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What I Heard This Week 04-20-2023

What I Heard This Week April 19, 2023

Earth Day 2023 April 22. We really need to take care of this Earth because we don’t have another one to move to after we mess this one up. Today’s lesson: The difference between Biodegradable and Compostable. As caring people, we want to make planet-conscious decisions, and do what is right for the environment, but sometimes we just don’t know what to do, or how to do it properly. Biodegradable products break down VERY SLOWLY decaying into smaller pieces of the material that they were made of. Compostable goes one step further in protecting the environment, because once they have broken down, the decay supplies the earth with nutrient-rich materials and the process takes much less time. Look for a leaf and arrow-shaped tree or the actual word “compostable” on the packaging itself. Yes, compostable is the way to go – I just ordered compostable trash and poop bags.

You have to hold yourself accountable for your actions, and that’s how we’re going to protect the Earth. – Julia Butterfly Hill

I thought of Chappaquiddick on this one. Last week, a woman was pulled from a partially submerged Jeep, only 40 feet from a boat ramp at Lake O’ the Pines, about 8 miles west of Jefferson, Texas. A local fisherman reported the vehicle and 18 minutes later deputies determined it was too dangerous to wade out, so they waited for a wrecker to arrive. The fisherman then took the wrecker employee out in his boat to attach a hook and cable to pull the vehicle out of the water… at which point they found a woman inside. An alive woman. The fisherman and the wrecker employee managed to get the woman out of the car and into the boat (while the deputies, hmmm, watched, I suppose because… it was dangerous, so close to the boat ramp). The woman said she had been in the submerged vehicle for several hours, was then treated for hypothermia, and transferred to the hospital. That was one lucky girl to have the fisherman and the wrecker employee. Wouldn’t you love to know the rest of the story? Was she drinking or on her phone? Was she mad at her husband, perhaps mad at the Jeep, or just following her GPS? Turn left in 200 ft. So many unanswered questions. But I did learn that if that ever happens to us – you or me – and you don’t have one of those seatbelt cutter window-breaking safety hammers in your glove box, then pull out your headrest and use the metal rods which are actually built to be window breakers. Hmmm. Never heard that before. I can only hope that all law enforcement in that county now require swimming lessons, or at least inflatable arm floaties in all vehicles. I did hear that law enforcement served cookies and coffee to all involved. Just saying. Evidently Myth Busters did a few episodes on how to save yourself from a submerged vehicle. Old crank windows might be handy.

The 45-year-old California dermatologist accused of poisoning her husband, after he secretly put home surveillance cameras in their kitchen, now says that she was mixing drain-clearing chemical lemonade cocktails (Drano) to kill ants, not her husband. The husband first noticed a chemical taste in his hot lemonade, then was diagnosed with ulcers, gastritis and esophagitis. He put the cameras in place. Once he covered his lemonade with plastic wrap – she removed the plastic wrap, spiked the drink and replaced the plastic covering. The wife will only face a maximum of eight years and eight months in prison if convicted on all counts. That’s not enough.

OK – this one was important enough for me to remove part of my column so I could get this information to you today. NBC is paying tribute to our beloved comedian and actor Carol Burnett, on the occasion of her 90th birthday, with 90 Years of Laughter + Love which will air on her birthday, April 26th and stream the next day on Peacock (which I don’t have but may have to get). It’s a two-hour special for our dearest Carol Burnett. Sounds like one heck of a big party and celebration, full of big stars paying tribute, interviews, the world’s funniest clips (YES!), music, and more. Just thought you might want to know.

RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Actor Christine Lahti of Chicago Hope is 72. Writer-producer David E. Kelley of Ally McBeal, The Practice, Doogie Howser, M.D., Picket Fences, Chicago Hope, Boston Legal, is 66. Magician David Blaine is 49. Bassist Mel Schacher of Grand Funk Railroad is 71. Original Mouseketeer Darlene Gillespie is 81. Actor James Roday Rodriguez of Psych is 46. I loved the hyper-observant consultant detective, fake psychic, Shawn Spencer. Singer Allan Clarke of The Hollies is 80. Actor Brad Garrett of Everybody Loves Raymond is 63. Actor Steven Seagal is 71. Singer-guitarist Dave Edmunds is 80.

Actor Ron Perlman is 73. Beauty and the Beast. Actor Robin Wright is 56. Singer Pat Travers is 69. Musician Herbie Hancock is 83. Musician John Kay of Steppenwolf is 79. Singer J.D. Nicholas of The Commodores is 71. Actor Andy Garcia is 67. Actor Claudia Cardinale of Pink Panther films is 85. Actor Emma Thompson is 64. Composer Bill Conti (Rocky film theme song) is 81. Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple is 78. Carol Burnett is 90.

When we show our respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us. – Arapaho Proverb

National Oatmeal Cookie Day
April 30th. According to the Farmers’ Almanac this is the BEST EVER OATMEAL COOKIE.
3 sticks salted butter, not fully softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
1 extra large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon (a pinch) ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup dried fruit, raisins, chopped dates, mission figs, (I might do dried cherries)
¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment.
Cream butter and sugar using a stand mixer or hand mixer. Add egg and vanilla, mix. Scrape sides of bowl.
In separate bowl mix dry ingredients except oats and whisk or sift together to distribute evenly. Add dry ingredients to the wet, a bit at a time. Then add oats, a bit at a time. Add dried fruit and nuts and mix briefly. Drop by heaping tablespoon onto prepared cookie sheets. Slightly dampen (not wet) fingers, flatten into disks. Edges can be somewhat irregular.      Leave at least an inch or two between cookies, because they spread. No more than a dozen cookies on the sheet at a time. 4 rows of three. Bake 11-13 minutes, or until golden brown. Set a timer! Cookies will rise, then flatten out and brown. Watch carefully. Rotate pan during baking for even browning. Cool on wire rack. Makes about 36 cookies.

What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another. – Chris Maser

Elon Musk has a company called The Boring Company, listed as an American infrastructure and tunnel construction services company – working towards electric car-based underground public transportation systems. Musk wants to work quickly to dig underground tunnels for freight, utility and transportation, in order to help eliminate carrier congestion. I’m not sure how that would work but it sounds invasive to me. In the process of building these underground tunnels, he would be releasing around 140,000 gallons of treated wastewater into the Colorado River near Bastrop, every day. The Boring Company set up a construction site in Bastrop two years ago; the company now known for violating regulations, housing people in mobile homes without sewage facilities, installing silos without permits, building without approval, and ignoring state safety laws, just doing things his way. Residents of Bastrop are skeptical about him releasing wastewater because the community uses the river for recreation, and farmers and ranchers use the water on crops and livestock that feed you and me. They’re all worried that it would harm the water quality. Hmmm. You think? One resident has suggested they reject the permit unless Elon Musk and his kids agree to go swimming in the Colorado River every day, with another stating even billionaires need to follow the law. It might be important to mention that some of the water being dumped would come from a different SpaceX site. Hmmm. Would it be in MacGregor, 17 miles outside Waco? or Boca Chica Village near Brownsville (once a haven for retirees, snowbirds and outdoorsy people) where the maiden voyage of SpaceX Super Heavy rocket and Starship spaceship was postponed this week, to April 20th because of a problem with a frozen valve.

McDonalds’s plans to improve the Big Mac and double cheeseburger with softer, pillowy golden-brown buns, hotter gooier cheese and a juicier, caramelized taste since the onions will be placed on extra-seared patties while they’re still hot on the grill. There will also be more Big Mac sauce.

Several nutritionists were asked to share information about one drink that they never or rarely drink. Their list included diet soda, regular soda, energy drinks (one 8-ounce can of Red Bull has 27 grams of sugar, more than a woman should have all day), fruit drinks – not fruit juice (almost as much sugar as the Red Bull – just grab an orange – whole fruit has fiber), alcoholic drinks – (4 ounces of margarita mix can have 26 grams of sugar – just like the Red Bull). They stressed that there is room for all beverages in a healthy diet, but some drinks should not be consumed very often at all. See above.

Leaked documents say Egypt is now supplying up to 40,000 missiles to Ukraine after talks with senior U.S. officials, abandoning an original secret plan to send them to Russia. Whoa. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been found to have quite a few errors in his financial disclosures. The “World” generated a record 10% of its electricity from wind and solar in 2021 and clean sources accounted for 38% of total power supply – even more than coal. Apple and Facebook provided customer data to hackers pretending to be law enforcement officials. Hmmm.

Land really is the best art.- Andy Warhol

If someone said to you, “mammoth meatball”, you would probably imagine a giant ball of savory meat, seasonings and breadcrumbs sitting on top a bed of steaming pasta. Nah. An Australian cultured meat company, Vow Food, which cultivates meat from animal cells without the slaughter of animals, has produced a meatball that incorporates DNA from the extinct woolly mammoth. I just report what I read. I could never make up stuff like this.

Since there is only one of me, does that make me endangered or a limited edition? Have a great Earth Day. Hope you plant a tree, a garden, or build a spot to compost your vegetable scraps. If everyone will do their part…

Lisa

Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com

What I Heard This Week 09-22-2022

What I Heard This Week September 21, 2022

Queen Elizabeth’s beloved Corgis Muick, and Sandy, will be cared for by the Duke and Duchess of York who still live in the same house with each other. The Queen owned more than 30 Corgis during her lifetime, each descended from her first, Susan, an 18th birthday gift from her father, George VI. Fascinating. Charles is now King, Camilla is Queen Consort, William and Kate are now the Prince and Princess of Wales, and Andrew gets the dogs. Poor Andrew.

