Where Did It Go?

Inside of every older person is a younger person asking,

“Where Did It Go?”

Vol 1 Nr 3 December 2009

A Fun and Informative Rag for Those Who Have Been Around the Block and Attended at Least One Rodeo

Dickens on the Strand

Global Warming What are the real issues?

Please Read with an Open Mind

by Gene Rutt

A History of Charles Dickens and the Festival Charles Dickens was an English novelist, best known as the author of A Christmas Carol and generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens’s works are characterized by attacks on social evils, injustice, and hypocrisy. He had personally experienced oppression in his youth when he was forced to end school in his early teens and work in a factory. Dickens’s lively good, bad and comic characters, such as the cruel miser Scrooge, the aspiring novelist David Copperfield, or the trusting and innocent Mr. Pickwick, have fascinated generations of readers.

Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England during the new industrial age, which created misery for the class of low-paid workers and gave birth to the theories of Karl Marx. His father was a clerk in the navy pay office, who was well paid but often in financial troubles. In 1814 Dickens moved to London, and then to Chatham, where he received some education. In 1824

he worked in a blacking factory in Hungerford Market, London, while his family was in Marshalea debtor’s prison.

Years as a journalist left Dickens with a lasting affection for journalism and a suspicious attitude towards unjust laws. His sharp ear for conversation helped him reveal characters through their own words and contributed to the success of A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, and other hit novels of 19th-century England.

Dickens grew up in poverty, and it shows in his writing: he is known for his orphans and urchins, rogues, shopkeepers, stuffed shirts, widows, and other colorful characters that he pulled from the sooty streets of London. An all-around workhorse, Dickens edited a monthly magazine, wrote novels, gave public readings and came out with a Christmas story every year. His novels were often published first in serial form as monthly installments in magazines of the day. Among his major works

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”

Teddy Roosevelt

are Oliver Twist (completed 1839), The Old Curiosity Shop (1841), David Copperfield (1850), the historical drama A Tale of Two Cities (1859), and Great Expectations (1861). His (1843) A Christmas Carol featured the grouchy miser Ebenezer Scrooge and the sickly tot Tiny Tim. It remains a popular holiday classic and perhaps his most famous tale and, of course, is the inspiration for Dickens on the Strand.

Dickens used the pen name Boz early in his career, and his first publication was the short story collection Sketches By Boz (1836). Oliver Twist was the basis for the stage musical Oliver! The show won the Tony Award for best musical in 1963, and a 1968 movie version (with Jack Wild as the Artful Dodger) won the Academy Award for best picture.

Dickens married the former Catherine Hogarth in 1836. They had 10 children, but their marriage was often tense, and they separated in 1858.

He was buried in Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey, near Geoffrey Chaucer and other fellow writers. *** By the early 1970s, historic downtown Galveston had fallen into such a state of decay and dis-repair that it was on the verge of being totally CONTINUED, PG. 7

If I thought that the earth was warming up and that man was responsible for it, I would be first in line to do something about it, whatever the sacrifice. However, when there is so much actual evidence to the contrary, such as record cold spells, early snowfalls and the fact that there has been no temperature increase since 1998, I have to think that maybe something else is going on and that perhaps our former vice-president is not being totally honest with us.

Now I’m not sure I blame him. He’s already made about 100 million dollars and is possibly going to make a billion by promoting some form of climate change. Recently, however, there have been some emails hacked from a computer in a prominent English climate research university that, if proven true, demonstrate that scientists have been hiding or altering the truth about man-made Gobal Warming (AGW).

The proposed solution to this AGW, is to issue carbon credits to industries for a fee (tax) which can be sold or traded if not needed, creating a carbon exchange industry in itself. This solution is called “Cap and Trade.”

Guess who has a big fat interest in this new carbon industry? You’re right.

One problem with this solution is that it only regulates carbon (in the form of CO2 gas) which only makes up about 1 percent of the greenhouse gases that are said to be responsible for the warming. 95% of greenhouse gas consists of water vapor over which the carbon regulations have no influence.

Also, this legislation will cause energy prices to “skyrocket on purpose” (according to presidential candidate Obama in 2008) which will increase the cost of doing business for virtually every aspect of our economy.

It would increase costs approximately $3,000 per year for an average familyof-four; almost 2.5 million net job losses by 2035; and a cumulative gross domestic product loss of $9.4 trillion by 2035. However, it would only result in a temperature reduction of less than 1/10 of one degree Fahrenheit by 2050. Some bargain, huh?

Given Cap and Trade’s massive economic consequences and negligible effects on the earth’s temperature, this is a bold, potentially very costly and possibly very foolish speculation even if carbon was responsible. Who is going to suffer most? Why do it?

2 WHERE DID IT GO December 2009

Where Did I Go? The Travels and Travails of Liz Boatman

Couchsurfing Nova Scotia

Come Explore our Brand New Show Room and Bring Home the Tropics for Christmas Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.

LIZ BOATMAN STUDIOS Original Watercolors and Limited Edition Prints depicting our local waters, Louisiana & Maine seascapes, and other subjects - Commissions accepted for more info., pricing, or to view the collection call 281-339-2361

I went to the southern half of Nova Scotia, which lies in the Maritimes of Eastern Canada. How? Flew into Halifax and rented a car. When?

