaining. You’re supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you’re supposed to be a part of the sisterhood.
But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is rigged. So, find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful.
You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line. It’s too hard! It’s too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault.
I’m just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women, then I don’t even know.”
The performers on the list for this year’s Oscars show are: Jon Batiste performing “It Never Went Away” from American Symphony. Becky G performing “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot. Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell performing “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie. Scott George and the Osage Singers performing “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” from Killers of the Flower Moon. Ryan Gosling and Mark Ronson performing “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie.
“I, uh…I have a television, so I’m going to spend some time here to tell you some things. [To orchestra conductor:] And, and…and sir, you’re doing a great job, but you’re so quick with that stick, so why don’t you sit. ‘Cause I may never be here again.” Julia Roberts, Best Actress, Erin Brockovich, 2000
First off, my two children were in the public school system, therefore I know that there are many different forms of bullying… in class, lunch table, swim team, student council…it’s incredible, and it comes in so many different forms. Kids are mean and they’re getting meaner. As parents, are we so lacking in kindness in our actions, that we are not teaching it to our children anymore. At Lake Travis High School in Texas, there is a big, strong kid (Carter Mannon) that plays on the football team that is “off the charts” allergic to peanuts. Even if he just touches a peanut. Everyone at school knew because during his freshman year he required a trip to the emergency room plus two Epi-Pen doses after eating an unmarked cookie. During his sophomore year, teammates (I hate calling them teammates) went into his locker and dumped peanuts everywhere… in the locker, on his jersey and in his cleats. One boy came back and tried to clean it up, but when Carter pulled out his jersey, peanuts fell everywhere, and where they hit him, the hives started. Some students laughed, a few did not. It was reported to the school and the boys were benched for two whole days, had to switch locker rooms and do extra runs at practice… basically nothing. Then the bullying started back along with verbal retaliation, a peanut butter granola bar in his backpack, along with his older sister being harassed with fake accounts on Instagram. The incidents were reported to the school board, an investigation was opened, and it was decided that it did not qualify as bullying. According to the Texas Education Agency, bullying is defined as “physically harming a student, damaging a student’s property or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or of damage to the student’s property; is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive enough that the action or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for a student.” Hmmm.
Richard Lewis, stand-up comic, and actor, died at 76 of a heart attack. Lewis played Prince John in the 1993 film Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Rude Awakening, 7th Heaven, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. In April 2023, Lewis announced he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease two years earlier.
Iris Apfel died at 102. I’ve told you about her before. She was a fashion icon, interior designer, furniture maker, geriatric starlet (as she sub-titled her biography), and a huge role model for women everywhere. At the age of 97, she signed a modeling contract with IMG. In 2005, the Costume Institute at Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY presented an exhibition, Rara Avis (rare bird): The Irreverent Iris Apfel, showcasing her style. The Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History in Boynton Beach, Florida, is designing a building that will house a dedicated gallery of Apfel’s clothes, accessories, and furnishings, which is huge. In 2013, she was recognized as one of the Best-Dressed over 50. Apfel was the star of a documentary called Iris, which I own because… well, because I can, and it makes me happy. In 2018, Mattel created a Iris Apfel Barbie doll, making her the oldest person to ever have a Barbie made in her image, and… wrinkle-free. An extraordinary person that loved style. Think Edna Mode who appears in the animated film The Incredibles and sequel Incredibles 2. Apfel said, “More is more and less is a bore.” In her 90s, Apfel had 3.5 million followers on social media.
“Oscar and I have something in common. Oscar first came to the Hollywood scene in 1928. So did I. We’re both a little weather-beaten, but we’re still here and plan to be around for a whole lot longer.” John Wayne, 1979 Academy Awards honoree – two months later he died of cancer.
IHOP has teamed up with Lay’s Potato Chips to bring us Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity chips, featuring the flavor of IHOP pancakes, sweet notes of strawberries and maple syrup, finished off with a hint of savory bacon, and served on a light-textured potato chip. I wonder if it’s actually a real kettle-cooked potato chip, or the baked and manufactured chip made from powdered potatoes? It’s hard to tell from the picture. In my book, that would make all the difference in the world. Available at Walmart for a limited time.
Daylight Saving Time: Don’t forget to SPRING forward. Thank you for reading us and don’t forget to sell something this week… 979-285-9200.
LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 02-29-2024
Let me start this column by announcing that I lost all that I had written early afternoon on Tuesday. It has been a sad time. So, after a few prayers I learned a couple of new bad words, then I received help from those that are smarter than me, that just happen to reside in my office. Even with the best of the best, the bad news was that the column was not coming back. It was a good column, one of my best. You’ll just have to enjoy the following which I have pulled together from ideas that I never used in the past. Well, maybe the word, “enjoy” is a little excessive – I promise to do better next week, unless the dog eats my column. Nah, Teller would never do that.
The more you weigh, the harder you are to kidnap.
Football has Taylor Swift, but Major League Baseball has something even more unique… brand new sexy uniforms. Well, sexy is kind of overkill and not really a very good description, more like a wet-t-shirt contest for britches. Yep, new see-thru baseball pants completed the new look with an added bit of drama. The new fabric is lighter; performance fabric that leaves very little to the imagination. The picture I’m looking at right now shows the player’s shirttail unbuttoned (tucked into the pants) and athletic shorts with the Swoosh logo (worn under the pants), clear as day, plus more… I do believe that a sheet of toilet paper may be thicker than these pants – nah, this looks more like tissue paper. It’s so interesting that the big bucks didn’t figure out the problem before now. I also heard on the radio that the fabric looks very inexpensive, something that you would buy on the side of the road… and the numbers, etc. are printed on, not sewn on. Bet someone is in trouble.
Mushroom coffee. Yes, the new mushroom coffees can improve your immune health, reduce stress, lessen inflammation, and because it’s caffeine-free you can expect better sleep… or just add a scoop to your regular morning coffee, and take advantage of the health benefits that way. Or there is okra coffee. Oh, I just read about avocado coffee. Mix hot coffee, avocado, coconut oil and something to sweeten, or use cold coffee, avocado, sweetener, and ice cubes blended along with a little mint.
Robert Downey Jr. is a man that loves coffee, truck stop variety or complicated blends. He loves it all. He now has a new coffee line called happy, which has regular, K-cups and decaf. Each sale benefits the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
I don’t mind living in a man’s world, as long as I can be a woman in it. Marilyn Monroe
This is a Public Service Announcement: Dentists say don’t chew ice. Don’t bite your nails. Don’t open bags or bottles with your teeth. Don’t eat gummy, sticky candy. Don’t consume excessive amounts of alcohol. Don’t use a hard-bristled brush. Don’t smoke. Don’t go to sleep without brushing. Do make regular visits to your dentist. We only have one set of teeth.
Remember the Octomom? In 2009, she had octuplets (8) via in-vitro fertilization, and everyone raised a huge fuss because she already had six children (all born via in-vitro fertilization), she was single and unemployed. That’s a total of 14 children. It is reported that the octuplets are now turning 14 years old, are in 8th grade, all vegan, just good healthy kids that love to cook. Their mom now works as a counselor and therapist for those who have drug and alcohol addictions.