Let us not take ourselves too seriously. None of us has a monopoly on wisdom. – Queen Elizabeth II

The world’s largest indoor vertical farm will be built in Virginia by Plenty Unlimited. The $300 million 120-acre facility will grow multiple crops including strawberries, leafy greens, and tomatoes. Plenty says that its 30-foot vertical towers maximize light for crops, producing 350 times the yield per acre of traditional farms and are climate-controlled and pesticide-free. The farm plans to produce 20 million pounds of food, starting with Driscoll’s strawberries. Despite the fact that this new farm is planning to bring 300 full-time jobs to Virginians, the crops will be tended to by tall robot arms. Yep. And there is a company called Vertical Oceans that plans to raise…get this …shrimp in the same way.

Work is the rent you pay for the room you occupy on earth. – Queen Elizabeth II

This week I ordered Cat Grass seeds for my cats and dog because they absolutely love it, and supposedly it helps with hairballs. Teller eats it up, but I think he does it because the cats like it, not because he gets hairballs. Anyway, Park Seed Company charged me $4.95 for shipping plus $1.00 fuel surcharge. Hmmm. What the heck? Fuel surcharge? That’s new. You would think that $4.95 shipping for a package of seeds would be sufficient. Simply a sign of the times.

If I wore beige, nobody would know who I am. – Queen Elizabeth II

Serena Williams is not ruling out a return to the world of professional tennis. One day last week she said, “I mean, you never know. I’ve just been saying that Tom Brady started a really cool trend, you know…and the way he did it…” So, about ten days after she retired, she is not ruling out a return.

We all need to get the balance right between action and reflection. With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock. – Queen Elizabeth II

When I see a recall that I think is beneficial, and there is space here, I tell you. Most of those are life-threatening or could cause bodily harm. Last week, COSTCO alerted customers about minor issues with two items sold in their stores which the company is offering refunds: Saffola Safflower Oil and Kirkland Signature 3lb Local Honey. I received a card in the mail because I had purchased the honey. Luckily, neither of these items are dangerous, just not as advertised. But receiving the card was very nice. Some stores leave consumers to their own devices when it comes to staying aware about which products have been recalled and pulled from shelves. But Costco said their packaging contained incorrect information that may influence customer satisfaction, and they were making it right. I appreciate that.

Ticket to Paradise is the new Julia Roberts and George Clooney movie, reuniting years after Ocean’s Eleven & Twelve, and Money Monster. They are now playing a divorced couple who make a truce in order to stop their daughter from marrying a man she just met. October 21. The rom-con trailer is good. Good chemistry. Top Gun: Maverick? I am going to tell you again. GO SEE IT. It is still in the theaters. I am now watching Only Murders in the Building with Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez. It is great, but not children friendly. In fact, if you have kids, watch it in your bedroom with volume down.

RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Newswoman Barbara Walters is 93. Actor Michael Douglas is 78. Actor Anson Williams of Happy Days is 73. Country singer Carlene Carter is 67. Daughter of June Carter Cash. Singer-actor-director Shaun Cassidy is 64. Actor Brigitte Bardot is 88. Singer-guitarist Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad is 74. Actor Melissa Sue Anderson of Little House on the Prairie is 60. Singer-guitarist Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos is 68. Actor Mark Hamill is 71. Star Wars.

Actor Jeremy Irons is 74. Actor-model Twiggy Lawson is 73. TV personality Joan Lunden is 72. Actor Sophia Loren is 88. Author-comedian Fanny Flagg is 81. TV personality Bryant Gumbel is 74. Actor Angie Dickinson is 91. Model Cheryl Tiegs is 75. Singer Cissy Houston is 89. Singer Johnny Mathis is 87. Singer Marilyn McCoo is 79. Actor Barry Williams of The Brady Bunch is 68. Actor Fran Drescher is 65.

Hurricane Fiona is continuing to strengthen and is expected to become a Category 4 by the time this paper is printed, then expected to pass awfully close to Bermuda late Thursday or Friday, then head north. Two other systems are being tracked in the Atlantic now; Tropical Depression Gaston, and Disturbance 98L which could spell trouble in the Gulf of Mexico next week. 70% chance of formation in next 48 hrs.

One day, a very depressed young woman watched her dad bake a loaf of bread; suddenly she found joy in her life and in baking. She and her dad now run the UK Orange Bakery where “corgi butter butts” inspired by the family dog Scout, are a customer favorite. Yep, I saw them online. The rolls look just like corgi butts, which are pretty cute. And if that does not bring you joy, nothing will.

During construction of the $8 billion Maya (Mayan) Train project in the Yucatan peninsula, there has been a discovery of an ancient Maya (Mayan) archaeological site comprised of more than 300 buildings, some of which stand over 26 feet tall. This location is somewhere between Playa del Carmen and Tulum where over 25,000 immovable assets have been uncovered along with ancient roads, 431 ceramic pots and 423 bones from human burials. The train project is being built to promote tourism, but communities, archaeologists, and environmental activists claim that resort developments will have the opposite effect.

After a tiring day, a commuter settled down in his seat and closed his eyes. As the train rolled out of the station, the young woman sitting next to him pulled out her cell phone and started talking in a loud voice:
“Hi sweetheart. It’s Sue. I’m on the train.”
“Yes, I know it’s the six thirty and not the four thirty, but I had a long meeting.”
“No, honey, not with that Kevin from the accounting office. It was with the boss.”
“No sweetheart, you’re the only one in my life“.
“Yes, I’m sure, cross my heart!”
Fifteen minutes later, she was still talking loudly. When the man sitting next to her had enough, he leaned over and said into the phone, “Sue, hang up the phone and come back to bed.”
Sue does not use her cell phone in public any longer. (Note: Just imagine this when you are in line, forced to listen to personal conversations at the grocery store, post office, fast-food restaurant, Tractor Supply, Baskin Robbins, or even The Source Weekly where we had to put up a sign that says, In the Interest of Accuracy and as a Courtesy to You, We Will Provide Service as Soon as Your Cell Phone Call is Completed.

Kinda Good news for Medicare. The Inflation Reduction Act that Biden signed into law last month has new rules that will reduce the cost of prescription drugs for some retirees. But change, of course, is not immediate.
In 2023 – Monthly insulin copay will be capped at $35 a month (just Medicare, not private insurance.)
In 2023: Free vaccines for Medicare with no copay for vaccines such as flu, pneumonia, and shingles.
Not until 2025: Annual out-of-pocket prescription drug costs to be capped at $2,000 for Medicare. (Huge improvement over current Part D that continues to charge 5% copay even after you have reached the devastating copay of $7,050.)
Not until 2026: Medicare (largest health care provider in the country) has never been allowed to negotiate prices for prescription drug costs. That’s not just costly for people on Medicare, it is costly to the federal government, therefore taxpayers are responsible for Medicare’s funding. Beginning in 2026, there will be 10 drugs priced based on negotiated rates, with more drugs to follow in the following three years. It has not yet been determined which 10 high-cost drugs will be in the first selection.

Out of respect, all of the McDonald’s in the UK closed their restaurants on the day of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral and it was also a bank holiday. So, today I’m sitting at the kitchen table reading The Chronicle, having just watched the Queen’s funeral which was magnificent and very touching. I just saw an ad for senior living community in Houston called, “The Buckingham.” Must be a royally nice place.

His Love’s 50th Anniversary and Buddy Scott’s 76th Birthday is being celebrated October 2. In lieu of a birthday gift, he is asking to please give an anniversary gift for His Love Counseling Services PO Box 518, LJ. Through the years, Buddy Scott has provided counseling for many.

It’s over now, the music of the night. Broadway’s longest running show is officially closing. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, The Phantom of the Opera, will close this winter, February 18th. Since opening night on January 26, 1988, the show has played 13,733 performances over nearly 35 years. Phantom has struggled to recover since it reopened in October 2021 following the covid pandemic closure and has been losing about $1 million a month. When it opened Michael Crawford was the masked romantic and Sarah Brightman was his beloved soprano, Christine. They won seven Tony awards including Best Actor for Crawford and Best Musical.

Many THANKS to Christopher S. for his kind words about The Source Weekly. We love it when you call our office, but he also suggested that it would be nice if we published more than once a week. Hmmm. Because this is a family newspaper, I cannot publish the comments that were thrown at me when I read his note to the staff but thank you for appreciating us SO much. AND to the gentleman that popped his head through the front door this morning to tell us what a great job we are doing and to keep up the good work, we say THANK YOU! Then he popped back in to say that sometimes you have to leave people with roses instead of thorns. Sweet. Remember to do that yourself this week. Roses, no thorns.

This hurts me to say. Nigerian officials seized thousands of male donkey genitals, a total of 16 sacks disguised or falsely declared as male cow genitals, but after careful examination, the cover-up was discovered. In July, Nigerian customs seized $116,000 worth of Donkey skins being smuggled INTO the country. Nigeria is now trying to eliminate the export of donkey skins (used mainly in China In popular traditional medicines) because it has drastically diminished the country’s population of the work animals and the poor donkeys are now facing extinction, because it seems they have a very low rate of fertility. Poor donkeys. They’re probably scared to death to procreate.

