Where is a budget that is of the people, by the people, for the people? (Photo: Jj Gouin | Dreamstime.com)
Most folks are honest; this tricks them into a belief in the bedrock honesty of others, especially those who make bold public statements. How could someone lie in a public statement? Most folks know they would not want to live with that embarrassment when the truth inevitably came out. And yet we get fooled again. And again. George Santos claimed his mother died in the 9/11 attacks. She did not. He claimed his grandparents survived the European holocaust. As we all know, his shenanigans have been extraordinary.
From Trump’s incessant and continuing lies to the fictions spun up on Fox News, we are awash in a gaslighting culture from the right that cannot seem to stop its relentless daily “flooding the zone.” But this is the chop on the surface; what about the current underneath? Where does the political left join the political right in framing profits as patriotism, bloodshed as glory, immiseration as inspiration?
Here we are in yet another crisis of our own making (well, made by the people we freely elected), the debt ceiling debacle. At the actual nut of the problem is the military budget. Why? Because it seems to be literally more sacred than the money the government takes out of your paycheck for your retirement, Social Security. Just ponder the headlines. Forbes: “Republicans Plan To Cut Social Security — Will Voters Let Them?” Time magazine: “How Biden Got Republicans To Run Away From Their History of Pushing Social Security and Medicare Cuts.” The fight is on, even as your paycheck shows the deductions made to the Social Security fund. That is your money, not Congress’ to play around with. And yet it’s a public debate now.
On the other hand, find me the politicians who are calling for cuts to the biggest budget item by far in the pool of your tax dollars that we do give Congress the right to divide as they see fit, discretionary spending. That would be the Pentagon budget, of course. There is pretty much radio silence on that topic. Where there are minor quibbles it’s usually about how much to increase it, not whether it should be cut.
Back in the day, Ronald Reagan’s head of his Office of Management and Budget, David Stockman, in an interview in The Atlantic, talked about the defense contractors and noted, “The hogs are really feeding now.” Fast forward to today and those hogs are breeding and feeding, gorging on your tax dollars, and yet the Pentagon is so reckless and eager to spend that they cannot pass an audit, year after year. So the bloated Pentagon budget, some $816 billion officially, is far more than every hostile foreign power combined, and yet in reality is much more than that, since military costs are also absorbed into other budgets, such as Veterans Affairs, Dept. of Energy, and NASA, amongst others.
Into all this comes the fatuous self-inflicted threat of a default to the U.S. full faith and credit because Republicans won’t honor past expenses they voted to make. If a dad does that he’s a deadbeat dad. If a contractor does that to a subcontractor, expect a lien. Do that to a neighbor nice enough to sell you an appliance that you never paid for and he’s going to see you in small claims court. Deadbeat Republicans never met a weapons system they wouldn’t vote for but now that the bill is here they want to dip out. Gullible Democrats also voted for those military boondoggles but at least they want to honor those debts.
Republicans are, as usual, aiming to cut programs that really serve human needs, but the budgets they seek to eliminate are so small the Pentagon would regard them as rounding errors. They want to cut Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)? No food for poor kids! More caviar for Raytheon war profiteer executives!
It is long past time to really pare down the DoD budget. We should not have sophisticated weaponry all over the Earth, under the seas, and in space while families are living in tents in the snow on sidewalks and while healthcare is still not available to all. Can we unite for peace and prosperity?
Dr. Tom H. Hastings is coordinator of Conflict Resolution BA/BS degree programs and certificates at Portland State University, PeaceVoice senior editor, and on occasion an expert witness for the defense of civil resisters in court.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries-born René Descartes (1596–1650) was instrumental in developing of modern science and philosophy. His famous motto, “I think, therefore I am,” is an assertion that the analytical component of intelligence is primary and foremost. And yet, few history books mention the supernatural intervention that was pivotal in his evolution as a supreme rationalist. On the night of November 10, 1619, he had three mystical dreams that changed his life, revealing the contours of the quest to discern the “miraculous science” that would occupy him for the next 30 years. I suspect you are in store for a comparable experience or two, Aries. Brilliant ideas and marvelous solutions to your dilemmas will visit you as you bask in unusual and magical states of awareness.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The dirty work is becoming milder and easier. It’s still a bit dirty but is growing progressively less grungy and more rewarding. The command to “adjust, adjust, and adjust some more, you beast of burden” is giving way to “refine, refine, and refine some more, you beautiful animal.” At this pivotal moment, it’s crucial to remain consummately conscientious. If you stay in close touch with your shadowy side, it will never commandeer more than 10 percent of your total personality. In other words, a bit of healthy distrust for your own motives will keep you trustworthy. (PS: Groaning and grousing, if done in righteous and constructive causes, will continue to be good therapy for now.)
