News of the Week: Layaway Meals, Jolly Lawsuits, and Do You Remember Being a Baby?

Random Notes

My cable box went out the other day. A tech came by the next morning and fixed it, but for one terrible night I had to eat dinner at the dinner table, in silence, like some caveman!

DoorDash is going to let you buy now and pay later (in four easy installments!) for food you get delivered. I can’t imagine doing that. Every time money is taken out of the account I’d think, am I really still paying for that cheeseburger and fries I had delivered two months ago?

You know Edible Arrangements, the company that sells fruit-and-chocolate bouquets? They’re now going to sell actual edibles (hemp and THC products for those of you who aren’t hip) which is an extension of the brand I bet they didn’t think of years ago.

This is a really nice profile of Tom Furrier and his Cambridge Typewriter Company in Massachusetts, which is going out of business after more than 50 years.

You know what I’d like to see? Tommy Lee Jones became a game show host.

I don’t usually watch the Olympics but this might get me to watch the 2032 Games.

Maybe DoorDash and EdibleArrangements.com can get together for some package deal?

The Winner: Mariah Carey

Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” has become such a massive annual hit that it’s hard to remember a time when it didn’t exist. The song was released in 1994. But there was another song called “All I Want for Christmas” released in 1989. The writers of that song, Andy Stone and Troy Powers, sued Carey, her co-writer, and Sony, saying that the songs were way too similar. Last week, a federal judge ruled against Stone and Powers.

But judge for yourself. Here is Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” and here’s “All I Want For Christmas” by Vince Vance & the Valiants. I’m glad the lawsuit came about because otherwise a lot of us would never have heard of the latter. It’s a good song and well worth adding to your Christmas song list.

Do You Remember Being a Baby?

I have one distinct memory as an infant: someone holding me and me looking over at my dad. It’s very clear in my mind. It’s the only memory I have of him, since he died less than a year later.

But who knows if it’s a real memory! It was almost 60 years ago and our minds are weird. According to a new study in the journal Science, there’s a good reason why we don’t retain our infant memories (it has to do with the hippocampus).

My New Favorite Band

Colt Clark and the Quarantine Five started playing songs online during COVID (hence the name), but they have expanded to live performances and streaming concerts. And after you watch this video, you’ll see why. This family is crazy talented.

Uploaded to YouTube by the Clark Family Creative

RIP George Foreman, Wings Hauser, Kitty Dukakis, Mia Love, Larry Tamblyn, Mark Dobies, and Jack Lilley

George Foreman was a heavyweight boxing champion, Olympic gold medal winner, and successful pitchman for his massively popular George Foreman Grill. He died last week at the age of 76.

Wings Hauser appeared in such movies as Tough Guys Don’t Dance, A Soldier’s Story, and Vice Squad, as well as TV shows like The Young and the Restless, The Last Precinct, Roseanne, and Magnum, P.I. He died last week at the age of 77.

Kitty Dukakis was the wife of former Massachusetts governor and 1988 Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis. She died last week at the age of 88.

Mia Love was the first black Republican woman elected to Congress. She died Sunday at the age of 49.

Larry Tamblyn was the founder and keyboardist of the band The Standells, known for their hit song “Dirty Water.” He died last week at the age of 82.

Mark Dobies appeared in such shows as Everybody Loves Raymond (he was Debra’s aerobics instructor), Guiding Light, Home Improvement, and Just Shoot Me! He died earlier this month at the age of 65.

Jack Lilley was a stuntman and actor who worked on such Western shows as Little House on the Prairie, Rawhide, Gunsmoke, and Bonanza, and films like Blazing Saddles and Three Amigos! He died last week at the age of 91.

This Week in History

First Passenger Elevator Begins Operation (March 23, 1857)

It was an Otis elevator, and it was installed in the five-story Eder Haughwout department store in New York City.

Worst Crash in Aviation History (March 27, 1977)

Two Boeing 747s collided on the runway of Los Rodeos Airport on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. 570 people were killed.

This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: “2:00 Feeding” by Stevan Dohanos (March 27, 1954)

That baby probably didn’t remember this.

Wednesday Is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day

You’re probably thinking, outside of the type of bread and maybe the flavor of the jelly, how many ways can there be to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

Oh, you’d be surprised.

Taste of Home has recipes for a Peanut Butter, Strawberry, and Honey Sandwich and a Peanut Butter, Honey, and Pear Open-Faced Sandwich. Allrecipes has a Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly, and Planted in the Kitchen has one that’s fried. Brunch & Batter has a Thai Peanut Butter and Jelly (with pineapple jam and red curry paste), while Skippy has a Chocolate Dipped PB&J.

And if you’re really daring, try the Peanut Butter, Strawberry Jam, and Mayonnaise Sandwich. Mayo and peanut butter is actually a regular sandwich in many parts of the country, though I don’t remember having it when I was a kid (and I probably wouldn’t have tried it).

Next Week’s Holidays and Events

April Fools’ Day (April 1)

Make your kids a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, only hide some anchovies in there. It will be hysterical!

Tell A Lie Day (April 3)

I lied. It’s actually on April 4.