This is Child Passenger Safety Week.  A very important subject. If you need help determining if a child is in the right seat for his or her age and size, visit NHTSA.gov/TheRightSeat or NHTSA.gov/Protegidos.

Thanks for taking the time to read this today. We appreciate you.

LISA

Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com

What I Heard This Week 11-04-2021

What I Heard This Week November 3, 2021

On Halloween day, there were two black vultures sitting on a light pole at the entrance of our subdivision. Like they were props. Watching. Waiting. Very appropriate for the day. I took a picture.

New York City is now dealing with an unusual outbreak of a rare, sometimes fatal disease spread through rat urine, called leptospirosis. It is not known why there have been so many new cases this year, but warmer weather conditions fueled by climate change is cited as a possible factor. A group of rat hunters are doing their part to help catch the critters, along with their pet dogs. One gentleman has spent 30 years of Friday nights, responding to public complaints about the 2-million plus brown rats living in NYC. He said that his dogs instinctively kill the rats but never get sick because they know to avoid the diseased rats. See, things could be worse in Texas. My son says that the rats are all over Boston, too. Hmmm.

The trouble with being in the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat. Lily Tomlin

A fast-food customer was killed at the drive-thru window of a McDonald’s in what police called a freak accident. The customer opened his door to get something he had dropped from his window while paying. As he opened the door and leaned out, the car rolled forward hitting part of the restaurant, which pinned him between the door and the frame. Efforts were made by first responders to revive the man, but he died on the scene. In 2012, a woman suffered serious injuries in the same such situation at another McDonald’s when she dropped money, reached down to pick it up as her foot slipped off the brake, and the car rolled forward. In 2018, a motorist opened a door at a Jack In The Box drive-thru to get his food. He tried to back up, but accelerated while doing so, hit a tree, and was pinned between the car and tree. I know you are thinking to yourself, fast food kills, so I’m not even going to mention it.

To me, fast food is when a cheetah eats an antelope. George Carlin

Since 1963, we have all been wondering what is inside those memorizing Astro Lamps aka Lava Lamps, designed by Edward Craven Walker. It is actually wax that is heated, then floats and rises to the top of the lamp, then as it cools it falls back down. There has been so little change in the way that the lamp is made that you can still buy spare parts for a lamp that was made in the 60’s. At its peak of popularity in the 90’s, they were selling over 800,000 lamps a year. The precise mix of chemicals used in commercial lava lamps remains a trade secret, but it is said to be a blend of paraffin and perchloroethylene (PERC, aka dry-cleaning fluid, or brake part cleaner). The base liquid is supposed to be mostly a mixture of water, dye and chemicals that prevent the formation of fungus. Now you know.

A husband is someone who after taking out trash, gives the impression he just cleaned the whole house.

Josh Duggar, 33, of the 19 Kids and Counting show, was charged with receiving and possessing more than 200 images of child sex abuse material, involving minor children from about 18 months of age to 12 years. He said he is not guilty. His wife, Anna, very pregnant with their seventh child, says she believes he is innocent. He has been granted unlimited contact with his children (as long as his wife is present) but is not allowed to see any other minor children, including his many nieces and nephews. Allegedly he admitted he molested five underage girls as a teen, but he could not be criminally charged because of statute of limitations had run out (even though he had confessed.). Two of his own sisters have come forward as two of his victims. If convicted (come on, of course he should be convicted) he could face a possible sentence of 40 years. Hmmm. NOT LONG ENOUGH. As a mother, I know exactly what I think should happen to him. He would be screaming like a girl. Meanwhile back at home, his dad Bob Duggar will be running for Arkansas State Senate.

I believe more in the scissors than I do the pencil. Truman Capote

RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Actor Barry Newman is 83. Singer Johnny Rivers is 79. Mountain of Love. Singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is 78. Her fourth studio LP, the classic Blue Album was ranked No. 3 of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, by Rolling Stone Magazine. Actor Christopher Knight of The Brady Bunch is 64. Singer Bonnie Bramlett is 77. Delaney & Bonnie. Singer Bonnie Raitt is 72. Former Entertainment Tonight host Mary Hart is 71. Former Playboy CEO Christie Hefner is 69. Singer-songwriter Rickie Lee Jones is 67. Chuck E.’s in Love. Singer-actor Leif Garrett is 60. Actor Lou Ferrigno of The Incredible Hulk is 70. Singer Nick Lachey of 98 Degrees is 48. Blues singer Bobby Rush is 87. Country singer-songwriter Ray Wylie Hubbard is 75. Actor Whoopi Goldberg is 66. Guitarist Vince Martell of Vanilla Fudge is 76.

Lyricist Tim Rice is 77. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Aladdin, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast. Actor Mackenzie Phillips of One Day at a Time is 62. Actor Mackenzie Foy of Twilight is 21. Renesmee. Singer-keyboardist Paul Cowsill of The Cowsills is 70. The Rain, The Park and Other Things. Actor Stanley Tucci is 61. Actor Demi Moore is 58. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is 47. Keyboardist Booker T. Jones of Booker T. and the MG’s is 77. Singer Neil Young is 76. Guitarist Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult is 74. Actor Jimmy Hawkins is 80. He played Jimmy Stewart & Donna Reed’s son, Tommy Bailey, in the Frank Capra film classic … It’s A Wonderful Life.

The oldest surviving former Miss America, Jo-Carroll Dennison, died at 97. With a talent performance of Deep in the Heart of Texas, she captured the crown in 1942, after a banker stopped her on the street in Tyler, Texas and asked her to represent his bank in the town beauty pageant. She was one of the first pageant winners to object to wearing a swimsuit as she toured in the year after her victory.

In Texas, a mother and her 20-month-old baby boy were in a motel room when someone knocked. Three women overpowered the mother and took the child. The mother chased after them and was able to physically rip the front license plate from their vehicle before they drove away. Police used this information along with surveillance video, and the child was eventually returned to his mother safely. Ahh. The strength of a mother’s love can literally peel license plates right off cars.

Taco Bell is testing a monthly taco subscription service called Taco Lover’s Pass, where you can get one taco per day, for a month. More information to come, but great idea. Chipotle is adding smoked brisket to the menu. YUM. McDonald’s will be adding a new cheeseburger called The McPlant that is vegan. The burger is made with Beyond Meat which includes ingredients like yellow peas, coconut, potato, and beetroot juice. It is topped with vegan cheese and vegan sandwich sauce. For all my vegetarian friends. In an effort to protect our planet, McDonald’s is giving Happy Meals toys an environmentally friendly makeover, phasing out plastic toys, and if it works (of course it will work if they really want it to work), resulting in a 90% reduction in virgin plastics in favor of customizable crafts and build-your-own construction projects, paper-based trading cards, board games and lots of fun in each Happy Meal. I say get rid of anything that is not compostable, not biodegradable, that way it returns to the Earth.

OK, listen up. I am going to give you plenty of time to get your stuff together. Texas Gulf Bank is hosting Shred Day at the LJ Rec Center parking lot on Saturday Dec. 4th from 8 to 11:30. I got there last time and the truck was already full, so get your papers gathered up now so you are ready when the time comes. Mark it on your calendar right now so you will not forget. You know you have stuff that needs shredding.

What does it tell you when you can buy a $123,000 battery-powered Aston Martin DB5. It is the same car James Bond drives. Oh, but wait, there is more to this story. It just so happens this is the child-size version. Yes, for children. The Aston Martin DB5 Junior is a smaller version of the one in the movies, including little toy machine guns that come out of the front as the headlights retract, and a smokescreen device that pumps dark smoke through tiny little exhaust pipes. Isn’t this sweet? And your name doesn’t even have to be Kardashian. Hmmm. It can get up to speeds of 45 to 50 mph. The Aston Martin spokesperson says, “We’d encourage parents to ensure their kids wear a helmet and that kids are supervised while driving.” Oh, really? Honestly, don’t you remember how good it felt to be going downhill on your bike with your feet hanging off the pedals and your hair flying in the wind? I vote for bicycles for Christmas, like in the old days. Walmart has a bunch in stock right now.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has decided on a formal definition of Long COVID, defining it as a “post-COVID condition.” The WHO said: “Common symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive dysfunction but also others… which generally have an impact on everyday functioning. Symptoms may be new-onset, following initial recovery from an acute Covid-19 episode, or persist from the initial illness. Symptoms may also fluctuate or relapse over time.”

“First of all, you don’t get the vaccine for yourself, you get it for other people,” NBA legend Charles Barkley said. “I got vaccinated. I can’t wait to get the booster. You don’t get vaccinated just for yourself. Like [NBA Commissioner] Adam [Silver] said, you get vaccinated for your family first, you get vaccinated for your teammates second.” “I think everybody should get vaccinated,” Barkley added, noting he was “proud of the Nets for putting their foot down and for saying, ‘No, we’re not going to deal with this half on, half off’” and allow Kyrie Irving just to play on the road. Note: Irving will still receive half of his $35 million salary as he sits out the season. Yep. $17 million to sit at home.

Even if we disagree about everything, we can still be kind to each other.