Late September 09. Where did I stay? All along the coastline with selected (by me) members of the CouchSurfing network, a worldwide organization dedicated to facilitating connections between travelers and the local communities they visit. This free, non-profit project allows more people the chance to become travelers because it lowers the financial cost of exploration and provides the chance to share hospitality and cultural understanding to people who might otherwise never be able to meet.

Briefly, you sign up on their website for free. (www.couchsurfing. org) You create a profile (general description of yourself). You indicate whether or not you wish to be a potential host, and, if so, what traveling guest (surfer) accommodations (couch) you may provide. Sometimes this is literally a couch/floor-space, but can range upwards to as much as an entire guest room/house. The network has groups you may join and through these, has lots of activities going on, parties and meet-ups for every possible kind of sporting, entertainment, local volunteering, etc. activity. You need not host, nor surf, to be a member. Surfers are expected to respect local customs and the rights of their hosts; to be generally polite and socially acceptable. No monetary payments are to be expected from the surfer for the accommodation, but the surfer, if required, should cover their own food, drink, entertainment, & transportation expenses and absolutely clean up after themselves. A small gift for your host as a token of your appreciation is always the best of manners, though not required.

After you decide where, how, and when you want to go, about two weeks before your departure go to the website & get a list of the members in that area. You carefully read their profiles and references from other members (CS friends, surfers, hosts) and decide if you are compatible. If so, submit a CS request to stay with that member. Then, if they accept (since your private information is never disclosed and everything goes through the network), you can exchange some contact information, phone numbers, etc.

You may decide to meet for coffee/ drink in a public place before proceeding to the hosts place in order to better evaluate each other.

There is always a degree of trust

required so it’s wise to try to feel them out as much as possible in advance and they should do likewise. I had fabulous hosts on this trip and on many others. I’ve always had my own guest room and the freedom to come and go as I liked. Furthermore, locals are the very best guides and give you real insight into the culture and points of interest of your chosen site as I will describe below. Last Fall and this Spring, I surfed Lisbon and Buenos Aires. What great experiences those were!

You might ask, “Why choose Nova Scotia”? After years of traveling to exotic or glamorous places such as Paris, St. Petersburg, China, Ireland, Greece, Costa Rica, etc. for my birthday (I worked for an airline), why in the world would I pick a quiet and apparently unremarkable spot like Nova Scotia? The fact that this summer

in Texas felt unbearably hot may have swayed my judgment, but it seems that I’ve been dreaming of Nova Scotia, without knowing it, since I was a child leafing through my Collier’s Encyclopedia. I found a little, black and white photo of warehouses & wharfs on stilts rising out of the water with a large, black-hulled, gaff rigged schooner tied up in front.

The picture was titled “Nova Scotia fishing village.” Using my mother’s watercolors, I set about painting that scene. I never completed it but carried it around, tattered & turning brown (acid based paper) to this day. In 2001, I officially became a professional watercolor artist, with the last name Boatman and favorite subject matter seascapes. Go figure.

While browsing the Internet, I found the nearly identical scene and discovered that it was in Lunenburg, NS, one of the only UNESCO world heritage sites in North America. My mission, if I cared to accept it, was to go there, make my own photos, and create a new painting, one that I would finish this time. Done! The trip that is. I’m still working on the painting. Maybe you will see it in one of the local art galleries next year. More on that later…..

Continued on Page 5

December, 2009 WHERE DID IT GO 3

Letter from the Editor First, I’d like to thank you for your continuing support. When you start something new, it probably seems like a good idea or you wouldn’t do it but you can never be sure. In this case we seem to have made a good guess because we’re getting a lot of nice comments and feedback from the public.

I’d like to thank those of you who attended or contributed to the Mike DuBois Benefit a couple of weeks ago. It was a financial success and a great chance to see a lot of old friends.

Christmas season is upon us already and I need to put my lights up. It’s not too big of a job and helps me feel a little more seasonal. I like this time of year, except for the shopping. I’ve never been much of a shopper and being obligated to do so doesn’t make it any more fun. However, when it comes time to do it I will adjust my attitude, try to find a crisp day and turn on the Christmas spirit. The attitude you bring to an endeavor is often what determines its success or failure anyway and you have the power over your attitude so there is no reason not to make the best of it and have a good time.

Remember to show a little kindness to other shoppers and store employees. Shopping can be frustrating so do your part to make it a little nicer for everyone. You’ll be the recipient of that anyway.

That’s one of the great secrets of life. A little kindness will benefit you as much as the person to whom you have shown it.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays & Bah, Humbug! That should cover just about everyone.

Gene Rutt - Publisher/Editor

The men who create power make an indispensable contribution to the Nation’s greatness, but the men who question power make a contribution just as indispensable, especially when that questioning is disinterested, for they determine whether we use power or power uses us.

-- John F. Kennedy

A PENNY SAVED Here Are A Few Money Saving Tips to Help Stretch Your Budget - Try a Few at a Time Don’t spend big money entertaining your children. Most children, especially young ones, can be entertained very cheaply. Buy them an end roll of newspaper from your local paper and let their creativity run wild. Make a game out of ordinary stuff around the house, like tossing pennies into a jar, even. Realize that what your children want most of all is your time, not your stuff, and you’ll find money in your pocket and joy in your heart.