To clean silver, line a bucket or bowl with aluminum foil, add the silver items you want to polish and fill the container with 2 tablespoons of washing soda, soda ash or soda crystals (sodium carbonate), 2 tablespoons ordinary table salt, 1 cup plain white vinegar and 2 cups boiling water. Leave the silver in the water for about 15 minutes. The tarnish is attracted to the foil and will make cleaning the silver so much easier. Or crumple up a ball of foil and clean your grill. Or sharpen your dull scissors by folding foil into several layers, then cut seven or eight strips. Or place a sheet of foil underneath the cover of your ironing board. The foil reflects the heat coming off your iron, which speeds up ironing. And it prevents moisture from the steam penetrating the fabric cover. Does it really matter whether you use the shiny side or the dull side of the foil? Nope. No difference at all. It’s just the way it is manufactured.
GARDEN RULES:
Protect the pollinators.
Feed the insects, skip the pesticides.
Less lawn, more native plants.
Water less, enjoy more.
Stay awhile.
Why do seagulls fly over the ocean? Because if they flew over the bay, we’d call them bagels.
OK more answers to your questions about recycling. Forgive me if you have heard it before, but it’s really important. Right now, I take all my recycling to Pearland at the Stella Roberts Recycling Center at 5800 Magnolia Parkway. It’s super easy to get there from here – 288 to Magnolia Parkway, turn right (if you turned left, you would be at Costco). I leave the cycling center and gift myself with a trip to Houston Garden Center because it’s just a few miles… and because it’s a shame to have an empty car and not carry back some plants or bags of dirt. Stella Robert’s non-profit hours of operation are Tues. – Sat. 9am – 1pm. but it’s always a good idea to call ahead in case of a holiday or a necessary closing for maintenance. You can make an appointment by phone or online for hazardous waste recycling. It is so easy to recycle there. You just drive in, they unload your car, and you drive off. I always tip because I am so appreciative that they are accepting a whole car full of stuff. You just have to sort everything into boxes or shopping bags, although sometimes I use Lowe’s or Home Depot buckets. Everything must be clean. I have the separate containers already set up in my garage so it’s easy the day of drop-off. They return your containers but will not accept plastic grocery bags for recycling, but that’s where the Lion’s Club at LJ City Hall comes in. They have a container for all soft plastic, so when they get 500 pounds, the city receives benches made out of the common packaging material that is normally dumped into the trash. This is unbelievable because there is so much soft plastic that is recyclable. Save your cans, clear glass, colored glass, aluminum, and plastics for just one week and you will understand what I’m saying.
The years between 50 and 70 are the hardest. You are always being asked to do things, and yet you are not decrepit enough to turn them down. T.S. Elliot
Amazing Creatures That Emit Light: The Firefly. Remember as a kid, catching them to put in an old mayonnaise jar, punch holes in the lid and set them by your bed for one evening, then letting them go free the next morning. They emit light in blinking patterns to attract mates, or to warn predators not to eat them because their bodies contain toxic chemicals, and do not make a tasty meal. Glowworm. Some are actually a larva that belongs to the beetle family… and they produce different colors of light such as green, orange, and yellow. Hmmm. (So, the Glowworm toy actually came from something real.) Jellyfish use their light for defensive purposes. The light emission is activated upon contact, which stuns predators. The light also makes the predators more vulnerable because it may attract other creatures to prey on their predators. Sea Sapphire. Belongs to a group of crustaceans called copepods that capture light and reflect it back. Firefly Squid. One of the few squids that display bioluminescence. Its head, arms and mantles have tiny light-producing dots called photophores. Dragonfish. A scaleless fish that looks like a monster, uses its blue-green light to lure prey, then also has the ability to emit red light, which locates prey in the dark. Dinofalgellates are also known as Fire Algae, so when it’s in abundance it looks like the water is glowing. Some octopus emit light, there again to ward off predators as well as to attract mates. Then there is the Cookiecutter shark, which prefers to live in the depths of the ocean and gets its name from gouging out round cookie-size chunks of flesh from its victims that it has lured with its light. How rude. You are so much smarter now about things that glow in the water, aren’t you? Just when you thought it was safe to go in. How about a Clusterwink Snail? It’s called bioluminescence and when disturbed, the whole shell flickers with bluish-green light.
French’s Mustard-Flavored Skittles: the candy tastes like a typical Skittle, but then hits you with a tangy, savory flavor of mustard.
Climate change could damage transglobal undersea cables. What exactly does that mean? That means your internet service. When sea levels rise it could sink internet infrastructure. Buried cables were designed to be water resistant, but not entirely waterproof the way ocean-crossing cables are. “We live in a world designed for an environment that no longer exists,” says climate risk modeling company Jupiter Intelligence co-founder Rich Sorkin.
Thanks for suffering through this column today. Remember to sell something.
Lisa
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 02-22-2024
In Arizona (you thought I was going to say Florida, didn’t you), an alligator floating in a pond received quite a few 911 calls from concerned residents. One person reported they saw three live alligators – one under the bridge and one that was swimming around; while another person stated that the alligator bit their boyfriend’s fishing line and they had to cut it. The only problem was that the very realistic-looking, single alligator was made of foam and had been placed there by the City of Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities so that the ducks, birds, turtles, and other animals would have a place to gather and hang out. They also added a fake crocodile and two fake hippos. This is one good example of why you can’t believe everything you hear… read… OR SEE.
More positive vacation news. A disruptive incident (fistfight/brawl) occurred onboard, in the air, on a Southwest flight from Oakland to Kauai. There is even an available video, foul language, hitting and blood. The two men are now facing criminal charges of up to $37,000. Together or each – don’t know. I just hope it includes jail time, losing their jobs, plus a lifetime ban on flying. It just doesn’t make any sense that people are so unhappy, now believing that any kind of behavior is acceptable.
I have officially resigned from adulthood. Decisions will be made using the eenie-meenie-miney-moe method and arguments will be settled by sticking out my tongue. I’ll be at recess if you need me.
Have you heard of West Side Story, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, or the song, Send in the Clowns? This past weekend I worked with several new and old friends, bussing tables and washing dishes as ticket holders were served a Valentine dinner of salad, lasagna, and crème brulee during a musical presentation of Side by Side by Sondheim at Center Stages. We are so lucky to have such talented individuals in our community to pull off something as grand as this performance, especially since tickets were just $40, for dinner theatre! Even better were discussions of the lyrics of the Sondheim songs I heard from Mary while we worked. If you think you might enjoy being a volunteer in art, theater, science, space, or music, or even washing dishes, there is a place for you at The Center for the Arts and Sciences. They are having a Volunteer Open House on March 2 from 11 am to 1 pm. This will give you an opportunity to check out the art gallery & studio, two theaters, science museum, and planetarium, all while visiting with staff and volunteers. There are opportunities for museum attendants, set builders, art classes, servers at intermission… the list is endless. Volunteering helps you live longer, relieves stress as it releases endorphins that encourages prosocial behavior, empathy, concern for others, and puts you in such a good mood that you don’t get into fights on planes. Surely, I have convinced you! If you want to volunteer, you couldn’t ask for a better place. Questions: Contact ahelms@bcfas.org or 979-265-7661. This Thursday is the BASF Planetarium Scholastic Bowl, an evening of trivia and fun. You may want to have your own team answering questions about art, science, pop culture and local interests. It is SO MUCH FUN.
I was raised to be charming, not sincere. Stephen Sondheim
Daylight Saving Time: I am really enjoying the daylight lasting longer each day. Teller and I go walking downtown in the afternoons, and he really enjoys it, smelling and hiking his leg on EVERYTHING. On March 10, 2024, if all goes well, we will SPRING forward again.