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “’Tis the good reader that makes the good book,” wrote Gemini philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson. “In every book, he finds passages which seem confidences or asides hidden from all else and unmistakably meant for his ear.” In the coming weeks, a similar principle will apply to everything you encounter, Gemini — not just books. You will find rich meaning and entertainment wherever you go. From seemingly ordinary experiences, you’ll notice and pluck clues that will be wildly useful for you personally. For inspiration, read this quote from author Sam Keen: “Enter each day with the expectation that the happenings of the day may contain a clandestine message addressed to you personally. Expect omens, epiphanies, casual blessings, and teachers who unknowingly speak to your condition.”
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Traditional astrologers don’t regard the planet Mars as being a natural ally of you Crabs. But I suspect you will enjoy an invigorating relationship with the red planet during the next six weeks. For best results, tap into its rigorous vigor in the following ways: 1. Gather new wisdom about how to fight tenderly and fiercely for what’s yours. 2. Refine and energize your ambitions so they become more ingenious and beautiful. 3. Find out more about how to provide your physical body with exactly what it needs to be strong and lively on an ongoing basis. 4. Mediate on how to activate a boost in your willpower.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I won’t ask you to start heading back toward your comfort zone yet, Leo. I’d love to see you keep wandering out in the frontiers for a while longer. It’s healthy and wise to be extra fanciful, improvisatory, and imaginative. The more rigorous and daring your experiments, the better. Possible bonus: If you are willing to question at least some of your fixed opinions and dogmatic beliefs, you could very well outgrow the part of the Old You that has finished its mission.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The Supreme Deity with the most power may not be Jehovah or Allah or Brahman or Jesus’ Dad. There’s a good chance it’s actually Mammon, the God of Money. The devoted worship that humans offer to Mammon far surpasses the loyalty offered to all the other gods combined. His values and commandments rule civilization. I bring this to your attention, Virgo, because now is an excellent time for you to deliver extra intense prayers to Mammon. From what I can determine, this formidable Lord of Lords is far more likely to favor you than usual. (PS: I’m only half-kidding. I really do believe your financial luck will be a peak in the coming weeks.)
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): It’s an excellent time to give up depleted, used-up obsessions so you have plenty of room and energy to embrace fresh, succulent passions. I hope you will take advantage of the cosmic help that’s available as you try this fun experiment. You will get in touch with previously untapped resources as you wind down your attachments to old pleasures that have dissipated. You will activate dormant reserves of energy as you phase out connections that take more than they give.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “The best revenge is not to be like your enemy,” said ancient Roman philosopher Marcus Aurelius. I’m tempted to advise every Scorpio to get a tattoo of that motto. That way, you will forever keep in mind this excellent advice: As fun as it may initially feel to retaliate against those who have crossed you, it rarely generates redemptive grace or glorious rebirth, which are key Scorpio birthrights. I believe these thoughts should be prime meditations for you in the coming weeks.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sometimes love can be boring. We may become overly accustomed to feeling affection and tenderness for a special person or animal. What blazed like a fiery fountain in the early stages of our attraction might have subsided into a routine sensation of mild fondness. But here’s the good news, Sagittarius: Even if you have been ensconced in bland sweetness, I suspect you will soon transition into a phase of enhanced zeal. Are you ready to be immersed in a luscious lusty bloom of heartful yearning and adventure?
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): What shall we call this latest chapter of your life story? How about “Stealthy Triumph over Lonely Fear” or maybe “Creating Rapport with the Holy Darkness”? Other choices might be “As Far Down into the Wild Rich Depths That I Dare to Go” or “My Roots Are Stronger and Deeper Than I Ever Imagined.” Congratulations on this quiet but amazing work you’ve been attending to. Some other possible descriptors: “I Didn’t Have to Slay the Dragon Because I Figured Out How to Harness It” or “The Unexpected Wealth I Discovered Amidst the Confusing Chaos.”