Volkswagen just unveiled a tiny, boxy electric SUV called “ID. Life,”  a cute concept vehicle priced for first time car buyers that should cost around $24,000, when it gets here. VW says the car is made from several different recycled and renewable materials. Wood chips were used as a coloring agent in the car’s paint, and the lightweight removable roof is made from recycled bottles. The tires are made from biologically based oils, rice husks and natural rubber.

Having kids basically feels like waking up on the first morning of daylight saving time every day for 18 years.

Fall Back! Daylight Saving Time is November 7th. No “s” at the end of saving. That means it will start getting dark right after you eat lunch. It just seems so silly for us to continue doing this. In 2020, American Academy of Sleep Medicine said the U.S. should eliminate daylight saving time in favor of a year-round standard time. The Royal Family has a resident clock master who must turn back 1,500 clocks. Think of the money they could save. Let’s repeal and replace Daylight Saving Time. Actually, I thought it happened last week-end, so on Sunday morning I got ready to re-set the clock in the kitchen after looking at the correct time on my cellphone. Well, that was weird. I convinced myself that the electricity had gone out during the night because I heard my neighbor’s generator going, or perhaps I just convinced myself that I heard it. Anyway, I believed what I told myself, and went on with my day. I worked outside, pulling weeds, burning sticks and never gave it another thought. BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING AT MY CELLPHONE which was correct. The next morning the cats woke me up an hour early for food. Dang. They had set their clocks forward. 😊 Have a great weekend and thanks again for reading and shopping with us. We appreciate you so much! Don’t forget to sell something or call (979-285-9200) for our FREE garage sales ads. It is Garage Sale Season.

LISA

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What I Heard This Week! 08-26-2021

What I Heard This Week August 25, 2021

A 30-year-old El Paso woman posed as her 13-year-old daughter and has been charged with trespassing on school grounds, supposedly to prove the vulnerability of the security at the school. She documented the day on social media and is now charged with criminal trespass, tampering with government records and an unrelated outstanding traffic warrant. In the video she is wearing a hoodie and a mask, so it is believable that she could get away with it.

July 2021 was the Earth’s hottest month ever recorded, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Mike Richards stepped down as the new host of Jeopardy, just days after it was announced that he had been chosen. The news came after past lawsuits of Richards’s alleged harassment and discrimination on The Price is Right resurfaced, though he denies the claims. Some of the host’s past controversial comments about women, Jewish people, and the disabled community made on a 2013 podcast, also made the rounds. I have always told my kids that you must be careful, because you never know who your next boss may be. Looks like the ‘people’ decided he wasn’t the right man for the job. Supposedly, Ken Jennings is now in the lead to replace Richards. Poor LeVar Burton.

At the start of the pandemic, McDonald’s took away some breakfast items, McMuffins and McGriddles. Then they started serving pastries all day, no breakfast sandwiches. There’s a blueberry muffin, cinnamon roll, and apple fritters. On September 1, they will add the Glazed Pull Apart Donut, large enough that you can share…fried dough, sugar glaze and…well, that’s it. Fried dough and sugar glaze. Just like a real donut. You may not want to share. Really. When is the last time you shared a donut? OREO just announced two new limited-edition cookie flavors. Salted Caramel Brownie, and Apple Cider Donut. Hmmm. At least it’s not Pumpkin Pie Spice. Mountain Dew VooDew 2021 is being released for the third year, just in time to be scary. You will always know when I am hungry, by what I write. I’m starving right now.

There was a very tiny bit of very hot gardening going on at the back of my office this weekend and while I was back there, I happened to see a longtime friend. Our conversation went from trivial to such hot weather, to climate change. When I mentioned to him that he needed to enjoy it, because it is the coolest summer of the rest of our lives, he said, “So, I’m guessing you believe in climate change.” I do believe. Yes, indeed, I do. He stated that he does not believe. This week, the world’s leading authority on climate change, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, told the world our climate is dangerously close to a tipping point that would lead to climate chaos, and that human activities are to blame.  Deadly and record-breaking forest fires, heat waves, floods and droughts occurring not only in the U.S., but around the world, are showing us the beginnings of extreme weather. They are calling this “code red for humanity.” There is a positive side to the report showing that we can change our course, but it can’t be left to chance. It will be determined by the choices we make from this day on. Not just a couple of people, or a couple of companies – every single one of us, in every community, in every country, as a common goal to heal our planet. So, I started thinking, after my friend left. “What if you’re wrong?” If you are wrong, then eventually and quickly, we destroy everything beautiful thing that we are so blessed to have in this world, leaving a very dangerous and threatening place for our children and grandchildren. If I’m wrong, we will simply be leaving a much prettier, cleaner, smarter world for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Your actions matter. You can make a difference. Why not start today.

The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are scorched, and few men are left. Isaiah 24:5-6

RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Actor Nita Talbot is 91. Hogan’s Heroes. Actor Dustin Hoffman is 84. Actor Connie Stevens is 83. Country singer Phil Balsley of The Statler Brothers is 82. Actor Larry Wilcox is 74. California Highway Patrol Officer Jonathan “Jon” Baker in CHiPs. Actor Keith Carradine is 72. Actor Donny Most is 68. Ralph Malph on Happy Days. News anchor Deborah Norville is 63. Actor Sam Elliott is 77. Singer Barbara Mason is 74. 1965 hit song “Yes, I’m Ready”.  Today co-host Hoda Kotb is 57. Singer-flutist Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull is 74. Mandolin player Gene Johnson of Diamond Rio is 72.

Cartoonist Gary Larson of The Far Side is 71. Singer Sarah Brightman is 61. Actor Antonio Banderas is 61. Wrestler-actor Hulk Hogan is 68. Singer Joe Jackson is 67. Actor George Hamilton is 82. Actor Danny Bonaduce of The Partridge Family is 62. Singer Dash Crofts of Seals and Crofts is 83. Summer Breeze, Diamond Girl. Singer David Crosby is 80. Actor-musician Steve Martin is 76. Actor Antonio Fargas is 75. Huggy Bear in Starsky and Hutch. Bassist Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone is 75.

Charlie Watts, drummer for the Rolling Stones since January 1963 and one of the greatest in rock & roll history, has died at the age of 80. His first love was jazz, so he took the Stones to great levels. The news comes weeks after it was announced that Watts would miss the band’s new US tour dates to recover from an unspecified medical procedure. He had previously been treated for throat cancer in 2004. My son reminded me of a story. As the three of us were leaving the Rolling Stones 2019 Houston concert, my daughter remarked, “I wish Charlie Watts was my grandpa.” He was a sharp dresser, married to the same woman for 57 years, and as an artist, after their concerts he would go back to the hotel (while others partied) and sketch a picture of the bed. Watts told Rolling Stone: “I make a sketch of every bedroom I sleep in. I’ve sketched every bed I’ve slept in on tour since about 1968.” Perhaps it will become a best-selling coffee table book for all of his fans.

Don Everly, one-half of the pioneering Everly Brothers whose harmonizing country rock hits impacted a generation of rock ‘n’ roll music, has died. He was 84. The brothers began singing country music in 1945 on their family’s radio show in Shenandoah, Iowa. Bye Bye Love, Let It Be Me, All I Have to Do Is Dream, and Wake Up Little Susie. Child star Jane Withers died at 95. As a girl, she landed leading roles along with Shirley Temple. As an adult, she was known as Josephine the Plumber in ads for Comet cleanser. Nanci Griffith, Texas-born singer-songwriter celebrated in folk and country-music circles for her crystal-clear voice, and storytelling skills, died in Nashville at age 68.

In Fredericksburg, a Dalmatian gave birth to sixteen puppies. A typical litter is about around 6-8. Hmmm. Pongo and Perdita are the parents in the story of 101 Dalmatians, and they had 15 puppies. General Motors and Ford are locked in a trademark battle over which company gets to use the word cruise in branding for its self-driving vehicles. How about neither! Two customers at a North Houston McDonald’s drive-through were arrested after allegedly pulling a gun on the restaurant’s manager during a dispute over the amount of salt on their fries. One of the suspects was out on probation for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. Hmmm.

A dehydrated, underweight alligator was spotted basking in the sun on a Padre Island beach, 400 miles west of where it had been tagged in the bayous of Louisiana, puzzling National Park Service rangers. It was transported to a rehabilitation center, where he/she says you’ll have to read the book, to find out the real story. 😊 A 72-year-old Kingwood man, called the Tan Ben Franklin, has run races on every single continent and in all fifty states, finishing nearly 800 marathons. Serena Williams and Nike have launched a new line of women’s apparel and shoes. Some colleges are now un-enrolling students if they are not vaccinated or charging thousands of dollars in Covid testing fees to remain on-campus. It’s about time. In some cases, they are threatening to cut off their wi-fi. Bet that works better than anything else.

What’s more American than apple pie and hot dogs? Chevy challenged Guy Fieri to craft a recipe, with all the flavors we associate with baseball. Remember the Chevy jingle from the 1970s, “baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.” Supposedly, Car & Driver named it the co-best car commercial of all time. Before you turn up your nose, read the ingredients. It actually sounds pretty good…handheld, savory, sweet, and quite pretty. This recipe is for just one single Apple Pie Hotdog, but I think you might want to at least double the recipe even if you’re by yourself this Labor Day, because all the reviews say they’re quite good.

