Remember that old saying “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush?” I thought about this today while chewing fried chicken. I don’t know what other birds are worth, but I had to pay for the chicken.

A new year is about to begin for Castro County 4-H and there are a lot of important dates to keep track of. Current and potential members and volunteers are encouraged to register online at www.4-Honline.

On the lighter side, burning questions to ponder. If the #2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still #2? Why do we press harder on the remote control when we know the batteries are getting weak? Why are you “in” a movie, but “on” TV? What was the best thing BEFORE sliced bread? Why do we drive on parkways and park on driveways? Why do “fat chance” and “slim chance” mean the same thing?” Why do British people never sound British when they sing? Which arm rest is yours at the movie theater? Why do people say “heads up” when you should duck? Do coffins have lifetime guarantees? Do you yawn in your sleep? How can something be new AND improved? If it is new, what was it improving on? If a bunch of cats jump on top of each other, is it still called a dog pile? If a child refuses to sleep during nap time, are they guilty of resisting a rest? Is there a time limit on fortune cookie predictions? When does it stop being partly cloudy and start being partly sunny? Why do they say a football team is the “world champion” when they don’t play any teams outside the USA? Why is vanilla ice cream white when vanilla extract is brown? Do cannibals think clowns taste funny? If the truth is different for everyone, how can it be called the truth? Did Adam and Eve have a bellybutton? If anything is possible, can anything be impossible? How do keep off the grass signs get there? Why is the man who invests al your money called a broker? If a person told you that they are a pathological liar, would you believe them? Why is an alarm clock going off when it actually turns on?.

Throughout the ages, our forefathers – and foremothers too – have been told that certain things bring bad luck. My uncle got sick one time because he did not listen to the old poem that said “Leave fresh food out of the refrigerator, and you’re sure to vomit sooner or later.” You’ve likely heard it’s dangerous to walk under a ladder.

With trust in government waning, a Texas law can help keep a closer watch on public officials. Even citizens who continue to have faith in government can use this law to stay better informed.

What’s the real meaning of the fairy tale about Goldilocks? To be frank (although Frank is not my name), “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” is more confusing than a stop sign on a roller coaster track. First, you gotta accept that a bear family owns a fancy two-story deep in the woods.

Several new laws that were passed during the 88th Texas Legislature went into effect Sept. 1 of importance to farmers, ranchers and rural Texans, according to Texas Farm Bureau (TFB).

In the last 70 years, educators have gone from expressing a keen interest in teaching values to little interest, if any. I am not sure what makes this discussion so difficult, but I do know that students, even in graduate school, are still learning values; they learn them from experience and study.

As I get older, I try to learn something every day. That’s not always possible, because some days I just watch reruns.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is taking swift and immediate action to address a rise in dangerous contraband and drugrelated inmate homicides. Over the last five years, the volume of illegal narcotics entering the system has substantially increased.