Charlotte the Stingray, age 12-14 years, is about to give birth…any day now. The problem is that Charlotte hasn’t been around any male stingrays in her tank at the North Carolina aquarium. One possibility is either Larry or Moe mated with Charlotte… but Larry and Moe are little sharks. The only other explanation is that Charlotte is going through a very rare process called parthenogenesis, where eggs develop on their own without fertilization and create a clone of the mother. The last study of parthenogenesis in stingrays took place 25 years ago. When Charlotte gives birth (she could have as many as four pups), and if they survive, they will have to double the size of Charlotte’s current home. DNA testing can then be performed to determine if they’re a mixed breed (mutt) or clones of their mother. They called it a once in a blue moon experience. Isn’t science and nature great. Where there is a will, there is a way.
“In French, you don’t say ‘I miss you.’ You say, ‘Tu me manques’, which means ‘you are missing from me.’ I love that.”
According to the Presidential Greatness Project, the New Survey of Scholars finds Abraham Lincoln is the favorite and remains America’s Greatest President. Here is the list. Some may surprise you; some may NOT surprise you.
2024 Ranking of Presidents
#1. Lincoln 2.FD Roosevelt 3.Washington 4.T Roosevelt 5.Jefferson 6.Truman 7.Obama 8. Eisenhower 9.LB Johnson 10.Kennedy 11.Madison 12.Clinton 13.J Adams 14.Biden 15.Wilson 16.Reagan 17.Grant 18.Monroe 19.GHW Bush 20.JQ Adams 21.Jackson 22.Carter 23.Taft 24.McKinley 25.Polk 26.Cleveland 27.Ford 28.Van Buren 29.Hayes 30.Garfield 31.Harrison 32.GW Bush 33.Arthur 34.Coolidge 35.Nixon 36.Hoover 37.Tyler 38.Taylor 39.Fillmore 40.Harding 41.Harrison 42.Pierce 43.Johnson 44.Buchanan 45.Trump.
Hate. It has caused a lot of problems in this world, but it has not solved one yet. Maya Angelou
Golf legend Tiger Woods announced his 27-year partnership with Nike is over. This comes right after Nike announced plans to cut $2 billion in costs over the next three years. Velvet Taco is opening their first airport location at Hobby. If you have never, ever had a Velvet Taco, you’re in for a treat. Cat Food: I’ve said this before, check the ingredients in your cat food. Many popular brands, even ones labeled healthy or natural, contain powdered cellulose derived from wood pulp, also known as sawdust.
Estate Planning: Legendary songwriter genius, Beach Boy Brian Wilson recently lost his wife of almost 30 years. She was his caregiver and managed his daily needs before her death on January 30. But there was no successor to his late wife. His family has now filed to put Wilson under a conservatorship because of his recent diagnosis of dementia. Two longtime Brian Wilson representatives, his publicist and manager, will now oversee his personal and medical decisions, but not his estate and finances. Jay Leno has filed for conservatorship over his wife’s estate after her dementia diagnosis, in order to create a living trust so that she has managed assets in case of his death.
Sitting here at my desk eating the remains of my lunch, a salad from Luby’s with sunflower seeds, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, spinach, purple cabbage, mushrooms and of course, lettuce. There are so few places in town to get a good to-go side salad, so I just thought I should remind you. It was such a nice addition to my lunch of my roasted chicken, fried okra, and mashed potatoes. Yeah, Luby’s. Liver and onions next week.
You don’t love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear. Oscar Wilde
Capital One is set to buy Discover for $35.3 billion. The credit card industry is dominated by Visa, Mastercard and American Express, with Discover in 4th place. The most interesting part of this is hearing Americans are deep in debt with a record high of more than $1.1 trillion. On the morning news it said 49% of cardholders carry debt from month to month, and an average credit card balance is $6,088. The Rule of Thumb: pay off your credit card balance every month except for emergencies. A $5.25 Starbucks Caramel Macchiato is NOT an emergency.
William “Bill” Post died at 96. Who in the heck is Bill Post? Well, in the early 60’s, he was plant manager at Hekman Biscuit Co. One day a bunch of suits (VP’s) showed up with their vision – a piece of pie in the shape of a slice of bread, complete with fork marks around the edge… basically just two pieces of dough with filling. The guys requested they needed something like that… except they wanted it toaster-ready. Post promised them he would have something in two weeks. They were originally called fruit scones, but Andy Warhol’s pop art was very popular, so it became Pop-Tarts. In 1964, there was strawberry, blueberry, brown sugar cinnamon and apple currant. In 2022 consumers bought 3 billion Pop Tarts…that’s almost a billion dollars in pop-tarts sales. I know I ate plenty when I was a kid. Bet you did too. Hope you have a great weekend.
Thanks for reading us this week. Please sell something.
Lisa
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 02-15-2024
Those that read this column often know that my mom is aging as we all are, had a stroke recently, and is now in a nursing home where they take very good care of her. Last week, I was keeping mom busy with a zoom call so my sister could cut her nails, along with a few other little delicate chores like finding her glasses (again) and filling up her water cup…if you can find it. Those are two constant battles for my sweet sister. Well, during this time mom very matter-of-factly informed us, “Last night I had a date with a Baron. He was a gentleman.” I giggled inside and told her that was really nice – my mind was already drifting; reflecting on the kinds of jewels I might receive for Christmas if we could get her married to this Baron fast enough – then I quietly asked mom what the Baron looked like? She replied, “Not bad. But his haircut didn’t look so good.” My sister and I were rolling. Lately, mom seldom makes sense, but this was a really good day. Then she told me, very matter-of-factly, staring at me on the phone, that I needed to cut my bangs. I love it when she comes up with something like that because I know for just a short moment, mom is still in there somewhere. The last time I was visiting her in person, as I bent down to kiss her on the forehead, she looked directly at me and said, “Do you want me to get my scissors and cut your hair?” Mom was a hairdresser before I was born, quite a few years ago, but I guess it’s hard to take the hairdresser out of the mom, no matter how many years have passed. She ALWAYS stinky-permed our hair the day before school pictures, stressing to us, “You must suffer to be beautiful!”
Each person must live their life as a model for others. Rosa Parks
Recently, I attended a baby shower for my niece in Austin. It was so great to be with my sister, Danielle, who is one of the grandmothers-to-be, but there were a couple of other things that I learned from the young whipper-snappers giving the shower. #1. The “other” grandmother made a jeep out of baby diapers (four wheels and spare tire), a covered cardboard box (the body), box of diaper wipes (seats), covered pool noodles (roll bars), pacifiers (tow bars clips), baby boots (side mirrors), baby bottles with plastic nipple guards covered in red tissue so the light would shine through (front & rear lights along with a tiny sets of bulbs inside), a set of toy keys, even a couple of stuffed animals sitting in for the driver and passenger. We are talking cute. #2. For party food, after you cut up all your fruit and veggies, sandwiches, chocolate fountain, marshmallows and more… just cover your countertop with parchment paper and set it all up… no dishes or serving plates, just parchment paper straight on the counter. It looked great and it didn’t take up awkward space like platters. Clean-up was a breeze. #3. The most fun toy was a Crawling Crab that played music, had light-up eyes, and walked frontward & backwards depending on an obstacle. I liked it so much I ordered three when I got home and used them for Christmas gifts. I would suggest that instead of the battery crab, get the chargeable crab (there are several companies – so don’t just buy the cheapest one, buy the FeelGuy chargeable one). I promise. Update: Baby Riley Danielle Bowman was born really early on January 12th weighing only 4lbs.6oz. Since her due date wasn’t until February 20th, they kept her in the hospital until she weighed 5 lbs. She is perfect and beautiful. It’s nice to have a baby in the family again.