Apple Pie Hotdog
1 packet pie crust dough
1 ¾ oz apple pie filling, lightly mashed with a fork
½ oz bacon jam
1 all-beef hot dog, dried off
2 tsp Demerara sugar (substitute: Turbinado sugar. Light brown sugar. Granulated sugar. Sanding sugar.)
1 egg beaten
Pinch apple pie spice
A drizzle of apple mustard (50/50 apple pie filling and yellow mustard) make extra, use to marinade chicken, in slaw, meatloaf, or ham.)
Instructions
Cut two 3” x 5” pie crust dough rectangles and place on baking sheet
Egg wash the pie crust dough edges
Spread apple pie filling down middle of rectangle, then bacon jam, place hot dog in middle
Cover with second 3” x 5” pie crust dough (stretch it)
Crimp edges with a fork to seal (it will stick out a little on one end)
Egg wash top of Apple Pie Hot Dog
Sprinkle with apple pie spice and sugar
Bake in over at 350 for 18-20 minutes until golden
Remove from oven, drizzle with apple mustard and top with crumbled bacon. If you aren’t a huge fan of mustard, you can just use a little for taste. The touch of spice balances all the sweetness. It’s so easy to burn the edges and get soggy bottom, so bake with care.

A Lake Jackson man recovered from a rare, flesh-eating bacteria that he caught in his right hand over the Memorial Day weekend. It is called Vibrio Vulnificus. He had been surf fishing near the free beach at Surfside. That’s pretty bad, isn’t it? Well, not as bad as deciding to go fishing again, in the same area, only to find that he had it again, in his left hand. He underwent two surgeries, but still isn’t sure how he contracted the bacteria since he didn’t have any cuts or open wounds. Galveston County Health Department has reported only cases in of Vibrio in 2021, one in Crystal Beach and the other was food-related. Hmmm. Stephen King said, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, shame on both of us.” Sir, stay out of the water, it’s not safe.

Have a great weekend. Thanks for reading us. I will leave you with the little thought that Connie sent me. If I have to stir it, then it’s homemade. Yes, indeed.

LISA

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What I Heard This Week! 06-17-2021

What I Heard This Week June 17, 2021

MacKenzie Scott, bless her heart, is troubled by increasing concentration of wealth, so she has given away another $2.7 billion of her fortune to 286 non-profits. In her divorce from Jeff Bezos, Scott received a 4% stake in Amazon. Shares of the stock rose during the pandemic, so despite giving away billions since, her wealth continues to grow. What a lovely problem. Her net worth estimated at $36.1 billion in October 2019, has increased by some $23 billion since then. The really great part of this story is that she just gave $3 million to Brazosport College, one of the largest donations in the college’s history. Yeah, to a woman that will leave a legacy like no other…education for all.

“The only Father’s Day tradition in my family is the annual conversation he and I have where I say, ‘Hey, Dad, what do you want for Father’s Day this year?’ and he says, ‘Nothing.’ Then I ask my mom what I should get him, and she says, ‘He likes sandalwood soap, dangly jewelry and Chanel No. 5 perfume.’”
Michael Showalter

Harvey Weinstein is serving a 23-year sentence for rape and sexual sex act convictions in NY State, in a medical unit dealing with his cardiac, back, eyesight, and dental problems. His latest request to delay extradition to California was denied this week. Weinstein’s lawyers feel that he needs to stay where he is for treatments. “They don’t get to pick when and where they get the treatment,” the assistant District attorney argued. “It’s Los Angeles. It’s not some remote outpost that doesn’t have any sort of medical care.” In California, Weinstein is facing 11 counts of sexual assault. Some people create their own storms and then get mad when it rains.

“We wondered why when a child laughed, he belonged to Daddy, and when he had a sagging diaper that smelled like a landfill, ‘He wants his mother.’” Erma Bombeck

This was taken from a Newsweek feed (because I could not figure out how to repeat it).People have tried to auction their souls on eBay. The e-commerce website promptly shut down those attempts because the sellers can’t deliver what they are promising. eBay also explained another reason why it forbids soul selling, stating “if the soul does exist then, in accordance with eBay’s policy on human parts and remains, we would not allow the auctioning of human souls.” Huh. This sounds way too much like National Inquirer.

Which leads me to this. An Italian visual artist recently sold an invisible sculpture for over $18,000. In other words, an artist sold something that does not exist, for real money. What? Do auction houses actually allow people to sell something that does not exist. Hey, it says it even comes with a certificate of authenticity. Am I just not keeping up or is our society getting a little weird?

Attn: Texans: The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a conservation alert citing “tight grid conditions” amid potential record electricity demand. ERCOT operates separately in Texas from the rest of the country. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas is asking residents to reduce their electric use as  temperatures rise, only four months after Texas plunged into a freezing blackout that left millions without power. With a fireplace and gas stove, I can live through a freeze. I cannot do, no AC.

I’ve been to war. I’ve raised twins. If I had a choice, I’d rather go to war. George W. Bush

FOOD: After 60 years on the McDonald’s menus, non-carbonated Hi-C Orange Lava Burst went away. Fans petitioned, and now it’s back! Sonic has new Cheesecake Blasts. It says, Real cheesecake. Real ice cream. Real delicious. Creamy cheesecake swirled with real ice cream & buttery graham cracker pieces, topped with real cheesecake plus more graham cracker pieces. Only 940 calories. Hmmm. And it comes in strawberry, too. Starbucks now has Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew, a cold non-dairy coffee.

RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Singer Anne Murray is 76. Snowbird. Home repair show host Bob Vila is 75. Singer Lionel Richie is 72. Actor John Goodman is 69. Bassist Michael Anthony of Van Halen is 67. Actor Nicole Kidman is 54. Bassist Twiggy Ramirez (aka Marilyn Manson) is 50. Actor Bernie Kopell of The Love Boat is 88. Actor Monte Markham is 86. Actor Mariette Hartley is 81. Musician Ray Davies of The Kinks is 77. Actor Meredith Baxter of Family Ties is 74. Actor Michael Gross (Baxter’s co-star on Family Ties) is 74. Country singer Kathy Mattea is 62. Singer Eddie Kaylan of The Turtles is 74. Guitarist Jeff Beck is 77. Singer Todd Rundgren is 73. Actor Lindsay Wagner of The Bionic Woman is 72. Actor Michele Lee is 79. Singer Cyndi Lauper is 68. Singer Peter Asher of Peter and Gordon is 77. Actor Meryl Streep is 72.

Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys is 79. Singer Alan Osmond of The Osmonds is 72. Actor Ted Shackelford of Knots Landing is 75. Actor Frances McDormand is 64. Drummer Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac is 74. Actor June Lockhart is 96. Lost in Space, Petticoat Junction. Singer Carly Simon is 76. Keyboardist-saxophonist Ian McDonald of Foreigner and King Crimson is 75. Actor-comedian Jimmie Walker is 74. Dy-no-mite! Keyboardist David Paich of Toto is 67. Actor Ricky Gervais is 60. Jazz pianist Dave Grusin is 87. Singer Billy Davis Junior of the Fifth Dimension is 83. Singer-actor Kris Kristofferson is 85. Me and Bobby McGee, Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, A Star Is Born. Not much of an actor or singer, but mighty fine to look at.

Ned Beatty died at 83. In 1972, he made his film debut in Deliverance, starring Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds.Network, Superman; the list of great movies is long.  He also voiced the villainous tortoise mayor in Rango, and Lotso the Huggin’ strawberry-scented teddy bear who ruled Sunnyside Daycare like a prison in Toy Story 3.

To mark the 40th anniversary of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Steven Spielberg’s 1981 masterpiece is being re-released July 9, 2021, for a one-week special engagement in theaters across the country. It will have to keep you satisfied until July 29, 2022, when “Indiana Jones 5” starring Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Mads Mikkelsen, is released.

Join the Chappell Hill Lavender Farm and Windy Winery on August 14th for their annual Lavender & Wine Fest. Two locations: Chappell Hill Lavender Farm and Windy Winery. FREE admission. $1 parking. Music, vendors, and activities at both locations. A great way to spend the day for the entire family!

The best things in life aren’t things.- Art Buchwald

Dr. Bronner’s, a popular natural soap brand that I love, especially the peppermint and eucalyptus, is sharing Dr. Bronner’s Magic All-One Chocolate and will sell online by fall. It is dairy-free chocolate and will come in six different flavors: roasted whole hazelnuts, crunchy hazelnut butter, salted whole almonds, salted almond butter, salted dark chocolate and smooth coconut praline. The bars are made from cocoa grown through regenerative organic practices, and are made with lower-glycemic coconut sugar. Organic, vegan, and certified Fairtrade product. (And did I mention it is chocolate.)

Just in time for July 4th, a second bronze statue of the Statue of Liberty is leaving France for the US, more than a century after the larger version made the same journey.  “The statue symbolizes freedom and the light around all the world,” said the administrator of the National Museum of Arts and Crafts in central Paris, where it has been installed since 2011 in the museum’s garden. “We want to send a very simple message: Our friendship with the United States is very important, particularly at this moment. We have to conserve and defend our friendship.” The statue, 992 pounds, and just shy of 10 feet tall, was first made in 2009, an exact replica of the original 1878 plaster model preserved by CNAM. Destination is Washington, DC, where it will be displayed for 10 years at the French ambassador’s residence. Merci.

