The Good, the Bad & the Ugly is a Council Chronicle series that offers a glimpse at unusual stories in the news around the world. They are intended to provoke thought, inform and elicit a range of emotions from joy, outrage, anger, amusement to hope. These are a summary of stories worth knowing. Each month we will feature a story of the Good, the Bad & the Ugly around the globe. If you come across a news item that falls into any of these categories, please email it to me for possible inclusion in the monthly e-newsletter.
THE GOOD
THE SWEETNESS OF STRANGERS
John and Stella Chhan have owned and operated Donut City in Seal Beach, California for over 30 years, closing the bakery only on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Chhan's are hard-working Asian immigrants who are well-liked and well-respected members of their Orange County community. One day several years ago, Stella suffered an aneurysm and lapsed into a coma.
When the customer's noticed Stella's absence at the shop and asked about her, they learned of her hospitalization. Many wanted to help by donating money toward Stella's medical expenses, but John wouldn't take it. So, the customers decided to try a buyout. Using social media to spread the word to come early and buy up all of the doughnuts at Donut City.
The story soon went viral, the donuts were selling out every day and people were coming from across the country to help out. One lady came from Minnesota to buy donuts from the bakery. People were regularly coming from 50, 60, 70 miles away to help buy out the donut shop at 5am so John could visit the ailing Stella in the hospital.
People were buying donuts by the dozen, even people who didn't want donuts came to help out.
When Stella awoke from the coma, she was partially paralyzed and couldn’t speak. She said it was like being a baby. Months passed before she was able to speak to John or her family members. Stella slowly recovered after months of rehab and time spent in a nursing facility.
One year after the brain aneurysm, she returned to work at the donut shop. Stella and John said all the support of the community helped her get better. With Stella's return, business is back to a normal pace, but the sweet treats now come with special affection. She says she feels very grateful to everyone for their help.
TRUTH BOMBS are described in the urban dictionary as surprising but true statements. A fact or piece of knowledge that, when told to a listener, is devastating to the listener's argument or world view.
New Yorker Seth Phillips has gained a cult following for his truth bombs that protest anything from loud engines, phones that shatter easily, “x” in espresso, and other very specific, small things that add up to our daily lives. He has a over 7.5 million followers on social media. Phillips has gone mainstream enough that fashion brands are selling "Dude with Sign" shirts in their collections.
And, of course, there’s always something new to protest. Such as, hot coffee in summer or verifying you’re not a robot online. Those of us who have had enough of everything will get a chuckle out of this series.
Crock pot cooking is my favorite way to cook. I love using the crock pot, also known as a slow cooker, for Fall and Winter meals. I get up in the morning, put my ingredients in the crock pot, set it and forget it. The house is filled with the most amazing aromas as you go about your day.
It's an easy, hands-off way to cook healthy, filling, flavorful meals. An added bonus to crock pot cooking is the easy clean up. There's not a lot of pots and pans to clean after dinner is done. These meals are also great for those days when you get home in the evening, your lunch is a distant memory, and your stomach is letting you know it’s ready to be filled ASAP! All you have to do is plate your food, maybe toast some bread or throw together a salad to accompany your meal and dig in!
SLOW COOKER POT ROAST
This pot roast is the classic comfort food that sticks to your bones and warms you from the inside out. The slow cooker pot roast is a savory, hearty, and delicious no-fess meal. Enjoy.
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
1. Sprinkle the roast all over with 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Coat in flour and shake off any excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the roast to the skillet and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the roast to the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker, along with the carrots, celery, onions and garlic.
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet over medium heat. Add the tomato paste and stir until the oil begins to turn brick-red, about 1 minute. Add the flour and wine and whisk until thick (it's OK if there are some lumps). Add the beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, allspice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and bring to a simmer, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thickens slightly, about 4 minutes.