It doesn’t matter how strong your opinions are. If you don’t use your power for positive change, you are, indeed, part of the problem. Coretta Scott King
In the past, I have told you a couple of benefits of getting older, like getting 10% off at Pet Supermarket on the last Tuesday of each month. That’s great savings if you spend an abundance on pet food supplies for four animals. Me. So, this month I saved $12.90 on my LJ water bill. That’s huge. Don’t go to Goodwill expecting anything because they discontinued their Senior Discount. ☹. That wasn’t very nice. Consumer Cellular, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon all give senior discounts. Kohl’s, Ross, Michael’s, TJMaxx, Walgreens, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Dairy Queen, Denny’s, IHOP, Jack in the Box, McDonald’s, Sonic, Taco Bell, Subway, Wendy’s, Whataburger, AMC Theatres, and plenty more. Some discounts may just be on a certain day of the month or could be a free item. Some discounts are available every single day. But you have to ask for it, so they don’t hurt our feelings by asking us if we are old…
Hate is a wasteful emotion. Most of the people you hate don’t know you hate them, and the rest don’t care. Medgar Evers
A Kansas City mother was charged in the death of her one-month-old baby after telling police that while putting the baby down for a nap she accidentally placed the child in the oven instead of the crib and burned it to death. Hmmm. There are no words. As a mom, I can’t ever imagine ANY situation where you might get a crib and an oven mixed up. The baby was pronounced dead at the scene. I was in a store last week, shopping, trying not to listen to a young child crying, sitting in the basket with a man I believed to be her father, who was telling the little girl over and over again to shut up. It was horrible. Another woman shopping was visibly bothered (it was hard not to because it was so loud) so as I passed her, I said, “Just because you can have a child, doesn’t mean that you should.” I mean that. There should be a choice, all options for people that have unwanted pregnancies. Since I wrote the above, I read that the mother of the infant that was put in the oven had mental issues and did not possess mature decision-making skills. Really!?
Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you. Frank Lloyd Wright
Two JetBlue planes made contact (aka collided) on the tarmac at Boston’s Logan airport as snowy conditions caused skidding. No injuries. 53 people were evacuated after an American Airlines plane slipped off the snowy runway in NY. No injuries. There was a Delta Airlines Boeing 757 carrying 184 passengers that lost its nose wheel just before takeoff in Atlanta. No injuries. An Atlas cargo plane made an emergency landing in Miami after a reported engine failure after being in the air for just 14 minutes. Witnesses reported sparks trailing the plane in the night sky. The FAA noted that a softball size hole was discovered above the engine. Royal Caribbean confirmed the death of a passenger on their 9-month long Ultimate World Cruise, also announcing an itinerary reroute is imminent due to the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea and Suez Canal, along with Princess Cruises announcing the same caution. Queen Victoria sailed from Fort Lauderdale on January 22nd. Since, a total of 129 passengers and 25 crew members have reported gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting and diarrhea. The ship wasn’t scheduled to dock in Honolulu until Feb 12. A single-engine Diamond DA40 private plane lost the left rear passenger door a few miles from Buffalo, New York airport with two people aboard, but was able to land safely. Aren’t vacations fun!
We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. Martin Luther King Jr.
If you want to join the worldwide bird count Feb 16th – 19th, go to birdcount.org. The Brazosport LULAC Council invites you to their Scholarship Banquet and Fundraiser on Feb. 22 at the LJ Civic Center. Contact Irene Ocanas iocanas@texasgulfbank.com 979-549-7441. The mother of the Oxford High School shooter was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after a two-week trial. That means as a parent she is responsible for allowing her child to have the gun used for a school shooting. She knew he had mental health issues. His father goes to trial next, the mother saying multiple times during her trial that it was her husband’s responsibility to secure the gun. Perfect example of being thrown under the bus but in this case, ok. Lisa Marie Presley was working on a memoir when she died a year ago of complications from bariatric surgery years earlier. If you remember she was married to Michael Jackson and Nicholas Cage. Probably some really good stories. The book is set for a fall release. There are new McDonald’s toys…12 different Squishmallows with your Happy Meal, for a limited time only. A Disney on Ice Princess Belle skater has been hospitalized in serious condition after a fall in Minneapolis. The script is being prepped for the third Top Gun film. Diana Ross, 79, is the new face of Saint Laurent Spring 2024 campaign. Fruit Stripe Gum is being discontinued after 50 years on the candy counter. Just typing this, I can taste the gum from my childhood. A Tesla employee who loved Elon Musk was killed after his Model 3 crashed into a tree in 2022. His friend who survived the crash, said the car’s Full Self-Driving feature was turned on at the time of the crash. The driver had received the $15,000 add-on feature, free with his employee discount. Tesla says that the vehicles are still far from being able to drive themselves. This could be the first known death involving the feature. According to a new study, mutant wolves roaming the Chernobyl disaster area have developed cancer-resistant genes. A few airlines may be asking for volunteers to consent to being weighed before boarding planes, so the airlines can refine weight estimates for planes before takeoff. The CDC is now warning about a staggering measles outbreak in 9 states.
A 36-year-old trans female shooter, Genesse Moreno, wearing a trench coat and backpack opened fire inside Lakewood Church last week, with an AR-style rifle in between services. Two off-duty officers (heroes) working security, shot and killed her. The shooter brought her 7-year-old son into the church with her – he was shot in the head, is in critical condition and not expected to live. An employee of the church, a man in his 50’s, was also wounded. The church is attended weekly by 45,000 people, so if this situation had happened during services, it might have turned out totally different. How was she able to buy an AR-style rifle despite her criminal and mental health history, and how could you take your child with you to a shooting. The shooter’s former mother-in-law described that Moreno suffered from Munchausen Syndrome by proxy and was making her own son sick. Remember Gypsy Rose Blanchard.
Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce are very accomplished siblings. Travis recently shared that their real name is pronounced Kels not Kel-see. Jason later explained that the rest of their family goes by the Kels pronunciation, but years ago their dad got tired of correcting everyone that called him Kel-see, so he just changed it, so Kel-see it is. Have a great week and thank you for reading and shopping The Source Weekly.
Lisa
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 02-08-2024
Caution: There are several reminders in this column about Valentine’s Day (oh, and Super Bowl…) both are particularly important occasions happening soon, so pay attention. The happiness of your sweetie may be determined by which one you celebrate.
The Demeter Fragrance Library has the scent of Clover, Dirt, New Baby, Rain, Gin & Tonic, Snow, Tootsie Roll, Junior Mints, Dots, Paperback, Slimes, PB&J, Pixie Dust, Snow, Clean Skin, plus plenty more, including Kitten Fur. You know, the smell when you nuzzle your cat after she has been laying in the windowsill with the sun shining down on her. We call that solar recharged kitty at our house. Great Valentine gift idea. Saves cleaning a cat box.
I would rather spend one lifetime with you, than face all the ages of this world alone. – J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of The Rings
Two weeks ago, I saw the Les Misérables Musical at Hobby Center in Houston. My friend and I blubbered like babies, as we do each time we see either a production or the movie. Les Misérables is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862 that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. If you ever get the opportunity to see it, please do. The novel is one of the longest ever written, with 655,478 words, described as one of the half-dozen greatest novels of the world. It is French history, politics, justice, religion, romance, and social problems.