Call your credit card company and ask for a rate reduction. Take any of your credit cards that are carrying a balance, flip them over, and call the number on the back. Tell them that you want an interest rate reduction or you’ll take your business elsewhere. If the first person you talk to won’t do it, ask to talk to a supervisor. If you have a $5,000 balance, even a 3% rate reduction saves you $150 a year.

Clean out your closet. Go through your closets and try to get rid of some of the stuff in there. You can have a yard sale with it, take it to a consignment shop, or even donate it for the tax deduction – all of which turns old stuff you don’t want to use any more into money in your pocket. Not only that, it’s often a psychological load off your mind to clean out your closets.

Buy video games that have a lot of replay value – and don’t acquire new ones until you’ve mastered what you have. My video game buying habits have changed quite a bit since my “game of the week” days. Now, I focus on games that can be played over and over and over again, and I focus on mastering the games that I buy. Good targets include puzzle games and long, involved quest games – they maximize the value of your gaming dollar.

Drink more water. Not only does drinking plenty of water have great health benefits, water drinking has financial benefits, too. Drink a big glass of water before each meal, and not only will you digest it better, you won’t eat as much, saving on the ol’ food bill. You’ll also find yourself feeling a bit better as you begin to get adequately hydrated (most Americans are perpetually somewhat dehydrated).

Cut back on the convenience foods – fast foods, microwave meals, and so on. Instead of eating fast food or just nuking some prepackaged food when you get home, try making some simple and healthy replacements that you can take with you.

Give up expensive habits, like cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs. Those habits cause money to flow away from you with nothing in return. Call up your fortitude and work hard to kick the habits and you’ll find that money staying in your pocket instead of burning up and floating away.

Install a programmable thermostat. These devices regulate the temperature in your house automatically according to the schedule that you set. Thus, when you’re not home, it allows the heating or cooling to turn off for several hours, saving you on your energy bill. A programmable thermostat can easily cut your energy bill by 10 to 20%.

Men And Women NAMES If Laurie, Linda, Elizabeth and Barbara go out to lunch, they will call each other Laurie, Linda, Elizabeth and Barbara.

If Mark, Chris, Eric and Tom go out, they will refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla, Peanuts and Scrappy.

EATING OUT When the bill arrives, Mark, Chris, Eric and Tom will each throw in $20, even though it’s only $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and no one will actually admit he wants change back.

When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

MONEY A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.

A woman will pay $1 for $2 item that she doesn’t need but it’s on sale BATHROOMS A man has five items in his bathroom: a toothbrush, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel from the Marriott.

The average number of items in the typical woman’s bathroom is 337.

ARGUMENTS A woman has the last word in any argument.

Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

CATS Women love cats.

Men say they love cats, but when women aren’t looking, men kick cats.

SUCCESS A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.

A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

MARRIAGE A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn’t.

A man marries a woman expecting that she won’t change and she does.

DRESSING UP A woman will dress up to get the mail, water the plants, empty the garbage, answer the phone, go shopping.

A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

NATURAL Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.

Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

OFFSPRING A woman knows all about her children. She knows about their dentist appointments, romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.

A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Any married man should forget his mistakes. There’s no use in two people remembering the same thing.

4 WHERE DID IT GO December 2009

Computer Tips Marlene Jones Owner - Friendly Computers

PROTECT YOUR DATA Take a moment to think about the value of the data stored on your computer systems in your home or office. How much is your customer database worth to you? How about those family photos? Can you put a price on that data?

There are several ways to ensure data security. Two main ways to ensure that your data is secure is to have adequate virus protection and to have a back up plan for all of your data. This becomes exceptionally important if you have your data stored on only one computer in your home or office. Hard drive failures are common. Just like anything with moving parts, hard drives begin to fail over time from regular use.

With virus protection, it is not enough to just have it on your system. It must be installed and configured properly; it must be updated regularly; and it has to run routinely to determine if there are threats on your computer. At Friendly Computers, we recommend AVG for virus protection.

Multiple options exist for backing up the data you store on your computer systems. Some systems come with two hard drives and the user can set up options to back up data from one hard drive to the other. Using an external hard drive is another option. These drives are easy to attach to your systems, easy to configure, and portable. Jump drives, sometimes known as flash drives or thumb drives are another option. These compact hard drives plug in to your USB port and allow you to not only back up data but also allow you to quickly and easily move data from one system to another. If your system has a CD or DVD burner installed, data can be stored on this medium as well.

And finally, there are many options for online/remote back up services like Carbonite (www.carbonite.com) or Virtual Data Space (www.virtualdataspace.com). If you currently have back up options in place, it is important to check it periodically to ensure that it is configured properly and actually backing up the data regularly.

When you are thinking about data security, remember wireless security. The majority of wireless connections are unsecured.

With a simple configuration setting, wireless connections can be password protected. Without this protection, others can connect to your wireless service. A typical installation of a wireless network does not necessarily include securing that connection and it is possible to access sensitive information on your computer systems through a wireless connection.

Living in an area where we experience hurricanes, flooding, and widespread power outages, it is important to put a back up plan in place to ensure that you don’t lose those precious family photos or that invaluable customer database. Many of the options for data security and back up are inexpensive and easy to use. Put a plan in place today.

Have questions about your back up plan? Give Friendly Computers a call. We would be happy to evaluate your plan, ensure that you have adequate virus protection, or check the security of your wireless connection. 281-554-5500.