3. Pour the gravy into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. The roast and vegetables should be tender.
4. Remove the roast and let rest for a few minutes. Discard the thyme stems and strain the vegetables, reserving the gravy. Toss the vegetables with half the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Stir the remaining parsley into the gravy and season with salt and pepper. Slice the roast against the grain. Serve the meat and vegetables on a platter, moistening them with some of the gravy; serve the remaining gravy on the side.
Harvard-educated historian and author, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, is credited with creating Black History Month to amplify Black people’s contributions and achievements. Black History Month started as “Negro History Week” which was celebrated during the week of Abraham Lincoln’s and Frederick Douglass’ birthdays (February 12th and 14th). In 1976, President Gerald Ford declared February to be Black History Month.
1. William Tucker, son of indentured servants from Great Britain, was the first recorded African child to be born in the colonies in 1624.
2. Vermont was the first colony to ban slavery in 1777.
3. Between 1810-1850, an estimated 100,000 slaves used the Underground Railroad to escape to the North.
4. OSBOURN DORSEY INVENTED THE DOORKNOB.
At the age of 16 years old, Osbourn Dorsey invented the doorknob and doorstop in Washington, D.C. in 1878. The young African American man was born a slave and freed at the age of eight months. Dorsey worked as a butcher as a young man, and later as an engineer. The little that is known about him was gleaned from emancipation records and the Census. But at the age of sixteen, he invented a very common and useful device that we all use every day: the doorknob.
5. Hattie McDaniel became the first Black person to win an Oscar for her supporting role in Gone With the Wind in 1940. Sidney Poitier was the first Black man to win, 24 years later, for his leading role in Lilies of the Field.
6. Garret Morgan invented the three-light traffic signal in 1923. This Black inventor had only an elementary school education and was the son of a slave. Morgan created several significant inventions, including the gas mask and an improved sewing machine.
7. AZIE TAYLOR MORTON WAS THE FIRST BLACK U.S. TREASURER.
Azie Taylor Morton was born on February 1, 1936, to a mother who was a deaf mute and a sharecropper in rural Texas. She never knew her father. She became a teacher, politician and the only African American to hold the position of Treasurer of the United States. For three years, a black woman's signature was on all U.S. currency that was printed.
Appointed by President Jimmy Carter on September 12, 1977, she was the 36th Treasurer of the U.S. Morton served from 1977-1981. Morton also oversaw the United States Mint and Bullion Depository.
Note Azie Taylor Morton's signature on this $1 bill.
8. William Wells Brown’s novel, Clotel: The President’s Daughter, is the first written by an African American to be published in 1853.
9. In 1864, Rebecca Lee Crumpler graduated from the New England Female Medical College as the first Black woman to receive a medical degree in the U.S.
10. VIOLETTE NEATLEY ANDERSON
Violette Neatley Anderson became the first Black woman to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court on January 29, 1926. Anderson was one of the first women of any race in the state of Illinois to engage in private law practice.
According to ASPCA, a staggering 6.3 million companion animals enter animal shelters every year in the US. Every year, more than 900,000 of those animals are euthanized (300,000+ dogs and 500,000+ cats). It is so heartbreaking to know that many of these animals never get a second chance at life.
Who can resist a heartwarming makeover, especially when it involves a sweet dog? Whether they were abandoned, lost or mistreated, these down-on-their luck dogs were in dire need of a loving presence in their lives. That's where caring animal shelters, pet rescues and foster parents come into the picture. With lots of love and much-needed TLC, these rescue dogs started thriving — inside and out. These before-and-after transformation pictures speak for themselves. Hopefully, it will inspire you to adopt a rescue pup of your own.
Posssum BEFORE her rescue and adoption into her forever home.
This pretty girl was named Possum by her adopter because her tail looked like it belonged on a possum instead of a dog. Now that she is loved and well-cared for, Possum has a luxuriously long and thick tail and mane. A little love does wonders for a dog like Possum.