“And remember, as it was written, to love another person is to see the face of God.” – Victor Hugo, Les Misérables
According to the news, King Charles has been diagnosed with an unknown type of cancer which was found early during his recent hospitalization for benign prostate enlargement; he is hugely positive and has started outpatient treatment… Little Prince Harry is throwing caution to the wind and flying back to see him soon. Hmmm. According to the BBC, King Charles chose to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope, it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.
A CHAMPION is simply someone who did NOT give up when they wanted to. – Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys
Have you inherited Aunt Betty’s China or your grandma’s silver? There is a place where you can buy discontinued and current tableware, crystal, and silver if you are missing a piece, or you can sell what you have to them. Replacements.com
If you’re not IN the parade, you WATCH the parade. That’s life. – Mike Ditka, Chicago Bears
While I was in Boston to see my kids for Thanksgiving, I took an Uber to the airport when I left. The driver, a perfect gentleman, was Irish and explained to me that he didn’t know where South Texas was, questioning if it was on the East coast. I replied, “No, it’s not on the East coast. Do you know where Galveston is?” He replied, “No, but I know the song.” Well, that was good enough for me. It was beautiful to listen to him talk, plus he was very insistent that I remember the call numbers of the Irish radio station he listens to so I could listen myself when I returned home… wherever I live. It was like having live entertainment in the car.
If it doesn’t matter who WINS or loses, then why do they keep SCORE. – Vince Lombardi
Travis Kelce talking as he prepares for Super Bowl XVIII, being questioned for the millionth time about whether he is going to become engaged to Taylor Swift. He explained that at this moment he is only focusing on a Super Bowl ring. But he did state that in reference to Taylor’s recent Grammy wins (Best Pop Album and her fourth Album of the Year trophy – Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon and Frank Sinatra were all tied for the record of 3 Albums of the Year wins until Taylor won her 4th), that he thinks she is unbelievable, and he must now hold up his end of the deal and must bring home his own hardware. Aren’t they cute? And Sweet. And wholesome. Something that the world needs so much more of right now.
If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you.” – A. A. Milne, from Winnie the Pooh
You may roll your eyes when I tell you this, but, oh, well. The fact is, I just love to read, and I really enjoy reading obituaries. The newspapers charge so much now that you get very little information on most obits because of the cost. But the half page obit in the Chronicle recently, celebrating the life of Lawrence Edward Miggins was outstanding. (His mother had told him to always choose the heavy cake because the heavy one had better ingredients.) Larry was 98 when he died, with “the cause of his joy” and wife of 70 years, holding his hand. He was one of 12 children, a tall guy – 6’4” by the eighth grade, which helped him excel and letter in football, baseball, and basketball. He played in a Minor league while still in high school and was the Valedictorian of his 1943 class. He was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals. He obtained his master’s in criminology and was proud that all 12 of his children earned their college degrees. Now, to the best part of the story. The obit said that many people called Larry “larger than life” but his neighbor made this phrase actually come to life. Sculptor and neighbor, David Adickes, had Larry pose for the statue of Sam Houston that stands next to I-45 in Huntsville. David Adickes is also the creator of the Stephen F. Austin statue in Angleton. What a great back story. Don’t forget to always choose the heavy cake in honor of Larry.
Pleasure of love lasts but a moment. Pain of love lasts a lifetime. – Bette Davis
Finally, I got to watch Maestro (the movie). Excellent. Yum. Doesn’t a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato basil soup sound good right now! Thank you to the Dingler’s for the delicious okra and green beans a while back, and the carrots last week! You are the best. I’m making Copper Pennies this evening. Mr. Corder brought us two bouquets of red roses again this year. He is the kindest man. Be sure to enjoy his poem on page 3 and congratulate him if you see him… on being such a great published poet.
Toby Keith died at 62 of stomach cancer. He was the singer-songwriter of the 1993 country hit “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” just one of his “20” Number #1 singles and the most played country song (3 million times) of the 90’s. Carl Weathers, NFL player turned Hollywood action star of Rocky movies (boxer, Apollo Creed) and The Mandalorian, died at 76. He was also the voice of Combat Carl in Toy Story 4 and more. Herbert “Cowboy” Coward, who played the toothless man in Deliverance, died in a vehicle accident along with his 78-year-old girlfriend, his chihuahua and a pet squirrel. He was 85, lived in NC and was famous for his pet squirrel. He delivered the line, “He got a real purty mouth, ain’t he?”
You may marry the man of your dreams, ladies, but fourteen years later you’re married to a couch that burps. – Roseanne Barr
If you are looking for a fun Valentine gift for your sweetie, Brazosport Center Stages at The Center for the Arts and Sciences, is presenting Dinner Theater with a 3-course meal, and a musical revue of Side by Side By Sondheim. February 14, 16, 17, 18. $40 per person. 979-265-7661. What a deal. Dinner and Theater at the same time. And I will be helping Mary in the kitchen.
Alzheimer’s disease may be partially caused by nose picking. Yep. Picking your nose may introduce germs that may cause dementia over time. Hmmm. Tucker Carlson was reportedly seen leaving Putin’s office in Moscow. Maybe an interview is forthcoming. As far as I’m concerned, they can keep him over there. Chipotle is hiring 19,000 workers to meet the demand for Burrito Season. Is there really a burrito season? Seriously. They say there is an annual surge in Mexican food consumption from March to May. At my house those dates are January through December. Hmmm. Boeing has now found more mis-drilled holes on additional 737’s. Atmospheric River: I heard a weather person state that it’s basically a river in the sky. I understand simple terms. Buc-ee’s: You all know how expensive batteries are. I was shopping all over town for a tiny little battery for my garage door opener. I found a package of two at Buc-ee’s in Waller for $1.49. So, this weekend, I needed more batteries for my smoke alarms. I just went ahead, saving time and money by running into the store while my gas was pumping. FYI. Bloomer Tech has designed a washable bra for women with medical sensors that collect data on cardiovascular health, using flexible and washable circuits to continuously monitor and improve heart health. Women and their bodies are frequently overlooked when it comes to clinical research. Have a great week and thank you for reading and shopping with us. Lisa
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make. – Sir Paul McCartney, (The Beatles)
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 02-01-2024
What is wrong with people? We seem to live in a world of total rudeness now. Recently, an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Austin was forced to return to the gate due to unexpected flatulence… yes, you heard me right. The extremely bad-mannered passenger was removed. But not before he made an abundance of new friends that wished him well when he departed. In addition to being gassy, the fart-man also had very foul manners, vulgar mouth and was a braggard… very proud of his abilities. While we are on this subject…in 2006, another American Airlines flight from Washington to Dallas was forced to land in Nashville after a passenger lit a match in the bathroom but would not admit she had done so. The passengers and crew were taken off the plane, luggage was searched, and the plane was examined for a fire. After a lengthy questioning by FBI, and a bomb sniffing dog finding her spent matches, the woman admitted to her mistake explaining she had a medical condition, but she was still not allowed back on the plane… and not charged since there was no malice involved. That was 17 years ago… today we have quite a bit more hostility and bitterness in the world. How did it happen?
ALERT: this info is out just in time for Super Bowl Sunday. Burt’s Bees has created a lip balm that tastes like a basket of spicy buffalo wings. Yum?? Hidden Valley and Burt’s Bees created a limited edition set… Burt’s Bees x Hidden Valley Ranch Dippers Lip Balm 4 Pack that will both protect and flavor your lips. Four flavors include Hidden Valley Ranch, Crunchy Celery, Fresh Carrot, and Buffalo Sauce. $11.99. The initial offering sold out so be sure to get on the waiting list if you want to add these items to your Super Bowl buffet along with a bottle of Doritos Nacho Cheese Spirit corn chip-flavored liquor or Miller Lite Beer mints – yep, that is a thing but just for the very refined and cultured of our society. Like the guy in the first paragraph.
