This is super interesting, and I will try to explain it simply. On April 6th, 2019, your GPS may not work anymore. Globally, they may not work anymore. Think back to 1999 and the Y2K bug, except this could really happen. GPS stands for Global Positioning System and it’s a network of about 30 satellites orbiting the Earth. The system was originally developed by the US government for military navigation but now anyone with a GPS device, mobile phone or handheld GPS unit can receive the radio signals. Wherever you are in the world, at least four GPS satellites are visible to you at any time. Each one transmits information about its position and the current time at regular intervals. These signals are traveling at the speed of light and are intercepted by your GPS receiver which calculates how far away each satellite is, based on how long it took for the messages to arrive. Once it has received information from at least three satellites, your GPS can pinpoint your location. OK. There’s more. GPS signals from satellites include a timestamp, needed to calculate location, that stores the week number, so every 1,024 weeks or roughly every 20 years, the counter rolls over from 1,023 to zero. The first Saturday in April will mark the end of the 1,024th week. It will be the second time that the rollover has happened, the first being in 1999. Some fear that many things may be affected because over the past twenty years, more and more systems have integrated GPS into their operations. In April 2018 the US Department of Homeland Security issued a memo to make GPS users aware of the situation and strongly recommends owners and operators of critical infrastructure to prepare for the rollover. Hmmm. Drones, beware. If your GPS tells you to drive into the lake, don’t do it.
Someone just blasted down the street in front of my office in a big black truck and beeped their stupid airhorn that sounds like a train whistle. I’m a firm believer that they should be outlawed.
St. Patrick’s Day was Sunday. I came to the office for a little bit both Saturday and Sunday evening. Because it was St. Patrick’s Day week-end and because now we have so many bars, eating and drinking places in downtown LJ, I wasn’t too surprised to see guys in kilts, women in strange green costumes, men in strange green costumes, green striped leggings and a whole lot of celebration and rowdiness. All this for green beer.
Steve Martin – “Boy, those French: they have a different word for everything!”
The first day of spring was the 20th. That means you can pick up your FREE package of flower or veggie seeds at our office when you place your $5 classified or FREE garage sale ad. That seems like a pretty good deal. So, let’s go over this…you need to find something to sell that is wasting away in your closet, garage, attic, kitchen cabinet -come place your ad and grab your seeds. When you sell your stuff, put the money in your pocket and in a few weeks your flowers will start blooming. It’s the gift that keeps on giving plus the bees and butterflies will love you for it. 😊
Steve Martin – “A day without SUNSHINE is like, you know…NIGHT.”
Brew on the Bayou! Sounds like a magical evening for GCBO with tastings from 8 breweries and 3 wineries with live music, raffles of fabulous stuff, a silent auction, food trucks, pontoon boat rides and tickets are only $25. Come support wildlife conservation work while enjoying a magical evening on the bayou. Pre-order tickets 979-480-0999 or www.gcbo.org Sat. March 23rd, 4-8pm.
HAPPY BIRTHDAYS: Singer songwriter Ray Stevens is 80. Everything Is Beautiful, Misty, Gitarzan and The Streak. Singer songwriter Neil Diamond is 78. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in January.Actor William Allen Young is 65. Olympic gold medal gymnast Mary Lou Retton is 51. Actor Ed Helms is 45. Captain Underpants. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 86. Singer Mike Love is 78.The Beach Boys. Actress, former model, sex symbol Ursula Andress is 83. Bond Girl ‘Honey Ryder’.
ActorCraig Wasson is 65. Nightmare on Elm Street. Movie director Renny Harlin is 60. (also) Nightmare on Elm Street. Former astronaut Frank Borman is 91.Commander of Apollo 8. As of 2019, he is the oldest living former American astronaut, eleven days older than fellow astronaut Jim Lovell. Comedian Billy Crystal is 71. Country singer Jann Browne is 65. Asleep at the Wheel.
Actor Adrian Zmed is 65. Officer Vince Romano on T.J. Hooker. Former astronaut Ken Mattingly is 83. Apollo 16. Singer songwriter John Sebastian is 75. The Lovin’ Spoonful. Actor Patrick Duffy is 70. Bobby Ewing in Dallas. Actress Lesley-Anne Down is 65. Actor Rob Lowe is 55.St. Elmo’s Fire. Actress Glen Close is 72. Actor Bruce Willis is 64. Former ABC News correspondent Sam Donaldson is 85.