Please consider adopting a pet from your local animal shelter or a pet rescue if you have room in your home and heart for a new furry family member. Trust me, you'll be so glad that you did. 🐾❤️
In honor of Black History Month, we are focusing on the accomplishments of eight African American women in our country's history. They are the trailblazers and rule-breakers who refused to be limited by the bias and expectations of others. These notable women forged their own paths and helped paved the way for the little black girls who would someday follow in their footsteps.
Elizabeth Freeman (unknown-1829)
Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mumbet, was a nurse and midwife who successfully sued Massachusetts for her freedom in 1781, becoming the first female slave freed under the state constitution. Her lawsuit helped lead to the permanent abolition of slavery in the state of Massachusetts.
Ida B. Wells (1862-1931)
Ida B. Wells founded the Alpha Suffrage Club, an organization of women who helped elect candidates who would serve the Black community in Chicago.
Wells was a prominent Black investigative journalist, educator and activist in the early civil rights movement. She was a founding member of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and led a powerful anti-lynching movement in the 1890s.
Wangari Maathai (1940-2011)
Wangari Muta Maathai was born in Nyeri, Kenya (Africa) in 1940. She was the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree. Maathai obtained a degree in Biological Sciences from Mount St. Scholastica College in Atchison, Kansas.
Maathai was known globally as a champion for human rights and women's empowerment, Professor Maathai was a pioneer in explaining the link between human rights, poverty, environmental protection and security, all of which earned her the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. She was the first Black African woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
In the 1970s, she founded the Green Belt Movement, a non-governmental environmental organization focused on environmental conservation and women’s rights. In addition, she was an elected member of Parliament and an assistant minister for Environment and Natural Resources between 2003 and 2005.
Wangari Maathai famously said, “We all share one planet and are one humanity; there is no escaping this reality. When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and hope. What people see as fearlessness is really persistence.”
Audre Lorde (1934-1992)
Audre Lorde was an American writer, professor, philosopher, feminist, poet and civil rights activist. In 1980, she co-founded the Kitchen Table, the first U.S. publisher for women of color. Lorde's theory was that racism, sexism, and homophobia were all linked in that they all come from an inability to respect difference.
She spent her life fighting against classism, homophobia, racism and sexism. She was a staunch supporter of civil rights and advocate for the equality of the LGBT community.
Lorde was a noted writer and her memoir, The Cancer Journals (1980), is a powerful account of her battle against breast cancer and a subsequent mastectomy. The work is highly regarded as a major work of illness narrative.
Audre Lorde published nine volumes of poetry and five books. She was a recipient of many distinguished honors and awards, including honorary doctorates from Hunter, Oberlin, and Haverford Colleges, and was named New York State Poet (1991-1993).
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” ― Audre Lorde
Ruby Bridges (1954-present)
At 6 years old, Ruby Nell Bridges became the first African American child to attend an all-white school on November 14, 1960, in New Orleans. Ruby and her mother were escorted by federal marshals to the school.
Ruby faced blatant racism every day while entering the school. Many parents kept their children at home. People outside threw objects. Police set up barricades. Ruby was threatened. One day she was greeted by a woman displaying a black doll in a wooden coffin.
The little girl was not allowed to go to the cafeteria or outside for recess with the other students. When Ruby needed to use the restroom, she was escorted by a federal marshal. Her father was fired from his job and her grandparents were evicted from their farm because Ruby's parents choose to send their child to a white school so she could get a better education.
Mae Jemison (1956-present)
Dr. Mae Carol Jemison is an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. She became the first African American woman to travel into space when she served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992. r. Mae Carol Jemison is an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. She became the first African American woman to travel into space when she served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.
Mae Jemison was a student of science before going on to serve as a medical officer in the Peace Corps and establish her own practice as a doctor. Inspired by the Apollo moon trips but discouraged by the lack of female astronauts, Jemison pivoted careers and in 1987, applied to NASA where, out of 2,000 applicants, she was selected to train at Kennedy Space Center.