On Dateline, it’s always the person who “lit up the room” that gets murdered. I’m glad I’m grouchy and unapproachable.
Chinese New Year is February 10th, Year of the Dragon. According to 1-800-Flowers, the 2024 Flower of the Year is the delicate and gorgeous peony. Forever chemicals that fall outside federal testing guidance are now in our drinking water and in all of our bodies. Lionel Richie and Earth Wind & Fire announced the next leg of their Sing a Song All Night Long tour will extend May to June (I bet that will be a good concert). The Rolling Stones Tour ’24 will be in Houston April 28. (I know that will be good.) A recent study is telling us that the moon’s core is getting colder, causing the moon, our closest neighbor in space, to shrink… as much as 150 feet in diameter. The LEGO Brick Fest Live in Houston Feb 3&4 at NRG Center. Over a million bricks on display, life-size models, hands-on, and hard-to-find LEGO merchandise. Amelia Earhart’s missing Lockheed 10-E Electra plane may have been located. Missing since 1937, the reason they believe this is the real thing is because of the shape of the plane. Many have tried to solve this mystery over the past… 80-something years.
Phil: “Do you ever have déjà vu, Mrs. Lancaster?”
Mrs. Lancaster: “I don’t think so, but I could check with the kitchen.”
Phil Connors, Groundhog Day
In my book, there’s nothing better than a great resale shop, so here you go…. Morning Glory Resale Shop, cute boutique clothing & accessories for the entire family, home décor, dinnerware, jewelry and so much more… is having their grand opening this Saturday, Feb. 3rd, from 10a-3p at 200 East Mulberry in Angleton. They share a building with The Gathering Place, one block off old downtown, right on to Mulberry and Chenango. Gently used donations accepted Monday-Saturday 10a-3p. This is a strictly volunteer organization that funds the Women’s Center of Brazoria County providing shelter for victims of abuse, so everything you do is for the good of the people in your county, town, and home.
The Julien’s Unstoppable: Signature Styles of Iconic Women in Fashion auction had an incredible day. A black velvet off-the-shoulder cocktail dress designed by Catherine Walker for Princess Diana sold for $325,000, three times its original estimate of $100,000. A couture Givenchy green wool suit worn by Princess Grace Kelly to meet Jackie Kennedy at the White House in 1961, sold for the same amount, $325,000. Audrey Hepburn’s white cotton Yves Saint Laurent dress that she wore to her son’s christening in 1970, sold for $13,000. Whitney Houston’s 2008 Burberry London cotton trench coat, sold for $4,550. The tutu worn by Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw during the opening credits of Sex and the City sold for $52,000, six times its original estimate of $8,000. The tutu was originally purchased for $5 by her costume designer.
Lynn Marta of Footloose and Young & the Restless died at 78. David Gail, Beverly Hills, 90210 alum, died at age 58 of sudden cardiac arrest. Bill Hayes, who originated the 1970 role of con artist and lounge singer Doug Williams on the soap opera, Days of Our Lives, died at 98. He met his wife of almost 50 years, Susan Seaforth Hayes, on the show, they married in 1974, then two years later their characters married. He said, “In 1974 Susan and I got married in my living room with 16 people. In 1976… we had 16 million.” A good back story… in 1955, Hayes scored a No. 1 hit with The Ballad of Davy Crockett. I guess I had always thought Fess Parker was the only one singing, Davy. Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier. I even had a coonskin cap. The song has many different versions (French by Annie Cordy, Fess Parker, The Wellingtons, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Mac Wiseman, Sons of the Pioneers, Louis Armstrong, Max Bygraves, Hayes, and more) as Walt Disney launched a massive marketing campaign to make the country’s youth “Crockett conscious.” It is considered one of the Top 100 Western Songs of all time. Professionally known Chita Rivera, aka Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson, actress, singer, dancer, and legend of Broadway, died at 91. There are too many accomplishments to list them all here, but West Side Story is the role that made her a Broadway star. A few years back, my son and I saw Rivera and Tommy Tune at the Grand Opera House in Galveston. Great performers. They stayed at the stage door and signed autographs. Joyce Randolph, the actress who played Trixie Norton on The Honeymooners, died at 99.
A couple’s wedding was interrupted by the loud sounds of a cat coming from the woods behind them. The loud cat was drowning out the groom’s voice while reciting his vows. People were starting to laugh as the cat sat on a tree stump demanding to be heard. Luckily, this bride and groom were cat people. They even had cat toppers on their cake. It got quiet and the ceremony continued. Several weeks later, the venue called the couple to let them know they had caught the cat by feeding her shrimp. The staff had then taken the cat to an animal shelter where she was given medical attention. Daisy is now living ‘the life’ with the bride and groom. Their wedding video caption says, “Loud mouths get food. Loud mouths that interrupt weddings get new homes.” Isn’t that sweet.
Local Lions Club International is looking for the old Lions Club gumball machines that were used years ago as fundraisers. They want to try it again. Great idea. Contact Billy Gray Jr. at 979-415-4426 or billy_gray_jr@att.net
For Christmas I ordered a Texas Pecan Pie from Goode Company to be sent to a family in New Hampshire. A little pricy but packed so pretty in a wooden box that says Made in Texas. Then last week, I came across the copycat recipe for the pie. Here it is. I have not made it yet. The word PECAN comes from an Algonquian (original Indigenous people of southern Quebec and eastern Ontario in Canada) word meaning a nut requiring a stone to crack. Question: Is it puh-kahn or pee-can?
Goode Company Pecan Pie
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup White Karo
3 TBSP melted butter
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions: Mix all ingredients together except the pecans. Mix in pecans. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell. Preheat oven to 375 then bake for 25-30 minutes, testing for doneness with a knife inserted in the center that comes out clean. (I would use a really good crust…)
Remember groundhogs are the weathermen of Mother Nature, and Punxsutawney Phil is the king of winter forecasting, without a shadow of a doubt. Happy Groundhog Day!
I’ll leave you with the thought that is lingering in everyone’s mind this week: Can Taylor Swift actually make it to the Super Bowl in time… LISA
Lisa
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 01-25-2024
Mattress experts now say you should not make up your bed first thing in the morning, because you sweat during the night and the moisture needs to evaporate. It will help your mattress last longer, and you won’t be exposed to cooties, also known as staphylococcus, enterococcus, and norovirus. Just give it a couple of hours, then make up the bed. You know, my son told me this same story when he was growing up, but I thought it was just because he didn’t want to make up his bed. Sorry Gage.
Your brain at 3am: I can see that you’re trying to sleep so I would like to offer you a selection of every unresolved issue, memory, or things you should have said or done today as well as the last 30 years.
Quaker Oats Company has recalled more than 40 products, including granola bars, snacks, and granola cereals due to possible salmonella contamination. Contact 1-800-492-9322 or visit www.QuakerRecallUSA.comExternal Link Disclaimer.