A woman never tells her age, but Barbie turns 60 this month. Barbie made her debut in 1959 and has had more than 200 careers.To celebrate this, Mattel is releasing the Pink Collection. I pulled up Proudly Pink Silkstone Barbie who has hot pink hair – just not my thing. I did read an article about the lady that designed Barbie’s clothes. Carol Spencer is now 86 years-old and has chronicled her journey in a new book called Dressing Barbie. She worked for several years as a fashion designer and illustrator in the apparel industry before beginning her career at Mattel as fashion designer for Barbie in 1963. Spencer said, “Times are changing and we’re all evolving, but I don’t think she was so out of proportion – people don’t understand doll scale. And she’s a doll! Part of Barbie will always be fantasy.” She also said that some of her favorites looks/outfits came from her own closet. If she was wearing it, then Barbie got an outfit just like it. My first Barbie was a red-headed pony-tail in a black/white stripe bathing suit. Wish I still had her, but I gave Barbie to a little neighbor girl when I was in high school, along with my barbie dream house and tons of clothes and furniture. I now encourage my own children to keep some of their toys for their own kids.
Seen on Facebook: Out of all my body parts, my eyeballs are in the best shape because I roll them like 342 times a day.
Recently, when the office microwave died, I brought the one from my house. I figured I could learn to live at my house without it. Both kids are away at school. How hard could it be. I even bought some small pots to heat up water for my morning pour-over coffee and a small skillet for leftovers. How hard could it be. Wait a sec, I already said that. Obviously, it’s hard for me. Did you know that reheating coffee and milk makes a huge mess when you leave it on low heat and go back to the bathroom to finish getting dressed? Yep. I did it twice. So, today, the Everyday Cheapskate in the Chronicle said to use automatic dishwashing detergent on the horrible, burned-on mess.(Guess I’m not the only one.) She said to fill the(in my case already destroyed) stainless steel pan, nonstick (ha), glass, porcelain or enameled cast iron with water and a detergent pod until the pod dissolves, then take a non-scratch scrub sponge and I quote, “wipe away the remains of the mess.” I haven’t tried it but I’m sure that my burning days are not over. Do not use this on either cast iron or aluminum – neither is considered dishwasher-safe.
How do you decide which festival to go to?The Woodstock 50 Festival will take place August 16-18 in Watkins Glen, NY, about 115 miles NW of the original Woodstock site. Michael Lang, the producer and co-creator of the original Woodstock festival in 1969, is planning the festival to mark the 50th anniversary. The names of over 80 musicians or groups was just released, and it is unbelievable. A mix of old and new, but the list still needs more of the originals.
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts will hold a Woodstock 50th anniversary concert and festival on (you guessed it) August 16-18 on the site of the original Woodstock festival with Santana,Ringo Starr, Arlo Guthrie and Edgar Winter playing. Santana is listed at both festivals.Tickets $89 – $199.
Blue Water Highway is back in town on March 30th at 7:30 at The Clarion at Brazosport College. 979-230-3156. They’re the BEST!
Steve Martin – “I got a flue shot and now my chimney works perfectly.”
Recent Presidential hopeful Beto O’Rourke says his campaign raised $6.1 million in its first 24 hours, beating all other Democratic candidates to date who have disclosed their first-day figures, so far. US Senator Bernie Sanders raised $5.9 million in his first 24 hours. Sanders’ campaign said over 225,000 individuals donated making their average donation $27. At this point I Googled ‘list of presidential candidates,’ and was very surprised at the numbers published by Ballotpedia. There are 208 Democratic candidates, 80 Republican candidates, 20 Libertarian candidates and 12 Green candidates who have filed with the FEC to run for president in 2020. They have a historical comparison chart of presidential candidates who filed with the FEC from 1980 to 2016.
It is believed that the 2020 election will be the one in which climate, flooded coastlines and global warming will finally be discussion questions. I sure hope so.
Igloo has issued a voluntary recall on various coolers after the father of a 5-year-old Florida boy shared a home surveillance video showing his son getting locked inside a cooler. The boy began playing inside, under the lid until he pushed the locking clip out and the lid locked. The child was a good screamer and his parents were able to find him quite quickly.
Mike Trout is signing a 12-year, $430 million contract to stay with the LA Angels, a new record for the largest contract in baseball history. They say he will go down in history with Willie Mays, Babe Ruth and others since he is the best player baseball has ever had.
“What’s Hoover got to do with it? Besides, I had a better year than he did.” – Babe Ruth, on being paid a higher salary than US President Herbert Hoover.
The creator of one of the most recognized brands of jelly beans, Jelly Belly, has founded a new company, Spectrum Confections, that has released a line of cannabis-infused sweets for candy lovers everywhere. David Klein started Jelly Belly in 1976. The new psychedelic treats are offered in 38 flavors and each recipe has been tested to ensure that the correct amount of cannabidiol (CBD) is added to each bean. Some vendors have been selling the beans for about $2 each. But sorry, according to their website the inventory is depleted at this time.
Have a great spring weekend. Thanks again for picking up The Source Weekly.
Lisa