Editors’s Note: I personally use Carbonite and it has saved me on two occasions in the last year. It is easy to use and inexpensive (about $55 a year). The first backup takes a little time if you have many files, But then it backs you up daily. It will also back you up instantly on request. It backs up data files only so be sure to keep your programs and documentation so they can be reloaded in case of a problem.

Where Did It Go? P.O. Box 1460 Dickinson, TX 77539 832-265-5691

WDIG2009@gmail.com

Editor/Publisher Gene Rutt

Contributors

Liz Boatman Marlene Jones Captain B.G. Willie

“It Ain’t Over ‘til It’s Over.”

A Fun and Informative Rag for Those Who Have Been Around the Block and Attended at least One Rodeo. We are essentially targeting the 40+ reader but plan to have enough fun for everybody no matter your age.

WHY ADVERTISE? TO REACH NEW CUSTOMERS. Your market changes constantly. New families in the area mean new customers to reach. People earn more money, which means changes in lifestyles and buying habits. YOUR AUDIENCE IS A MOVING TARGET HOW SHOULD YOU ADVERTISE? Continuously!

Shoppers don’t have the store loyalty they once did. You must advertise to keep pace with your competition. The National Retail Merchants Association states: “Mobility and non-loyalty are rampant. Stores must promote to get former customers to return and to seek new ones.

WHEN SHOULD YOU ADVERTISE? Always! Good times and bad you’re trying to sell your products and services no matter what is happening to the economy. Hard times are not the times to quit advertising. Advertising should be the last item cut from your budget.

NO COMPANY CAN GET BY WITHOUT ADVERTISING

“If you wish to survive and grow, you must advertise. If you plan to have a truly entrepreneurial, first-rate growth company, advertising will speed you toward that goal.”

-- Jay Abraham

EXPERIENCED AD SALESPERSON

Commission sales of advertising for this publication.

Can likely be performed part-time. Ideal postion for retired individual who enjoys meeting people and presenting a viable and economical advertising medium.

Call Gene: 832-265-5691

December, 2009 WHERE DID IT GO 5

Nova Scotia from Page 2 The leaves on the maple trees were turning red. The weather was crisp, not cold. The Humpback & Finback whales were cavorting in the Bay of Fundy. The tide was rising and falling 40 plus feet each cycle, grounding fishing boats at their piers, connected by impossibly tall ladders on floating decks. The quaint lighthouses, in coves and on points near the quaint villages, were blinking. The beer was flowing and the traditional music sessions were being held in the pubs along the Fundy coast and from there, inland, toward and in Halifax. (Not so much along the coastline south of Lunenburg). The customers were speaking French in the restaurants along the Evangeline Trail (Fundy coast again). The lobsters were tasty and depending upon where you ate, relatively inexpensive (again, not in Lunenburg or its environs).

However, the sail out of the harbor at Lunenburg into Mahone Bay on the Bluenose II, a replica, I believe, of the huge schooner in the picture from my encyclopedia, was absolutely wonderful. Google it.

Or try ( www.museum.gov.ns.ca/ bluenose ) and click on the schedule button. Better yet, go there and hop aboard. It’s been put up for the Winter freeze now, so you’ll need to get next year’s sailing schedule.

Penny’s Cove Lighthouse As I mentioned, the Couchsurfing experience is particularly pleasant because of the relationships you experience with your hosts. My host in Lunenburg more than made up for any deficiencies the place might have had due to its being a big tourist destination. Once I hit town and found a phone to call him, (my cell phone didn’t work even though I had paid to enable it for use in Canada #@**!!), he directed me to the best coffee shop in the area with a great view of the harbor where we would meet. After coffee, he drove me around the town and out to nearby scenic points so that I could take my photos. He took me to the harbor to take shots from the golf course across the cove, a place that I would have never found on my own. He treated me to a picnic lunch he brought because he had anticipated that I might not have had time to stop to eat in my hurry to get there. I had not eaten and was starving. He described details of the local architecture that are distinctive to the town (the “Lunenburg bump” – a five sided Scottish dormer projecting from the roof producing an overhang Continued on Page 11

Shotgun Willie Nelson In Texas, the name “Willie” evokes the image of only one person, Willie Nelson.

Willie, who recently celebrated his 75th birthday was born in Abbot Texas in 1933 and started playing music at age six and writing music about age 7. After his father died and his mother ran away, Nelson and his sister Bobbie were raised by their grandparents, who encouraged both children to play instruments. Willie learned guitar and Bobbie learned to play piano, eventually meeting -- and later marrying -- fiddler Bud Fletcher, who invited both of the siblings to join his band. Nelson already played with a Polka Band, but with Fletcher, he acted as the group’s frontman and stayed with him throughout high school. Upon his graduation, he joined the Air Force but had to leave within a few months because of back problems.

Following his discharge from the service, he began looking for work.

After several part-time jobs, he became a country Disc Jockey in Fort Worth at KCNC and eventually in Pasadena at KIKK and while singing at clubs and honky tonks at night. During this time, he sold the song “Family Bible” to a guitar instructor for 50 dollars, and when the song became a hit for Claude Gray in 1960, Nelson decided to move to Nashville the following year to try his luck.

His nasal voice and off-beat phrasing tended to hold him back but several demos were made and then rejected by various labels but his songwriting ability didn’t go unnoticed. Hank Cochran helped Willie land a publishing contract at Pamper Music. Ray Price, who co-owned Pamper Music, recorded Nelson’s “Night Life” and invited him to join his touring band, the Cherokee Cowboys, as a bassist.