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): It’s sway-swirl-swivel time for you, Aquarius — a phase when you will be wise to gyrate and rollick and zigzag. This is a bouncy, shimmering interlude that will hopefully clean and clear your mind as it provides you with an abundance of reasons to utter “whee!” and “yahoo!” and “hooray!” My advice: Don’t expect the straight-and-narrow version of anything. Be sure you get more than minimal doses of twirling and swooping and cavorting. Your brain needs to be teased and tickled, and your heart requires regular encounters with improvised fun.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): When I was growing up in suburban America, way back in the 20th century, many adults told me that I was wrong and bad to grow my hair really long. Really! It’s hard to believe now, but I endured ongoing assaults of criticism, ridicule, and threats because of how I shaped my physical appearance. Teachers, relatives, baseball coaches, neighbors, strangers in the grocery store — literally hundreds of people — warned me that sporting a big head of hair would cause the whole world to be prejudiced against me and sabotage my success. Decades later, I can safely say that all those critics were resoundingly wrong. My hair is still long, has always been so, and my ability to live the life I love has not been obstructed by it in the least. Telling you this story is my way of encouraging you to keep being who you really are, even in the face of people telling you that’s not who you really are. The astrological omens say it’s time for you to take a stand.
Everyone has an opinion about cars. Luxury or economy, sedan or hatchback, van or pickup truck — preferences stay pretty consistent outside major life changes, like a new baby or a new RV to pull. To some extent, cars help define your personality in America, and car lovers tend to stay loyal to their favorite model or brand.
Investment portfolios help define your future, but hopefully they don’t define your personality. While you might get satisfaction from driving a fancy sports car, we believe “exciting” investments are likely best avoided. Your investments should actually be relatively boring and low cost while historically providing the performance you need in the long run.
There’s one quick and nearly certain way to lose money in cars or investment portfolios — making big changes too frequently for the wrong reasons. Hopping around from one investment to another can even be much more expensive than trading in for a new car every year, which we know is one of the pricier car decisions you can make.
Let’s say you own an Accord, and after five years and 100,000 worry-free miles you need a new water pump. You might feel a bit unlucky, but you would probably sigh and get it replaced. What you probably would not do is start second-guessing your decision to buy the car in the first place. You wouldn’t run across the street and trade in your Accord for a Camry because your friend told you at a cocktail party that Hondas are no good anymore and Toyotas are now the only reliable choice. You probably would have been fine in an Accord or a Camry, but switching back and forth between them because of short-term problems is far worse than picking and sticking with one or the other. Nobody manages their vehicles like that, so why do we think about investments in that way?
There are countless ways to invest in markets, and I believe only some of them are patently “wrong.” An appropriate portfolio for your circumstances will undoubtedly outperform and underperform various benchmarks at various times, and the periods of underperformance don’t mean you’ve bought the wrong portfolio. Financial news focuses on what is outperforming after the outperformance has already occurred, and using that backward-looking news as actionable trading advice can be devastating to your long-term returns.
Even if you can ignore the news, there are still opportunities to be distracted by recent performance. A sound investment portfolio for you might hold 10 different funds. Over any period, one of those funds will perform better than the others and one will perform worse. Performance comes in chunks, and although the instinct to sell the worst recent performer is strong, previous worst performers have a chance of improving and should therefore only be sold if something has materially changed in your initial investment thesis. One important thing to remember is why each element of your portfolio is there (regardless of recent performance) in order to avoid making big, emotional decisions due to the natural dispersion of investment returns.
Driving a new car off the lot usually cuts its value instantly and dramatically, but people don’t always think about the devastating consequences of chasing performance and making large and frequent changes in their investment portfolios. There’s little chance breaking financial news or current events mean you should make changes to an appropriate, low-cost, diversified portfolio. Consider showing the same brand loyalty to your portfolio that you show to your cars — investment loyalty can actually make a positive difference on the path toward a secure financial future.