Tarana Burke (1973-present)
As an activist, community organizer, and executive, Tarana Burke has made quite an impact. Known as the founder of the ‘#Me Too’ Movement, Burke’s hashtag has been used more than 19 million times on Twitter alone. She was named TIME magazines Person of the Year in 2017.
For almost 30 years, Burke has led initiatives regarding issues like economic injustice, housing inequality, and racial discrimination. She started the '#Me Too' Movement as a way for young women of color to share their stories of sexual abuse and used the phrase 'me too' to foster the concept of "empowerment through empathy." Her goal was to help survivors heal and to know that they were not alone. Her movement grew to encompass women and girls of all races who have been subjected to sexual violence to share their experiences and build an alliance between survivors.
Ketanji Brown Jackson (1970-present)
Ketanji Brown Jackson made history as the first Black woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in April 2022. As a young woman, she loved the law and set her sights on Harvard University. After being discouraged by a high school guidance counselor, Jackson not only graduated magna cum laude from the university but went on to attend Harvard Law School and served as editor of the "Harvard Law Review."
She clerked for Justice Stephen Breyer, whose seat she later assumed on the Supreme Court. From 2010 to 2014, Jackson was the vice chairwoman of the United States Sentencing Commission.
This is only a small selection of so many Black women in our history who excelled in their chosen fields and broke down barriers. These women are among the first to achieve landmark success and deserve to be celebrated for their contributions in the arts, civil rights, the law, politics, women's rights and so much more.
Dre Dawson, the Community Engagement Specialist in D3 says that training his daughter, Dynasty in the martial arts brings him great joy.
"My daughter and training in martial arts makes me happy and keeps me healthy. I love the fact that my daughter loves the arts as much as I do. This gives us something to bond over as well as provides a vehicle for me to teach her valuable life lessons. Martial arts saved my life in more ways than one, and continues to do so every day, by applying the things I learn in training to everyday work and life obstacles. As I continue to progress in my studies, I continually unlock new levels in my emotional, spiritual and physical growth every day," Dawson said.
Thanks for sharing what makes you happy with the Council Chronicle, Dre. What a great photograph of you and your beautiful baby girl, Dynasty.
1. The tradition of giving Valentine's Day flowers can be traced back to the 17th century. King Charles II of Sweden learned of the concept the "language of flowers" which matches different flowers with specific meanings. He then brought the custom to Europe.
2. Nearly 250 million roses are grown in preparation for Valentine's Day each year. Columbia, Ecuador and Kenya are some of the countries that ship the roses to the U.S. because they don't grow in the colder months.
3. Americans spend a lot of money on the holiday dedicated to love. The National Retail Foundation reports that almost $26 billion is spent on Valentine's Day gifts last year.
4. Teachers receive the most Valentine's Day cards every year.
5. The color of flower given on Valentine's Day is significant. The red rose is a traditional symbol of romantic love. While hot pink is a symbol of happiness, purple is symbolic of royalty and white is symbolic of sympathy.
Traditional Colors of Roses.
6. Americans send 145 million Valentine's Day cards each year.
7. Candy is the most popular gift given on Valentine's Day.
8. The biggest expenses are jewelry and romantic restaurant dinners for Valentine's Day. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans spend more than $5.5 billion on jewelry and almost $4.4 billion on a special evening out.
9. Four states have a city named Valentine. Arizona, Nebraska, Texas and Virginia each have cities with the name, although Virginia adds an "s" on the end.
10. Americans spend millions of dollars on Valentine's Day gifts for their pets. About 27.6 million American households gave Valetine's presents to their dogs in 2020, and more than 17.1 million picked up gifts for their cats. All in all, American households spent an estimated $751.3 million on gifts for their pets for Valentine’s Day.
Jack Russell Terriers, The Sweetest of Valentines.
I pray for equality, unity and peace in every city in our country. Equality for all people everywhere. I pray for justice for all those who have lost their lives needlessly and unjustly. I pray that all people, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status be treated with the dignity and respect we all deserve. I pray for change so that healing can begin in this country and around the world.