Arriving at the beginning of 1961, Price’s invitation began a watershed year for Nelson. Not only did he play with Price -- eventually taking members of the Cherokee Cowboys to form his own touring band -but his songs also provided major hits for several other artists. Faron Young with “Hello Walls”, Billy Walker snf “Funny How Time Slips Away” and perhaps his biggest, Patsy Cline made “Crazy” into a Top Ten pop crossover hit. Earlier in the year, he signed a contract with Liberty Records and began releasing a series of singles that were usually drenched in strings.

“Willingly,” a duet with his thenwife Shirley Collie, became a Top Ten hit for Nelson early in 1962, and it was followed by another Top Ten single, “Touch Me,” later that year. Both singles made it seem like Nelson was primed to become a star, but his career stalled just as quickly

as it had taken off, and he was soon charting in the lower regions of the Top 40. Liberty closed its country division in 1964, the same year Roy Orbison had a hit with “Pretty Paper.”

wasn’t even able to reach the country Top 40. Discouraged by his lack of success, Nelson decided to retire from country music, moving back to Austin, TX, after a brief and disastrous sojourn into pig farming. In Austin, after visiting the Armadillo World Headquarters, Nelson realized that many young rock fans were listening to country music along with the traditional honky tonk audience. Spotting an opportunity, Willie began performing again, scrapping his pop-oriented Nashville sound and image for a rock- and folkinfluenced redneck outlaw image.

Soon, he earned a contract with Atlantic Records.

When the Monument recordings Shotgun Willie (1973), Nelson’s failed to become hits, Nelson first album for Atlantic, was moved to RCA Records in 1965, the evidence of the shift of his musical same year he became a member of style, and although it initially didn’t the Grand Ole Opry. Over the next sell well, it earned good reviews seven years, Willie had a steady and cultivated a dedicated cult stream of minor hits, highlighted following. By the fall of 1973, his by the number 13 hit “Bring Me version of Bob Wills’ “Stay All Sunshine” in 1969. Toward the end Night (Stay a Little Longer)” had of his stint with RCA, he had grown cracked the country Top 40. The frustrated with the label, which following year, he delivered the had continually tried to shoehorn concept album Phases and Stages, him into the heavily produced which increased his following even Nashville sound. By 1972, he Continued on Page 7

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6 WHERE DID IT GO December 2009

Libations for December Please drink responsibly

Christmas Tree Water Ingredients: • 1 part dry Gin • 3 parts Sprite • 1 dash Cayenne pepper (optional) Mixing instructions: Place one part dry gin in Cocktail Glass.

Do NOT bruise the Gin! Carefully add two parts Sprite. Do NOT bruise the Sprite.

Optionally, add a dash of cayenne pepper for added flavor. Add 3 tablespoons of dry ice for that mystical, yet strangely, psycho effect.

Santa Shot Ingredients: • 1/3 Grenadine • 1/3 Green Creme de Menthe • 1/3 Peppermint schnapps

Mixing instructions: Tastes like a candycane. Layer these in the order listed to get a red, green and white(clear) shot.

Handcrafted Wooden Jewelry UNIQUE CHRISTMAS GIFTS STARTING AT $20

Christmas Cheer Ingredients: • 1/2 shot Eggnog • 1/2 shot Peppermint schnapps Mixing instructions: Stir it up and shoot it down. HO! HO! HO! Tastes like christmas with a pine tree twist.

The bracelets are all hand made with domestic and exotic woods from around the world, in almost every color in the rainbow. Blue is the hardest to find, but is available sometimes.

Steaming Hot Holiday Punch Ingredients: They are cut and glued together in various ways to create different patterns and designs. We try to put together bracelets with school colors(as close as possible) and will be making some Mardi-gras bracelets too.

They come in 4 sizes with the medium size being 67mm (2-5/8”).

We will be doing the Santa’s Gift Market the weekend after Thanksgiving at the Beaumont Civic Center. (Fri.-Sun.)

Directions:

For more information or to order: www.cripplecreekwoodworks.com Portfolio>Misc dennisbenge@gmail.com

6 oz rum, bourbon or vodka 3 cups Apple Juice 1.5 tsp. ground Cinnamon 4 cinnamon sticks 0.75 tsp. ground Cloves 6 cups Cranberry juice 0.75 cup Maple Syrup 0.75 tsp. ground Nutmeg 3 cups Orange Juice 2 tsp. Powdered Sugar

Combine all the ingredients in a very large heavy pan, except the cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil and turn to simmer for few minutes. You can put the ingredients in a crockpot after it has boiled and keep warm over low heat.

December, 2009 WHERE DID IT GO 7

From Dickens on Strand page 1 lost! The shadow of the wrecking ball loomed over those grand 19thCentury buildings! The Galveston Historical Foundation began looking for a way to save the heart and soul of the City. In December 1974, they decided to try hosting an “Old English Christmas and Hanukkah Party”, on The Strand as a one-night celebration of the historic business district, and to raise funds for its preservation.

The next year, the event became “Dickens’ Evening on The Strand”. In 1983, the festival was expanded to a two-day event, and by 1984 it was officially re-named “Dickens on The Strand”. The festival is always held during the first full weekend in December.