Gene Gard, CFA, CFP, CFT-I, is a Wealth Manager with Creative Planning, formerly Telarray. Creative Planning is one of the nation’s largest Registered Investment Advisory firms providing comprehensive wealth management services to ensure all elements of a client’s financial life are working together, including investments, taxes, estate planning, and risk management. For more information or to request a free, no-obligation consultation, visit CreativePlanning.com.
James Williams, Gary Windham, and Andy Johnson (Photo: Michael Donahue)
Spice Krewe isn’t a group of Mardi Gras revelers, but it does include three “kings.”
James Williams, Andy Johnson, and Gary Windham are founders of the Memphis-based spice company, which specializes in seasonings for crawfish and seafood boils.
Spice Krewe is one of the sponsors of Donuts & Dogs 5 Miler!, a fundraiser for Streetdog Foundation, that will be held April 23rd at Wiseacre Brewing Company at 398 South B.B. King Boulevard. Free samples as well as for-sale products will be featured.
Williams, 45, said his love for crawfish boils began when he was majoring in finance at Mississippi State University. His fraternity would do crawfish boils on Super Bulldog weekend. “It was basically the start of spring season. We would do big crawfish cookouts.”
They used commercial crawfish boil seasonings. “Nothing gourmet and nothing out of the ordinary.”
After moving to Memphis in 2000, Williams and his wife, Keshia, attended local crawfish boils, but the portions were small. They’d only get a pound or so of crawfish with some sausage and a piece of corn. “Definitely not what I was used to, eating crawfish.”
In 2010, Williams began holding his own crawfish boils at home. About 15 people got together and cooked around 40 pounds of crawfish. Team members cut up the potatoes, garlic, lemon, and oranges. They just used a commercial seasoning.
As the crowd began growing, Williams and his team began experimenting with seasonings.
They began ordering their crawfish seasoning from a company in Louisiana. But they had to scramble when their order was short in 2018 because their crawfish cookout was the next day. They came up with their own blend off the top of their heads.
It was that same year when the team decided to create its own unique blend. They wanted a mixture of Cajun, which is more salt, cayenne, and black pepper, and Creole, which includes mustard, coriander, and oregano.
“We built a spreadsheet. We took a bunch of Creole seasoning blends and a bunch of Cajun seasoning blends and put them across our spreadsheet and found commonalities where we could tweak.”
They eventually came up with their own seasoning blend. “It’s the mix of spices that are in it. They’re very unique in the mixture. But I would say it’s a little more of a savory flavor than just heat and salt.”
Williams, Johnson, and Windham launched Spice Krewe on Feb. 21st — Fat Tuesday — 2023. “It’s pretty much online only. We’re working on getting shelf space in some places.”
Crawfish season can last from January to July, but Spice Krewe seasonings also are good on “shrimp, fish, chicken, any kind of meat. A lot of people put it on eggs, hash browns, and in soups.”
Spice Krewe now offers four blends. According to the website, Bayou Blend is “an all-purpose Creole seasoning that’s the perfect mix of spicy and savory. This blend is carefully crafted to complement any dish, whether you’re cooking up some jambalaya or just adding some extra flavor to your roasted vegetables.”
Bayou Burn is “hotter than the Bayou Blend and gives your dishes an extra boost of heat.”
Bayou Seasoned Salt is “a tamer version of our Bayou Blend, perfect for those who prefer less heat and more salt.”
The Bayou Boil bag is “specifically designed for seafood boils. This blend is a perfect mix of seasonings that take the flavor of your seafood boil to the next level.”
Williams has already come up with 55 more seasonings. “I thought what we’d try to do is one or two actual releases a year. But maybe put out three or four or five or six as samples for people to try and do market research. What works best.”
They’re also discussing offshoot products like roux. “Maybe even dry mixes. Like doing our own jambalaya.”
And they’ve created a Spice Krewe step-by-step crawfish cooking method for beginners. They also offer names of places where people can buy pots, boilers, and other crawfish cooking equipment. “It’s not just about being a spice company. We want to bring the experience to people.”