Tiffany & Co. has a new collection with Pokémon, actually called The Tiffany & Arsham Studio & Pokemon Capsule Collection. You can get one of the collection of pendants or all of them. The jewelry collection highlights six Pokémon: Pikachu, Charmander, Squirtle, Jigglypuff, Cubone, and Mew. All in diamond, silver, and gold. The individual silver and diamond pendants cost $1,290 each. And the necklace with the full set of Tiffany Pokémon pendants at $7,190. If you are prosperous and have lots of spare cash, you can get the 18k Yellow Gold with Diamonds Pikachu pendant (the Pikachu pendant in gold without diamonds costs $9,190), then you will also receive a Poké Ball in Tiffany Blue. Hmmm. Who would have guessed back in 1996!
Just in case you didn’t read the front-page banner, instead going straight to this column (wink-wink), January 31st is Appreciate Your Social Security Check Day. I plan to appreciate appropriately. You must rejoice in the benefits of getting older.
In Austria, Josef Fritzl, now 88 years old, imprisoned his daughter in their basement when she was 18 years old and kept her there until 2008, when she was 42. Police said that Fritzl’s wife had no idea her daughter was being held in the cellar, thinking she had joined a cult. ☹ Oh, my! Did I mention that he fathered seven children with his daughter, three that stayed in the cellar with her, and three others that lived upstairs after he staged elaborate stories of finding the babies in bushes and on the doorstep, always with a note attached written by his daughter claiming she could not take care of the baby… the very gullible wife and mom still believing their daughter was in a cult, of course. One baby that died shortly after birth was cremated by Fritzl. Hmmm. Fritzl was sentenced to life in 2009 and has been held in a special unit for the criminally insane. (Gee, you’re kidding me…no empty basements available!) There is now a chance that he could be moved to a different prison, therefore allowing for the possibility of a release from prison. Some things are too weird and repulsive to understand.
The 2024 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo dates are set for Feb. 27 through March 17 at NRG Stadium. Feb. 27: BLAKE SHELTON, Feb. 28: Carly Pearce, Feb. 29: For King & Country, March 1: 50 Cent, March 2: Hardy, March 3: Ivan Cornejo, March 4: Hank Williams Jr., March 5: Oliver Anthony, March 6: Jelly Roll, March 7: Luke Bryan, March 8: Major Lazer, March 9: Lainey Wilson, March 10: Los Tigres Del Norte, March 11: Whiskey Myers, March 12: Bun B, March 13: Nickelback, March 14: Zac Brown Band, March 15: Jonas Brothers, March 16: Brad Paisley, March 17: Eric Church. Hmmm. A couple of names are performers I don’t recognize.
Kimberly Mata-Rubio was running in a special election for Mayor of Uvalde, a town where one of America’s deadliest mass murders happened… where 19 students and two teachers were killed in the 2022 Rob Elementary shooting. Kimberly Mata-Rubio lost her 10-year-old daughter, Lexi, in that shooting. Mata-Rubio would have been Uvalde’s first female mayor. Her husband is a local sheriff’s deputy. She is still most outspoken about the need for tougher gun laws, even testifying before Congress. Her campaign slogan was Moving Forward, Together. They say that if you want change, then you have to take action and be that change. Mata-Rubio was trying to be the change but lost this race to a former mayor and bank VP who calls for better police communications and mobilizing volunteers from the community. I wish her luck next time. Change is hard for people.
I was never a woman who wanted or needed a Sugar Daddy, but if Taco Daddies were a thing, my life might have taken a drastic turn.
Reba McEntire (National anthem), Post Malone (America the Beautiful), and Andra Day (Lift Every Voice and Sing), are scheduled to perform at Super Bowl LVIII pregame. Singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and businessman Usher, will perform halftime, scheduled for Feb 11th at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada.
And God promised men that good and obedient wives would be found in all corners of the world, then he made the Earth round and laughed and laughed and laughed.
Gaston Glock, an Austrian engineer who created the flat-nosed, plastic-body Glock handgun in 1982, now carried by military and law enforcement around the world, died at 94. We see this weapon in films, rap lyrics along with it being a growing number of the weapons on the streets. Mr. Glock gradually disappeared from the public eye, even as the 9mm handgun he crafted built global presence. Currently, more than 65 percent U.S. law enforcement carry Glock pistols. Think about how this guy changed the world. In 1999, Glock suspected that one of his close financial advisers had been embezzling funds. He confronted the advisor who then hired a hitman to murder Glock with a rubber mallet. Glock was hit in the head, but able to fight back, and punched the man until he collapsed. Both the advisor and the hitman were sent to prison. Glynis Johns, Tony Award-winning stage and screen actress who played opposite Julie Andrews in the Disney classic Mary Poppins as Mrs. Banks, and first to sing Stephen Sondheim’s Send In the Clowns, in A Little Night Music, died at 100. David Soul died at 80. I have fond memories of him on the hit 70’s undercover-cop show Starsky & Hutch, which I loved. He was Hutch. In the 60’s, he was a musician trying to make it in New York by performing masked, and billing himself as “The Covered Man” on variety shows where he stated he wanted to be recognized for his music and not his terrific good looks (my words, not his)… handsome and blond. Then came success on TV. In the 70’s he decided to relaunch his music career, hoping to be taken seriously as a musician. He released “Don’t Give Up On Us (Baby)” which ended up on Billboard Hot 100 as the #1 song. I never put the two together. Mary Weiss, lead singer of the 60’s girl group, The Shangri Las, died at 75. Remember Leader of the Pack?
Charles Osgood, 5-time Emmy winner and CBS Sunday Morning host, died at 91, after suffering dementia. Osgood was called “one of the last great broadcast writers” by Charles Kuralt, whom Osgood succeeded as host of the Sunday morning magazine program in 1994.
In Florida, in a recently released videoed confession, a 64-year-old man admitted to brutally killing his fiancée with a baseball bat just two months before their wedding… because he couldn’t afford the wedding or the lifestyle the 59-year-old woman desired. He had led the woman to believe he was rich and would buy her a house and boats. He also said he just didn’t know how to get out of the situation… he has now been sentenced to life.
A police officer accused of sexually assaulting a woman, allegedly told her he didn’t intentionally rape her. I’m just wondering… is that now a legitimate defense? Just asking since all the rules of propriety and law seem to be changing everyday…
Recently, with our super cold weather, I have been popping open a hand warmer to help me when I walk the dog… or even work at my computer. You know the little packets that produce heat and happiness. Well, I asked myself what could be in those little cloth packages? So, I looked it up. First off, it’s just chemistry… iron powder & air (which makes iron oxide, rust and heat), activated charcoal, sodium chloride and vermiculite (hydrated magnesium aluminum silicate). When you open the package, the more pores you have in the fabric, allows for more air distribution, and that’s why you shake it. More air makes more heat. When I came into the office this morning, I shook the one I used yesterday and it became warm again. Not hot, but warm. Life savers.
National “Tina” Day is January 28th – I’ll take this space to say something to ‘our’ Tina… thank you for building our ads and this paper, and checking my column each and every week, along with adding commas where you think there needs to be a comma. I appreciate you on National Tina Day and every other day. To our readers: Thank you for sticking with us one more week. (Please sell something!)
Lisa
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
What I Heard This Week 01-18-2024
Teller just loves broccoli. According to the American Kennel Club, dogs can eat small amounts of raw and cooked broccoli, as long as there is no oil and no seasonings. Be careful though, in large quantities, the isothiocyanates (think bok choy, broccoli cabbage, cauliflower, kale, wasabi, horseradish, mustard, radish, Brussels sprouts, watercress, papaya seeds, nasturtiums, turnips, rutabaga, capers and some seeds used in the production of canola oil and the condiment mustard) can irritate their tummies. Just like it irritates your tummy, I guess.