From the beginning, this festival was meant to attract attention to, and investment in historic downtown Galveston, one of the country’s most significant collections of 19th-Century commercial buildings. If visitors could experience a 19th-Century festival, staged on The Strand, then maybe they could also see the potential of the area for everyday business.

The first few years, the festival was only held at night, so that it could be lit by kerosene lanterns to give it an authentic 19th-Century look, and to hide the poor condition of the buildings. Vendors were set up inside the vacant buildings, to make it appear as though The Strand was back in business.

In later years, as the area was restored, the vendors had to move out onto the streets, as fewer and fewer buildings remained empty.

At that point, the festival could also begin in the day time since daylight no longer revealed a state of decay that promoters wished to hide!

It worked! Dickens saved The Strand! Today, this event is still a picturesque way to imagine what downtown Galveston was like at its zenith, and to showcase what it has become after a tremendous preservation and restoration effort! The money raised during this event continues to be the Galveston Historical Foundation’s primary source of funds for its on-going preservation activities!

At the beginning of the week of the festival, the Union Jack will be found flying over The Island, in honor of Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s arrival on the weekend. She and her husband, Prince Albert,

will visit Galveston to celebrate a 19th-Century Christmas. The Queen and the Prince needed a city with a downtown district, from the Victorian Age, to stage this event, and what better place than Galveston?

Today’s version of “Dickens on The Strand” is made possible by fencing off ten square blocks of downtown Galveston, between Harborside and Ship’s Mechanics Row, and from 20th to 25th Street. Entry is gained by the purchase of a ticket, or by arriving in a Victorian-era costume. It is estimated that about ten percent of the 50,000-60,000 visitors come in period dress.

Once inside the fence, The Strand comes to life as a bustling 19thCentury cityscape as thousands of visitors, dressed in period costume, mingle with the vendors and performers, who are also in Victorianera garb. The whole scene brings Charles Dickens’ London, at Christmas time, to The Island; complete with Scrooge, Marley, the Ghosts and other characters that he created.

In the afternoon, The Queen leads a Victorian-Christmas parade through the streets. She rides in her horsedrawn carriage, escorted by an eclectic group of people including: a colorful guard of London Bobbies and Beefeaters, costumed characters of all types, Victorian-attired ladies and gentleman, both on foot, and riding horseback and in carriages, bagpipe bands, and a drum and bugle corps or two.

To supplement the Bobbies and Beefeaters, The Texas Brigade, the local contingent of Confederate Cavalry and Infantry, are there to protect the Queen, and all those assembled, from any Yankees who might try to invade this island sanctuary.

When the parade is over, many participants begin to perform on the streets and sidewalks for the thousands of people who come to The Strand, to celebrate the season in the Victorian style, throughout the weekend. Some bagpipers will start playing, both traditional tunes, as well as Rock favorites like InAGoddaDavida!

Later, The Texas Brigade, also fires their guns for the crowd! The sound of gun fire, as it echoes off the Continued on Page 9

Willie from Page 5 more with the hit singles “Bloody Mary Morning” and “After the Fire Is Gone.” But the real commercial breakthrough didn’t arrive until 1975, when he severed ties with Atlantic and signed to Columbia Records, which gave him complete creative control of his records.

Willie’s first album for Columbia, The Red Headed Stranger, was a spare concept album about a preacher, featuring only his guitar and his sister’s piano. The label was reluctant to release with such stark arrangements, but they relented and it became a huge hit, thanks to Nelson’s understated cover of Roy Acuff’s “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.”

Nelson was a genuine star, as recognizable in pop circles as he was to the country audience; in addition to recording, he also launched an acting career in the early ‘80s doing such films as “Electric Horseman,” “Honeysuckle Rose”, “Barbarosa” The Songwriter”’ and “Red-Headed Stranger.”

Even when he was a star, Willie never played it safe musically.

Instead, he borrowed from a wide variety of styles, including traditional pop, Western swing, jazz, traditional country, cowboy

songs, honky tonk, rock & roll, folk, and the blues, creating a distinctive, elastic hybrid. Nelson remained at the top of the country charts until the mid-’80s, when his lifestyle -- which had always been close to the outlaw clichés with which his music flirted -- began to spiral out of control, culminating in an infamous battle with the IRS in the late ‘80s.

During the ‘90s, Nelson’s sales never reached the heights that he had experienced a decade earlier, but he remained a vital icon in country music, having greatly influenced the new country, new traditionalist, and alternative country movements of the ‘80s and ‘90s as well as leaving behind a legacy of classic songs and recordings.

I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello?), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What’d you do after I didn’t answer?

Drop the phone and run away?

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8 WHERE DID IT GO December 2009

The Dog’s Diary

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The Cat’s Diary

Day 983 of My Captivity My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates my capabilities. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a “good little hunter” I am. Bastards!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of “allergies.” I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow, but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released, and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded. The bird must be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move.

My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now ...

December, 2009 WHERE DID IT GO 9

Don’t Quit Anonymouse

When things go wrong as they sometimes will, When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill.

When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile but you have to sigh.

When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns, As every one of us sometimes learns.

And many a fellow turns about, When he might have won had he stuck it out.

Don’t give up though the pace seems slow, You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than It seems to a faint and faltering man.

Often the struggler has given up, When he might have captured the victor’s cup.

And he learned too late when the night came down, How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out, The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.

And you never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems afar.

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit, It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit.