The Senate unanimously passed a bill to make Juneteenth, the day commemorating the end of slavery in the US, a public holiday. Kelly Clarkson is set to take over Ellen DeGeneres’ daytime slot.Covid-19U.S.death toll is approaching 600,000. Wow. A Texas family welcomed their third child with the same birthday. A Goliath grouper, a species at one point near extinction, was caught in South Carolina. The homemade sign said “My cat is a thief. Please take these items if they are yours.” Next to the sign is a small clothesline with 12 gloves and a face mask. I bet that cat was so proud. A very muscular, and tattooed man was tired of seeing the wedding dress of his ex-fiancée hanging in his closet, so he decided to sell it. A buyer wanted to see what it looked like on, so the guy with muscles and a ton of tattoos wore it himself, sharing the snaps in a Tik Tok video. She did not buy the dress.

Having children is like having a bowling alley installed in your brain. Martin Mull

My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, “You’re tearing up the grass.” “We’re not raising grass,” Dad would reply. “We’re raising boys.” Harmon Killebrew

A North Dakota man skipped his niece’s wedding for a Las Vegas poker tournament, coming home with $367,800 in winnings. “I just had a really strong feeling about this tournament,” he said. “I had to go. I don’t really know what it was, but I thought I could take it down, or get real close to it. I can get (Macie) a better wedding present now.” Miller has been playing poker for about 15 years and has won more than $500,000.

You can tell what the best year of your dad’s life was because they (dads) seem to freeze that clothing style and ride it out. Jerry Seinfeld

You have heard the story…Jeff Bezos, one of the world’s richest people, is going to travel into space. His brother, Mark, will join him on a Blue Origin flight, the rocket company that he owns. They will launch 62 miles above the Earth’s surface aboard the company’s first human flight on July 20th, just 15 days after Bezos steps down as Amazon’s CEO, a role he has served in for 27 years.  A mystery person paid $28 million at an auction that attracted interest from more than 140 countries, just to travel with them. They will have to endure up to 5.5 gigs of force during the ascent but will return to Earth in just 11 minutes. But that is old news. A man named Jose Ortiz set up a petition on Change.org titled “Petition to Not Allow Jeff Bezos Re-Entry to Earth.” He jokingly said, “Jeff Bezos is actually Lex Luthor (evil DC Comics character that Bezos looks like), disguised as the supposed owner of a super successful online retail store.” “However, he’s actually an evil overlord hell bent on global domination.” Ortiz concluded. “Sign the petition. Share with your friends and family. The fate of humanity is in your hands.” Hmmm. Read on.

If you asked me if I would like to sit and have a meal with Jeff Bezos, I would not get really excited. I personally think that at some point we (you, me, your neighbors) will be paying $11 for a loaf of bread, and we will ONLY be able to order it from Amazon. But here is another goofy story, so I will finish. There is another petition with thousands of signatures, again on change.org.  They are calling on Bezos to do something that would change the course of culture and civilization forever…buy and eat the Mona Lisa. Yes, the painting, which, by the way, is not even for sale. 😊 Obviously, there are people out there that need to get back to work and apply their brilliant skills elsewhere. Thank you so much for reading us this week. Thank you for getting vaccinated.

LISA

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Much Ado About Nothing – “McCandles”

Much Ado About Nothing February 27, 2020

Much Ado by Jean Ciampi

The world can be an ugly, broken place full of horrible things we just can’t possibly understand. As of today, there’s one more: Quarter Pounder Candles. Correction: there are six more horrible things. McDonald’s announced they are releasing a six-pack of candles scented like the six ingredients in their Quarter Pounder hamburger. You don’t even have an extra charge for the cheese smell. A definite perk. And definitely gross.

According to the website where I know you’ll want to rush immediately to either confirm that I am not, in fact, making this stuff up or to be the first to order yours (in which case there’s something bad wrong with you), it’s a “set of 6 custom scented candles in glass containers, inspired by Quarter Pounder ingredients: Bun, Ketchup, Pickle, Cheese, Onion, 100% Fresh Beef.” I think it’s completely ironic that these candles are a “soy wax blend.” The scent is 100% beef but the candle itself is a soy blend? Uh huh. Nothing suspicious there.

Honestly, do people want their house smelling like a cheap fast-food hamburger? I suppose it’s better than cow farts or crushed stink bug, but if my house smells like the drive thru, I usually light a candle to make that smell go away.

So many questions. Is the intent that you burn them all at the same time? If so, why not have one candle with all the scents together? Disgusting to consider but certainly more efficient. Does the onion candle make your eyes water? Although, if you think about it, if you cut up an actual onion and cook with it, your house will smell like onion and (here’s the bonus points!) you have something better to eat than a fast-food hamburger.

While you’re there checking out the candles, you can pick up your $35 heart-shaped Quarter Pounder with Love locket “featuring beautiful photos of the Quarter Pounder, the Quarter Pounder Bacon, the Quarter Pounder Deluxe, and the Double Quarter Pounder. You’re welcome.” (The “you’re welcome” is on the website. That’s not me. Seriously. That’s not from me.) But it includes an 18-inch rope chain, so there’s that. Although it does nothing to reduce the factor of weird.

While I think this is beyond bizarre, I am wearing Whataburger socks. But that’s Whataburger and not weird. The website is GoldenArchesUnlimited.com. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

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What I Heard This Week! 02-13-2020

What I Heard This Week February 13, 2020

Dear Houston Chronicle: Here I am again, letting you know that my newspaper has only been delivered ONCE this week even though I pay for daily delivery. When I call you or email you each week for our sweet chats, you always assure me that someone will deliver back issues of all the ones that I didn’t receive…I’m expecting a truckload to be delivered at any moment so be sure to park in front of my office so you won’t have to walk so far to bring them to me. If I can’t have my back copies, could I please have a credit for all the papers that haven’t been delivered as you promised. I haven’t received a single credit that you promised I would receive. This has been going on for three months now. Can someone please speak to the carrier that is supposed to deliver to downtown Lake Jackson businesses? What exactly can be done to get my paper delivered? If we can’t work this out, then please discontinue my delivery and refund the payment that I’ve made to have your paper delivered thru the end of February. Oops. Wait. I forgot. You’ve already discontinued my delivery. What was I thinking!?!?!

Coca-Cola’s first new brand in more than a decade arrives in March. It’s called Aha and is caffeinated, favored sparkling water. Nabisco has two new Oreo flavors, Caramel Coconut and Chocolate Marshmallow.

Olivia Jade Giannulli, daughter of Lori Loughlin and Mossino Giannulli (college-admission scandal), has now had her glorified resume made public after being released in a court filing.  The resume states that Giannulli was “highly talented” and “successful” in both women’s and men’s boats and claimed that she participated in prestigious races like the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston. In real life, she did not participate in crew while in high school. It also states that she achieved many gold, silver and bronze medals for her rowing achievements. Really. What kind of a parent does this?

The forest was shrinking but the trees kept voting for the axe as its handle was made of wood and they thought it was one of them. Old Turkish Proverb

Scientists have succeeded in creating two embryos of the near-extinct northern white rhino as part of an international effort to save the species which is down to two – both females. Eggs were taken from the females and frozen sperm from dead males and will be transferred into a surrogate mother, a southern white rhino, soon.

Money isn’t always going to behave in ways you can predict. – Suze Orman

There was an article about the 10 best household products of 2019 and the first recommendation on the list was a lobster-rope doormat. Wait, I have one at my front door. Several companies make them, but I think I ordered mine on-sale from L.L. Bean. I had admired the ones my next-door neighbors have at their front door. If you’re a fan of mass-produced rubber mats or the bristle coconut fiber ones that cause you to drag in more stuff to your house than you had on your shoes to begin with, then this is not the mat for you. The one I bought is now a little more than a year old and looks brand-new. You just wash it down with the water hose and give it a shake.

“I’m not trying to sell you me. I’m trying to sell you you.”– Singer Lizzo, on her message of body positivity and self-love.

A three-year-old cancer patient got her wish of eating at J. Wilson’s in Beaumont. When the restaurant heard that Adelaide Stanley couldn’t go out in public because of a weakened immune system, they opened early, decorated in her favorite color, pink, made her favorite food, biscuits, then covered the cost of the meal. Lots of good in the world.

RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Former French President Valery Giscard d’Estaing is 94. Comedian Tom Smothers is 83. Rock singer guitarist Graham Nash is 78. Television exec Barry Diller is 78. Tinder, okCupid, Match.com, Expedia, Cheers, The Simpsons.  Rock musician Ross Valory is 71. Journey. Model Christie Brinkley is 66. (She really makes it hard on the rest of us girls.) Actor Stuart Whitman is 92. Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines. Lisa Marie Presley is 52.

Singer Harry Styles is 26. One Direction. Actress Mamie Van Doren is 89. Actor Mike Farrell is 81.  NBC News anchorman Tom Brokaw is 80. Singer Fabian is 77. Rock singer Axl Rose is 58. Guns N’ Roses. Composer conductor John Williams is 88. Newscaster Ted Koppel is 80. Professional surfer Bethany Hamilton is 30. Actor Jerry Adler is 91. Former Argentinian President Isabel Peron is 89. Rock singer Alice Cooper is 72. Olympic gold medal boxer Oscar De La Hoya is 47.