I just had my patience tested. I’m negative.
OK, my two movie recommendations of late are: 1. Christmas on Mistletoe Farm (after inheriting a farm at Christmas time, a widowed father makes a bumpy adjustment to village life – while his kids hatch a plan to stay there forever). It should be a family classic. I enjoyed every single bit of this movie. I was cleaning my overhead light fixtures and cabinets in my kitchen and thought I had started a Hallmark movie. It’s on Netflix and definitely not a Hallmark movie. (2.) Bank of Dave (based kinda on the true-ish story of Dave Fishwick, a working-class man who founded a community bank in England.) I’ll tell you not everything in this movie matches up with the real-life story but it’s close enough for a great movie. And no, Def Leppard did not really play for a fundraising event to help the bank, but Dave Fishwick is a huge fan of the band and I guess he imagined it sure would have been a great fundraiser. That said, it’s a really nice family movie that can’t help stirring up some sweet emotions.
ME: Alexa, remind me to go to the gym.
ALEXA: I have added gin to your shopping list.
ME: Close enough.
Greg Abbott told Texas earlier this week, to get ready for some icy weather. Ted Cruz responded, “Texans, with the freeze coming, wrap your pipes, cover your plants, stay off icy roads & keep your family safe. And, if it gets too damn cold, join me in Cancun!” You know Ted, it certainly wasn’t funny back in February 2021 when you left your fellow Texans stranded and suffering without heat or power, with 246 people dying in 77 counties, then jetting off to Cancun on a week-long vacation. And it’s not funny now.
I wanted to go jogging but Proverbs 28:1 says, “The wicked run when no one is chasing them,” so there’s that. Facebook
22-year-old United States Air Force 2nd lieutenant officer Madison Marsh was crowned the 2024 Miss America. She is the first active-duty servicemember to win the title and is also a graduate intern with Harvard Medical School working to use AI to detect pancreatic cancer and was previously Miss Colorado. Marsh said, “You can achieve anything. The sky is not the limit and the only person that’s stopping you is you.”
Patrick Mahome has a pair of lucky underwear that he has worn in every game since his rookie season in 2017. In 2020, a NASA chemist developed a perfume called Eau de Space, describing it as difficult to put the scent of space into words, but real astronauts have described the smell as a mix of gunpowder, seared steak, raspberries, and rum. I’ll stick with Flowerbomb for now. Texan Chandler Hughes was recently admitted as a member of Mensa, a society for people with exceptionally high IQ’s. A genius. Chandler wants to be a doctor someday. Chandler is only six. Disney revealed that Frozen 3 is in the works, so it looks like Elsa and Anna are here to stay. Maybe even Frozen 4. “Some people ARE worth melting for.” Olaf
“My great-grandfather had a line that he often quoted: ‘I believe in an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out.’” A.G. Sulzberger, American journalist, Chairman of The New York Times Company, and publisher of The New York Times.
A scientist is encouraging people to start eating lots of Asian (Silver) carp, which was introduced to the US in the 70’s and has since become an environmental burden because of their tremendous reproduction rate… female carp can lay anywhere from 145,000 to 5.4 million eggs. The carp are eating so much there is nothing left for the rest of the fish.
For the past year or so, my sister and I have been taking more care of our mom, who has needed much more guidance and attention as she ages. My sister found something wonderful called The Original LightBowl, a motion-activated light that fits on or near the toilet, so it helps locate things in the middle of the night… plus it changes to eight different colors so it’s really pretty, too. Like having a Christmas tree in your toilet. Well, we forgot to pack it when we moved her from independent living in Waco. Dang. So, for Christmas, my sister happened to find another one at Walmart and wrapped it up for me. I was so excited when I saw the box. Yeah. My very own LightBowl!! I rushed to the utility room to get a battery, but alas, failure. It does not light up even with fresh batteries. A dud. My very best Christmas present this year, and it doesn’t work. ☹ How am I supposed to see in the dark!
You know those little plastic tags that you take off bread sacks? Why are they colored? Glad you asked. The color indicates the date the bread was baked and packaged. See list below. It also helps to keep track so they can rotate out older loaves as needed. MOST grocery stores follow this schedule, but each bread manufacturer may have a different system. Many tags are even dated.
Monday – Blue
Tuesday – Green
Thursday – Red
Friday – White
Saturday – Yellow
Ahh, but what about Wednesday and Sunday? Most bread bakeries take a break on those days. Hmmm.
With Mary Lou Retton in the news recently, I wondered how someone becomes America’s Sweetheart. You know, the girl next door, great smile, good giggle. Here are some names of past America’s Sweethearts I found. Mary Pickford, Shirley Temple, Doris Day, Debbie Reynolds, Audrey Hepburn, Mary Tyler Moore, Cathy Rigby, Meg Ryan, Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Betty White (considered America’s naughty sweetheart).
Kevin Costner now has a coffee collaboration with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters with Horizon Blend by Kevin Costner. He also has a movie, Horizon: An American Saga coming out this summer. Chapter #1 is scheduled for release June 28, 2024, and Chapter 2 scheduled for release on August 16, 2024, with two more chapters coming. The third film was paused because of the writers and actors’ strike. Hmmm. New Kevin Costner movie. He makes such a very fine cowboy. The movie has quite a few stars listed including Hayes Costner. Boys, make sure you check your own gun.
Don’t you hate it when you’re leaving Sam’s or Costco, and you have to wait in line for them to check your receipt and count your number of items. Well, that will soon be a thing of the past at Sam’s Club (600 stores by the end of 2024). They will now have an Artificial Intelligence (AI) shopping cart scan. That just tells me that two more people at each store just lost their jobs.
The 75th Primetime Emmys celebrated this week with comedian Carol Burnett presenting the Leading Actress in a Comedy Award to Quinta Brunson in Abbott Elementary. “I was lucky enough to be the first female host of a comedy show… that was a long time ago, and I just want to say that a lot has changed in the last 46 years, for the better.” Burnett said, “Progress has been made. And it truly warms my heart to see how well men are doing in comedy now.” I’m still laughing.
Do you sometimes think that the YOU that buys the groceries and the YOU that actually has to cook the meals, are two entirely different people?
Lead poisoning. Have you thought about that old tackle box stashed in the closet? Lead has been used for fishing weights since ancient times. They are inexpensive and are often lost. Then they end up in the lake or ocean, or on land where they can be ingested by wildlife thinking they are small stones to help with their digestion. Or perhaps a fish breaks a line then an animal eats the fish. Lead poisoning cause animals great distress and lack of energy, weakness, then death. If the lead kills the animal, then other animals feasts on the dead body and the lead continues the journey, and so on, and so on. Don’t forget about ammunition from spent lead bullets and shells. Eagles, hawks, ravens, turkey vultures… the list is endless. Studies show that lead fragments can be found in wild game meat processed for human consumption, because lead bullets fragment into hundreds of tiny pieces when they strike an animal, then those fragments spread far beyond the wound. Just thoughts. nps.gov/pinn/learn/nature/leadinfo.htm for pictures and more information.
A century ago, life expectancy for men in the U.S. was 56.1 years and 58.5 years for women. As of 2023 our life expectancy in the U.S. was 79.3 for females and 73.5 for males. That’s an average of 76.4 years. Just finished an article that said we need to make the most of our BONUS years. I’m not sure I like those words! Have a great week and don’t forget to sell something. WE NEED YOU TO SELL SOMETHING!
Love, LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