Dickens on the Strand from page 7 buildings, and the smell of black powder smoke, re-creates another scene from that bygone time. When the firing demonstration is over, the Brigade band plays “The Yellow Rose of Texas”; and, of course, “Dixie”!!! You have to love those guys!

After sundown, many of those dressed in period costumes assemble themselves into “Pickwick’s LanternLight Parade”, where they carry gas lights, lanterns and candles to create a soft glow of light, as they move through the streets. There are holiday melodies from carolers, and bagpipe bands, and more participants in horse-drawn wagons and carriages.

The Dickens celebration also spills over to the pier where the 1877 Tall Ship Elissa is docked. This area is transformed into the West India Dock, and it tells the history of Great Britain’s domination of the seas during the Queen’s rein.

In addition to the main activities at the festival, there are special events within the event such as a Knighting Ceremony, a Costume Contest, Victorian Weddings and Children’s Activities, for those who choose to participate.

The Galveston Historical Foundation also stages other Dickensrelated Christmas events away from The Strand in its properties at the 1880 Garten Verein, the 1838 Menard House, the 1839 Samuel May Williams House, the 1860 St. Joseph Church, and at the 1859 Ashton Villa.

Food and drink is readily available from the street vendors as well as the restaurants and bars in downtown Galveston. Other vendors offer a wide variety of art work and crafts to supplement what is for sale in the shops on The Strand.

For the last few years, “The Delta Queen” paddle wheel boat, has come all the way from New Orleans to allow her passengers to enjoy “Dickens on The Strand,” here in Galveston!

She ties up at Pier 21, right near The Elissa, which gives visitors to the event the opportunity to see an authentic paddle wheel boat up close!

The Dickens celebration is not just confined to the downtown area, and should not end without a stroll through Galveston’s historic residential neighborhoods. When seen after dark the decorations are spectacular!

This has become one of the most popular festivals in America and the money raised during this event continues to be the Galveston Historical Foundation’s primary source of funds for its on-going preservation activities!

This year on the weekend of December 4 and 5, the Galveston Historical society will be celebrating the 36th Annual Dickens on the Strand Festival.

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10 WHERE DID IT GO December 2009

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Beyond the Call of Duty Captain B.G. Willie My military service was relatively uneventful. I was young and not too enthusiastic about anything. There were no wars going on or much of anything happening in the world. As luck would have it, I was assigned to Thule Air Force Base in Greenland.

What happened to “Join the Air Force, See the World?” That must have been the Navy. Not only was I stationed in Greenland, but my job was driving the honeybucket, a big tank truck used for pumping out latrines on airplanes. My future was bright. With my training I’d always be able to get a job somewhere, probably as a politician.

One night a big US Air Force C-141 was scheduled to leave at midnight.

During the pilot’s pre-flight check, he discovered that the latrine holding tank was still full from the last flight.

So he sent a message to the base and as luck would have it, I was called out to take care of the problem.

I was off duty at the time and in a local pub enjoying my evening. I was drinking beer, shooting darts and talking trash. I couldn’t believe it. I’d pumped out every plane on my list. This was not my fault and I shouldn’t have to give up my evening to take care of it.

However, I finally got back to the base and made my way to the aircraft, only to find out that the latrine pump truck had been left outdoors and was

frozen solid, so I had to find another one in the hangar, which took even more time. The crew on the ground seemed to blame me personally for the delay as though I had anything to do with it. I finally returned to the aircraft but by now was less than enthusiastic about what I had to do.

I was half in the bag anyway but nevertheless, I went about the pumping job deliberately and carefully (and slowly) so as not to risk criticism later.

As I was leaving the plane, the pilot stopped me and said, “Son, your attitude and performance has caused this flight to be late and I’m going to personally see to it that you are not just reprimanded but punished” Shivering in the cold, my task finished, I took a deep breath and stood up tall and said, “Sir, with all due respect, I’m not your son; I’m an Airman in the United States Air Force. I’ve been in Thule, Greenland, for 11 months without any leave, and female reindeer are beginning to look pretty good to me. I have one stripe; it’s two-thirty in the morning, the temperature is 40 degrees below zero. I was called in from a warm bar where I was having a good time in order to pump the crap out of your aircraft.

Now, just exactly what form of punishment did you have in mind?”

In Florida, an atheist created a case against the upcoming Easter and Passover Holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians and Jews and observances of their holy days... The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days.

The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, “Case dismissed!”

The lawyer immediately stood objecting to the ruling saying, “Your honor, How can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays..”.

The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, “But you do. Your client, counsel, is woefully ignorant.”

The lawyer said, “Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists.”

The judge said, “The calendar says April 1st is April Fools Day. Psalm 14:1 states, ‘The fool says in his heart, there is no God.’ Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that, if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned.”

You gotta love a Judge who knows his scripture!

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General Passport

Information

Traveling abroad? As of June 1, 2009, the U.S. government requires U.S. citizens entering the United States via land, sea, or air to have a passport, passport card, or other travel document approved by the Department of Homeland Security.

Expedia strongly recommends that every traveler have a passport; if you don’t have one, allow a minimum of 6–8 weeks to obtain one.

Children: All U.S. citizen children ranging in age from birth to 18 years-of-age will now be required to present their own passport when entering the United States at airports.

Air Travel: Passports are now required for U.S. citizens traveling to or from all international destinations, including Mexico or Canada.