Texas is now 183 years old. Horned lizards are the official reptiles of Texas. The lighting whelk is the state shell and the prickly pear is the state plant. The state flower is the bluebonnet, the state fish is the Guadalupe bass and the state bird is the northern mockingbird. Three state mammals include the longhorn, armadillo and Mexican free-tailed bat.  According to Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine, the state cooking implement is the Dutch oven, the state dish is chili and the state snack is chips and salsa. Official state foods include the 1015 sweet onion, red grapefruit and chiltepin pepper. Well, what the heck is a Chiltepin pepper? It seems that the Chiltepin (capsicum annuum) ranges from 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units on the pepper scale, with the chance for a bit hotter if a crop had an ideally wet growing season. This makes it equal with Thai peppers in terms of overall heat and about 23 times spicier than your standard jalapeño. It’s a tiny little pepper. I think I’ll just stick to jalapeños.

Property Brothers, Drew and Jonathan Scott launched a quarterly lifestyle magazine called Reveal. It’s not just home design tips and tricks, but inspiration and simple steps to get the most out of life, along with delicious recipes, travel destinations and tours of the most beautiful homes. Lizzo’s RodeoHouston show sold out in just a matter of minutes. Princess Beatrice will marry on May 29 in the Chapel Royal of St. James’s Palace. Beatrice is the elder daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.

New movie sequels for 2020 are Top Gun: Maverick, with Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer and Jennifer Connelly, arriving June 26. Bill & Ted Face the Music, with Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter due out on August 21st. Then my personal favorite: Legally Blonde 3 with Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, due out on May 8th.  

Texas is among the 21 states where it is lawful to decline hiring individuals who use nicotine products.

Climate Change: Because of drenched fields across the U.S., there is a shortage of soft winter wheat which is used in flour for snacks…crackers, biscuits, Oreo’s, Cheez-Its.

If you have ever wanted to ride on a float in a Mardi Gras parade, now is your opportunity. For $175, you can ride on a float, then party like a VIP at a balcony party with your friends and family. They provide the beads, driver and parade insurance. You just bring your ID, cash and a crowd with you. Reservations needed.   MardiGrasGalveston.com

Siba, a standard poodle, is the new Westminster Dog Show’s top winner. She is beautiful and immediately reminded me of Cher at the 1986 Oscars where she had the towering black feather headdress designed by Bob Mackie. Look up Siba, then look up Cher 1986 dress, then tell me what you think…

Coronavirus War: COVID-19 (new name). It’s affecting the manufacturing of the iPhone in China. Pets are being abandoned by their owners due to fears that their animals can carry the virus. Some thrown from balconies several stories high. Reports are now saying that health care workers were infected as early as early January, but China did not disclose this information. A Chinese citizen journalist who had been reporting on the virus is now missing after posting videos of corpses and hospitals. The Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined in Japan now has a total of 175 confirmed cases (as of 02-12) and workers on the ship are pleading for help because they are forced to work and interact with potentially infected passengers with no protection for themselves. Hmmm.

There were a few things I needed to pick up at Target, which ended up being a basketful. When I got to the checkout, there were no real people checking, just four self-checks and a super long line. So, I waited my turn, thinking that the one person watching us could have been checking too. Sigh. McDonald’s has purchased voice-recognition technology so you will eventually have a machine taking your order then relaying that information to their kitchen staff. This is ‘supposed’ to speed up the process. This in turn will boost sales. Hmmm. I hope that this same service can learn to count change since no one seems to know how anymore. It’s official, I’m not only old, I’m grumpy, too.

Sometimes I shock myself with the smart stuff I say and do. Then, there are times when I try to get out of the car with my seatbelt on. Facebook

Former “Empire” star Jussie Smollett has been indicted by a grand jury on six counts for making false reports in connection with the actor’s claim a year ago that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack near his Chicago apartment. Police concluded Smollett orchestrated the attack himself to boost his publicity and paid two acquaintances to help him. Initially, he was indicted on 16 counts of felony disorderly conduct, but charges were dropped.  New charges have come after a special prosecutor was asked to investigate how the case was originally handled. Smollett’s attorney says the new charges are “all about politics, not justice.”

Watson Grinding & Manufacturing and Watson Valve Services have filed for bankruptcy.

Pete Rose has a lot to say about the Astros cheating scandal. In 1989, Rose was banned by the MLB for gambling on games in which he played and managed on the Cincinnati Reds. He is now wondering why only managers and coaches are getting punished in the most recent cheating scandal. “The guys that are getting the sign from the bench, from the coaches, they’re cheating more than the guys who gave the signals.” Rose said. “When you screw around, the integrity of baseball is going to come down hard on you. They came down hard on me. They came down hard on them.” Now Rose is again petitioning MLB for reinstatement.

It’s Valentine’s Day and I am stumped as to what I should or can say to my two young adults. You know, nothing mushy. Well, scratch that. I really need to tell them that they’ll never really know true love until they hold their own child in their arms. I want to tell them that no matter what they do or tell me, I will always love them, I just may not like them very much, but real love is unconditional. I want to say that it tickles me when I hear my words come out of their mouths, so therefore I am very careful about the words I use. I want to tell them to not forget to fall in love but be careful of who they love. I am so proud that the two of you radiate quiet acceptance, patience and love to most anyone you meet, yet both of you are approaching adult life like hurricane-force winds. I just couldn’t be any prouder of you two. Happy Valentine’s Day. Love Mom.

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What I Heard This Week! October 11, 2018

What I Heard This Week October 11, 2018

After minor controversy, the Houston City Council voted to ban sex robot brothels. Yep, that’s a real thing, because after playing games on your phone all day long, it’s hard to have a relationship with a real person so you…never mind. The city council responded by banning people from ‘having sex with a device that resembles a human being at a sexually oriented business.’ Just think “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” in silicone. However, the company can still sell the robots for customers to use elsewhere. Sex robots can talk, blink, smile, talk about your life and you can pick up your very own for around $15,000 or less. If you’re tired of those girls ‘swiping left’ when they see you on Tinder, here’s an alternative. Technology. Hmmm.

In Phoenix recently, a man abandoned his rental car in a no-parking area which created an alert, which then caused a busy terminal to shut down for hours while a bomb squad was called in, the terminal was partially evacuated, checkpoints were closed, and more than 300 flights were delayed along with dozens of flights canceled. The lazy 29-year-old man received only a $52 parking violation and was ordered to pay $75 for the towing.  What?!? My car was towed while parked at a local ‘unnamed’ rent-a-car location while I was out of town at Thanksgiving IN ONE OF THEIR RENTAL CARS. Cost me $125 to get my car back.

Found on the internet: “At last an explanation: Ever walk into a room with some purpose in mind, only to completely forget what that purpose was? Turns out, doors themselves are to blame for these strange memory lapses. Psychologists at the University of Notre Dame have discovered that passing through a doorway triggers what’s known as an event boundary in the mind, separating one set of thoughts and memories from the next. Your brain files away the thoughts you had in the previous room and prepares a blank slate for the new locale.”  Whew. It’s not aging, it’s the silly doors. I don’t care if it’s true or not, I appreciate studies like this one.

I try, but sometimes I’m just not a very good friend. A few weeks ago, I told you about trying to burn my house down with a pot of garbanzo beans that I left on the stove for the afternoon. It wasn’t pretty. I mentioned that two of my friends did some “kind, friend things” to help me get the smell out of the house, so I took the opportunity to thank them in this column.  Well, I just happened to misspell BOTH their names…Debbie is Debby, and I knew that. Deborah is Debra and I KNEW THAT TOO.  So, I’m putting this out there – I can’t be trusted to even get my friends names correct anymore. This is how it starts. My house still smells like an ashtray.

Joke: My wife and I were dressed and ready to go to a party. Being responsible adults, we called an Uber so that we wouldn’t have to drive home after the party. We turned on a couple of lamps, covered our pet bird and put the cat out, then locked the back door. The Uber arrived, so we opened the front door to leave and as we walked out, the cat rushed back into the house. We couldn’t leave her in the house because in the past, she has tried to eat the parakeet, so, my wife went on out to the Uber, while I went back inside to find the cat. The cat ran upstairs, with me in hot pursuit. While waiting in the car, my wife, not wanting the driver to know that the house would be empty for the evening, explained to the driver that I would be out quickly, “He’s just gone upstairs to say goodbye to his mother.”  A few minutes later, I climbed into the back seat of the Uber. “Sorry it took so long,’ I said as we drove away. ”That little sneak was hiding under the bed. I had to poke her with a coat hanger to get her to come out, then she tried to take off, so I grabbed her sorry behind and wrapped her in that blue blanket of yours to keep her from scratching me, then hauled her downstairs and threw her out the back door again.” At this point, the Uber driver hit a parked car. (I thought it was funny.)

Recent Birthdays: Singer Frankie Avalon is 78. Actress Jada Pinkett Smith is 47. Singer Gloria Gaynor is 75. Walk on By.  Rock singer Chrissie Hynde is 67. The Pretenders. Actor Corbin Bernsen is 64. DJ Nina Blackwood is 66. She was the original MTV VJ. Rapper 2 Chainz is 41. Rapper Xzibit is 44. I love it when the rappers start turning 40.

Civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson is 77. Basketball Hall of Fame Yao Ming is 38. When my 2 children answer me, yeah instead of yes, I always say ‘yeah (yao) is a basketball player and not an answer to my question.’ FYI, he is 7’6” and has a size 18 foot which would be 14” long.

