Handlers, Schmandlers

 

Belle's Ball Gown
(Fair Use - Disney)

During last month’s Met Gala, all eyes were upon the fashion parade.  Artsy gowns seemed to be particularly favored, especially those with poufy trains that required “handlers.”

When Blake Lively’s handler turned this way instead of that way, she motioned to him in a manner that evoked controversy from folks with too much time on their hands. The ensuing hoopla included questions about whether a female should be criticized for issuing orders to a subordinate employee.

Although the jury remains out on that one, a sounder concern might be to wonder whether a dress handler should even be needed by anyone with the wherewithal to prance around on their own two well-heeled feet.

Resources

 https://www.buzzfeed.com/leylamohammed/blake-lively-met-gala-behavior-sparks-debate

 

 

Just One Word and It Ain't Money

 

Buffett in 2015
(Public Domain)

When people hear the name Warren Buffett, they tend to think of money.  Buffett himself may have fostered such thoughts during certain phases of life, but these days his priorities go way beyond that realm.

When asked by Georgia Tech students about his current definition of success, Buffett replied: “If you get to my age in life and nobody thinks well of you, I don’t care how big your bank account is, your life is a disaster.”  Sounds good, but people think all kinds of things about all kinds of folks, so perhaps some clarification is in order.

And Buffett did indeed clarify by summing up his response with one resounding word: “Love.”  He then elaborated: “The trouble with love is that you can’t buy it… the only way to get love is to be lovable… The more you give love away, the more you get.”

Resources

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/warren-buffett-success-your-life-1-word-career-advice/91313453

 

Junk in a Monkey's Trunk

Not fit for man or beast...
(Photo by Dietmar Rabich)

Humans aren’t the only ones to stuff the gut with junk food. When monkeys are within easy reach of sugary snacks, they grab onto them by hook or crook.

This can be witnessed firsthand at the fabled Rock of Gibraltar.  While tourists are busy gawking, resident monkeys are snatching a whole bunch of goodie bags. Karma being what it is, this often results in gorilla-sized tummy aches.

Monkeys and humans have both sought ways to offset these gut-wrenching effects. Whereas people generally pay for their over-the-counter remedies, monkeys have it a bit easier. They simply grab a handful of soil and chug it on down. This seems to buffer painful outcomes in ways akin to pharmaceutical antacids.

Or perhaps they could all learn to just say no...

Resources

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/gibraltars-monkeys-clever-way-avoid-160552659.html

 

 

And you thought it was Jesus...

 

(Public Domain)

Ask most Christians what the essence of church is, and you would likely get a lot of Trinity-based answers.

Not so during a recent gathering at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec.  The church was indeed quite full, but full of what is the question.

When such attendees were asked about the essence of church, they didn’t need to pray on it.  The response came quick: “Hockey is a religion in Quebec.”  This crowd was temporarily “churched” in order to drink beer and watch the game on a cathedral-sized screen.

Their logic went like this: The players are like gods, so why not cheer them on within a sacred setting?  They then concluded that Somebody up there must be rightly pleased because Montreal’s team ended up winning the game.

Resources

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/hockey-religion-montreal-fans-pack-030845553.html

Bottle of Wine, Fruit of the Gold Mine

 

(Photo by Alanscottwalker)

When the cost of just one bottle of wine could instead feed thousands of people, it might be time to reevaluate priorities.

“A single bottle of 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti” was recently auctioned off for the grand total of “812,500.  How many gallons of milk could that buy? How many sacks of beans?  Pounds of potatoes?

Sure it tasted good - real good!  But does it truly exemplify “the soul and spirit of Burgundy,” as claimed by the chairman of “America’s oldest wine merchant,” Acker?  

When talking “soul and spirit,” a very different type of wine comes to mind - one that evokes a Body that catered to people who could best benefit from a dietary boost.

Resources

https://www.iheart.com/content/2026-03-31-worlds-most-expensive-bottle-of-wine-sold-at-auction/

 

Camping Out, Way Out

(Fair Use)

Jackie Gleason must have been onto something when he repeatedly shouted, “To the moon, Alice!” 

Here it is, a mere 70 years later, and NASA is planning to make it happen. Not just for Alice, but eventually for anyone with the means to vacation far from the RV crowd.

Twenty billion can buy a lot here, not to mention a space base there. With that wide a wad, NASA is figuring on pioneering lunar land within the next seven years. Astronauts can then set a spell rather than orbiting above.

You and I may have to wait awhile for some timeshares to develop.  In the meantime, we can fruitfully focus on inner space instead.

Resources

https://www.iheart.com/content/2026-03-24-nasa-planning-to-build-a-20-billion-base-on-the-moon/ 

Give a Beneficial Dam

Salmon Run
(Public Domain)

When it comes to preserving the natural environment, beavers give a dam. In doing so, they reshape “rivers into wetlands” that “may help store huge amounts of CO2 – offering a simple, wild solution to climate change.”

Humans, however, have somewhat created a dam nation by indiscriminately blocking the flow of one vital river after another. This not only submerges Native American sacred sites, but also destroys the habitats of salmon, trout, and other prized species.

The film, DamNation, says it better than mere words ever could:

https://www.patagonia.com/stories/damnation/video-79847.html

Additional Resource

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260322020245.htm