Land & Sea Travel: U.S. citizens returning home from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda, by land or sea, will be required to present one of the travel documents listed below: U.S. Passport U.S. Passport Card Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) Trusted Traveler Program Cards EXCEPTION: U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port) and visit Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and/or countries of the Caribbean will be able to enter or depart the US with a birth certificate and government issued photo ID. As of July 2009, Mexican nationals will be required to present a visa in order to travel to Canada. For more information on this new policy, and how to obtain a visa, please visit: h t t p : / / w w w. c i c . g c . c a / english/department/media/ backgrounders/2009/2009-07-13. asp For further information, see U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s website Ready, Set...Go! For information on passports, U.S. citizens can visit the State Department’s web site http:// travel.state.gov, or call the U.S. National Passport Information Center: (877) 4USA-PPT. Please allow at minimum 6–8 weeks for processing of the passport application. If you need to travel urgently and require a passport sooner, expedited processing is available.

December, 2009 WHERE DID IT GO 11

Continued from Page 5 above the entrance). After giving me a wonderful description of the town’s history and a look at the historical buildings, he gave me directions to, and tickets for the ferry I would be taking to his beautiful, updated farmhouse out in the country. His barn had been made into a recreation room for his children with a ping-pong

Bay of Fundy table, etc. Then he left me to go exploring on my own with instructions to show up at 6 PM for dinner. I did. He cooked a salmon dinner for me and his family. I brought the white wine and did the dishes. That evening, we had lively conversations about everything. That night, I slept soundly, all comfy in his daughter’s lovely bedroom, available because she was off at college. All-in-all, a perfect host and a perfect day. That is not the sort of treatment you get when you’re just traveling on your own.

The husband had just finished reading a new book entitled, ‘YOU CAN BE THE MAN OF YOUR HOUSE’.

He stormed to his wife in the kitchen and announced, ‘From now on, you need to know that I am the man of this house and my word is Law. You will prepare me a gourmet meal tonight, and when I’m finished eating my meal, you will serve me a sumptuous dessert.

After dinner, you are going to go upstairs with me and we will have the kind of romance that I want.

Afterwards, you are going to draw me a bath so I can relax.

You will wash my back, towel me dry and bring me my robe.

Then, you will massage my feet and hands.

Then tomorrow, guess who’s going to dress me and comb my hair?

The wife replied,‘The funeral director would be my first guess.’

Courtesy of Jeff Shaddock

I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet that on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with tequila shots than Kay. Classic Christmas Candy Recipes No Sugar Added Fudge

1 12 oz. bag of Cocolate chips or Carob Chips 1 18 oz jar of crunch peanut butter Melt in Double Boiler Add: 1/2 cup chopped nuts (any kind) 1/2 cup you favorite dried fruit I use raisens & dried cherries 1 med can of chow mein noodles When everything is coated press in 9x13 pan cool and cut .

----------------------------------------Aunt Ada’s Praline Recipe

1 can evaporated milk, large 3 cups sugar 2 cups pecan halves 2 tablespoons butter 2 teaspoons vanilla Mix all ingredients in a large saucepan and cook over medium high heat. Cook until mixture reaches a hard ball stage. Drop by spoonfuls onto well greased cookie sheet.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------OLD FASHIONED PECAN PENUCHE

1 cup evaporated milk 2 1/2 cups light brown sugar 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup butter 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans In a heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine milk, sugars, butter and salt. Cook, stirring only until sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking to 238 ƒ. Remove from heat and let stand until lukewarm (110ƒ). Add vanilla and beat until mixture begins to thicken. Add pecans and beat until candy loses its gloss. Pour into buttered 9-inch square pan. When firm, cut into squares. Yield 2 1/2 lbs

The Meaning of Christmas Author Unknown

Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened. I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room, and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out. “What are you doing?”

I started to ask him.

The words choked in my throat, as I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement, TEACH THE CHILDREN! I was puzzled: What did he mean? He anticipated my question, and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree.

As I stood there bewildered, Santa said, Teach the Children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that a now-a-day Christmas has forgotten!

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it on the mantle. Teach the Children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind. All the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man’s thoughts turning toward heaven.

He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. Teach the Children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago.

God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of that promise.

He then reached into the bag and pulled out a CANDLE. Teach the Children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness.

Once again he reached into his bag and then removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. Teach the Children that the wreath symbolizes the eternal nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection.

He then pulled out from his bag an ornament of HIMSELF. Teach the Children that Santa Claus symbolizes the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December.

He reached in again and pulled out a HOLLY LEAF. Teach the Children the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent blood shed by Him. Next he pulled out a GIFT from the bag and said, “Teach the Children that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift. Teach the Children that the wise men bowed before the holy babe and presented Him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We should give gifts in the same spirit as the wise men.”

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. Teach the Children that the candy cane represents the shepherd’s crook. The crook on the shepherd’s staff helps bring back strayed sheep from the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother’s keeper.

He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. Teach the Children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior’s birth. The angels sang ‘Glory to God in the highest, on earth, peace and good will.’

Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL. Teach the Children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of a bell, it should bring people to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.

Santa looked at the tree and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, “Remember, teach the Children the true meaning of Christmas, and not to put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One who is, and I bow down and worship Him, our Lord, our God.”

12  WHERE DID IT GO December 2009

312 W 516 Dickinson, Tex-

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