Singer actress Jennifer Hudson is 37. Singer Gwen Stefani is 49. Comedian Chevy Chase is 75. Actress Sigourney Weaver is 69. Actor Matt Damon is 48. Singer Bruno Mars is 33. Rock n’ roll star Chubby Checker is 77. The ‘twist.’ Singer Lindsey Buckingham is 69. Best known for Fleetwood Mac before they fired him this year because he wanted a break from touring. Wait, he wrote some of their biggest hits.

The Planet of the Apes was released in 1968 which makes it 50 years old. “The film tells the story of an astronaut crew who crash-land on a strange planet in the distant future. Although the planet appears desolate at first, the surviving crew members stumble upon a society in which apes have evolved into creatures with human-like intelligence and speech. The apes have assumed the role of the dominant species and humans are mute creatures wearing animal skins.” I loved it. It was a commercial success and many sequels followed along with a TV series, a remake and a reboot series. Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River, near Page, Arizona, was a part of the Forbidden Zone in the movie, through which Taylor, Zira, and Cornelius fled Ape City. It’s all coming back to me now. The kids and I visited Horseshoe Bend this summer on our way to Grand Canyon and found it to be an absolutely, stunningly beautiful part of our world and well worth a trip. Geez. I can sure get side-tracked.

McDonald’s is saying that most of the burgers they serve in the US (Big Mac and Quarter-Pounder) are now preservative-free to appeal to those of us that care what we put in our bodies. The Egg McMuffin and Filet-o-Fish still have artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. For now.

“Doctor Sleep,” the movie sequel to Stephen King’s horror classic “The Shining” has begun filming on the Georgia coast. Ewan McGregor will star as the adult Danny Torrance, as a child with psychic powers in the first film. Jack Nicholson was his father and Shelly Duvall played the mother. I always think of the picture of Jack Nicholson looking through the hole in the door with that wicked smile on his face.

The handsome monarch butterflies are heading to their winter home in central Mexico. I saw the first caterpillars in my garden about a month ago, right before all the rain started. The interesting part is that migratory monarchs born in late summer are the great-great-grandchildren of adults that arrived on breeding grounds in the spring. They navigate back to Mexico along an ancestral route they have never traveled, but somehow just know the way. They begin their return journey towards breeding grounds between February and March, but few will complete the trip. They will instead breed, lay eggs on milkweed, die and leave their young to continue the journey. If monarchs fail to reach a sustainable population within the next 20 years, there is a possibility they will no longer grace Texas landscape and sky. Reason? Because of the decline of the monarch’s life-giving milkweed. Eliminate pesticides and plant milkweed in your yard. Please. If you need seeds, come by my office.

Free Astronomy Day and the BASF Planetarium at The Center for the Arts and Sciences on October 27. It is so much fun.

Maria Atkins has re-opened her Forever Treasures store after closing for a few weeks because of water damage from a silly water heater. Go shopping today and don’t forget to support our small businesses. They are the backbone of our community. 217 Parking way in Downtown LJ.

As we go to print, Hurricane Michael, a potentially catastrophic monstrous storm with winds of 155mph, is battering the Florida Panhandle with northern states bracing for the impact. Hundreds of thousands were told to evacuate but many stayed, with storm surges of up to 14ft. expected. I have heard the words, ‘global warming’, with every weather report. Isn’t it time for everyone to start doing their part to see if we can turn this climate thing around for our grandchildren. I know what some of you are thinking…what if it’s a big hoax and we create a better world for nothing? Hmmm. We need to pray for the people of Florida.

Cannabis in Coke: According to an article I found online, Coca-Cola and Canadian cannabis company Aurora Cannabis Inc. are in ‘serious talks’ about a potential marijuana-infused product. Supposedly, the focus would be on a ‘health drink designed to ease cramps and other ailments’ rather than giving consumers a buzz, or so they said.  Thinking back, I remembered hearing that Coke once contained cocaine. Ahhh. I love Google. “Coca-Cola (Coke) had cocaine in it, in varying amounts, from 1886 – 1929. At the time cocaine was legal and treated as a medicine. Coca-Cola didn’t invent using the coca plant in drinkable products (coca wine was also popular), it’s just the one product with its history and name firmly rooted in it. Today Coca-Cola uses caffeine rather than cocaine.” Hmmm.

Where does the name Coca-Cola come from? Coca-Cola refers to two original ingredients found in Coke 1. kola nuts (a source of caffeine), and 2. coca leaves. I guess Cocaine Cola didn’t have the same appeal.

Do you ever wonder how many days it is until Christmas? Not me. I’m so ‘on-tops of things’ that I just turned my income tax info over to the accountant. But, if you happen to be organized and already have your Halloween decorations displayed then perhaps you will be interested. Go to www.xmasclock.com and see the countdown clock. (ps. as of print day, it’s 74 days ‘til Christmas.) Yikes.

“Everything, Everything.” I think I enjoy the teen books because I still have a teen and it helps me see inside her head sometimes. So, the story is, a 17-year-old girl has a rare disease that causes her to stay indoors under the protection of her hermetically sealed environment.  Think ‘bubble’ girl. Her whole life is books, her mom and her nurse. One day a moving truck pulls in next door, a boy moves in and they fall in love through emails. They persevere to be a normal couple with a huge happy twist at the end. Worth a read. There was also a movie released in May, but I haven’t seen it.

Brian Casey is the new Brazosport Symphony director after a 31-year career in music at Brazoswood High School.  Talk about some exciting news. Saturday, Oct. 13th, will mark his first symphony concert called, ‘Bizet, Boots and Buckaroos’ and will feature the art of LJ native Mike Marshall. 979-265-7731.

Monsanto Company is an American agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation and is a leading producer of genetically engineered (GE) seed and of the herbicide glyphosate, which is marketed under the Roundup brand. They have asked a judge to throw out a jury’s $289-million award to a former school groundskeeper who said the company’s Roundup weed killer left him dying of cancer. Lawsuits involving Roundup claim the company has failed to warn users of the increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma and other forms of cancer.

Patience is a virtue. It’s just not one of MY virtues. Lol, thanks for reading this.

  • What I Heard This Week 10-26-2023

    by on October 25, 2023 - 0 Comments

    Former US astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, recently remarried for the fourth time, which also happened to be on the occasion of his 93rd birthday. This time it was to Dr. Anca Faur, his 63-year-old, long-time companion (who looks like she wants to be 27), has a PhD in chemical engineering, and is now the executive vice president of Aldrin’s company, Buzz Aldrin Ventures.  He was first married to Joan Ann Archer in 1954 until divorcing in 1974. The next year he married Beverly Van Zile; they divorced after three years. His third marriage was to Lois Driggs Cannon in 1988 on Valentine's Day, divorcing 23 years later. Looks like he hasn’t given up on ‘love’ quite yet. He has sued two of his children and his former business manager claiming they stole money from him and are slandering his legacy, and that they also undermined his "personal romantic relationships" by forbidding him from getting married. His children say he is also spending money at an alarming rate. Sounds like those children are out of luck. There is a new sheriff in town and her name is MRS. Aldrin. ☹ Notes: Aldrin is also a strong advocate for human exploration of Mars. In 2002, he escaped assault charges after punching a man who demanded he swear on a Bible that the Moon landing was not staged. Good for him. He also said, “Tang sucks. “

  • What I Heard This Week 11-30-2023

    by on November 29, 2023 - 0 Comments

    Former US astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, recently remarried for the fourth time, which also happened to be on the occasion of his 93rd birthday. This time it was to Dr. Anca Faur, his 63-year-old, long-time companion (who looks like she wants to be 27), has a PhD in chemical engineering, and is now the executive vice president of Aldrin’s company, Buzz Aldrin Ventures.  He was first married to Joan Ann Archer in 1954 until divorcing in 1974. The next year he married Beverly Van Zile; they divorced after three years. His third marriage was to Lois Driggs Cannon in 1988 on Valentine's Day, divorcing 23 years later. Looks like he hasn’t given up on ‘love’ quite yet. He has sued two of his children and his former business manager claiming they stole money from him and are slandering his legacy, and that they also undermined his "personal romantic relationships" by forbidding him from getting married. His children say he is also spending money at an alarming rate. Sounds like those children are out of luck. There is a new sheriff in town and her name is MRS. Aldrin. ☹ Notes: Aldrin is also a strong advocate for human exploration of Mars. In 2002, he escaped assault charges after punching a man who demanded he swear on a Bible that the Moon landing was not staged. Good for him. He also said, “Tang sucks. “

  • Much Ado About Nothing - Texan in Winter

    by on December 6, 2018 - 0 Comments

    The power went out at my house last night for four hours. While this may not seem like a major catastrophe as it was the middle of the night and […]

  • Much Ado About Nothing - “Human Bait”

    by on January 16, 2020 - 0 Comments

    My dad always told me to have a backup plan in case my current job doesn’t work out. I wasn’t sure what that’d be until I saw this ad: “HUMAN […]

  • What I Heard This Week! December 20, 2018

    by on December 20, 2018 - 0 Comments

    The AK-47 is a type of assault rifle originally manufactured in the Soviet Union in 1949. A 17-year-old Humble High School student accidently shot herself recently with an AK-47 that […]

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