Momo the lar gibbon, who lives at the Kujukushima Zoo and Botanical Garden Mori Kirara in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, delivered a baby in February 2021, which surprised zookeepers, since Momo lived in her own enclosure with no males around. She was very protective of the offspring, United Press International reported, so it wasn’t until two years later that handlers were able to collect DNA from the youngster to determine who the father was. As it turned out, a 34-year-old agile gibbon, Itou, was the baby daddy. Zookeepers found that a partition between Momo’s exhibit and Itou’s off-display area had a perforated board with holes about 9 mm in diameter, and they believe the two were able to mate through one of those holes. The perforated board was replaced with a steel plate, but Momo and Itou will be introduced properly to each other so that they may live as a family. [UPI, 2/3/2023]
Great Art!
Marcelo “B-boy” De Souza Ribeiro of Sao Paolo, Brazil, is known as the most modified man in the world, with 1,500 tattoos covering his skin and now, a new transformation: a “devil hand.” The Daily Star reported that Ribeiro did a lot of research before undergoing the procedure, which split his hand between the middle and ring fingers. “I began to see the possibility of making an opening … through the middle where you can have opening and closing movements and a firmer folding of the hand,” he said. Over the years, he’s spent about $35,000 on his modifications, which also include a split tongue. Ribeiro said he thinks of his body as an “art exhibition.” [The Daily Star, 2/9/2023]
Wait, What?
The Exmoor Squirrel Project, a conservation endeavor in the United Kingdom aimed at saving the native red squirrel, has proposed that people set live traps for the non-native grey squirrel and that restaurants serve its meat, the BBC reported on Feb. 28. “Our woodlands, landscape, and the biodiversity isn’t set up to deal with the behaviors of the grey,” said the group’s manager Kerry Hosegood. “We’re going to introduce them to restaurants in the Exmoor area because they actually make for good eating,” she added. “This isn’t something that we like to do … just target greys. … It’s a very serious project.” She said the grey squirrels have caused about 40 million pounds’ worth of damage to trees annually. [BBC, 2/28/2023]
Suspicions Confirmed
Madison County (Illinois) coroner Steve Nonn solved a nearly year-old mystery on March 2 when he released the results of an autopsy on Richard Maedge of Troy, Illinois. Maedge’s wife, Jennifer, had reported him missing in late April last year after he failed to come home from work, KTVI-TV reported. His car, wallet, and keys were at the house, but she couldn’t find him. Police searched the house, which they described as a “hoarder home,” but did not locate him. In fact, they searched twice, as Jennifer was also looking for the source of a “sewerlike” odor in the dwelling. Finally, on Dec. 11, as Jennifer pulled out Christmas decorations from a concealed storage space, she discovered Richard’s mummified body. The coroner ruled that Maedge hanged himself and that there was no foul play in his death. [KTVI, 3/6/2023]
News You Can Use
Mushrooms have been in the news a lot lately, but you probably didn’t know that Texas has a state mushroom: the Devil’s Cigar or Texas Star. KXAN-TV reported that the Lone Star State’s designated fungus is ultra-rare, growing only on decomposing cedar elm or oak tree stumps and roots in the U.S. and Japan. It comes out of the earth in a cylindrical shape, then “will open up into a three- to eight-pointed star,” said Angel Schatz of the Central Texas Mycological Society. That’s when it releases its spores and sometimes hisses. “It is a very cool mushroom to have as our state mushroom,” Schatz said. [KXAN, 3/7/2023]
Strap on your fanny packs, lace up your sneakers, smear on that sunscreen, and brace yourself for another banger festival season with our guide to Memphis’ favorite festivities.
APRIL
The Mid-South Poets and Writers Festival Spoken Memphis hosts its first Mid-South Poets and Writers Festival, celebrating local literary artists and their written arts. The day will include a Headshots and Books Brunch, a youth talent show, an erotic poetry and burlesque show, and a battle between rappers and poets. Timeless Event Center, April 8
Italian Film Festival Luci, camera, azione! Whether or not you speak Italian, you’ll delight in the critically acclaimed Italian films this film festival has to offer (all for free). Attendees will enjoy the local premieres of The Champion, The Invisible Witness, and Never Too Late For Love. English subtitles will accompany each film. University Center Theatre, University of Memphis, April 11, 14, & 20
Art in the Loop Are you in the loop about this art festival in East Memphis? I’ll give you the 411: Talented artists working in metal, glass, wood, clay, fiber, jewelry, painting, photography, basically anything you can think of, are coming together for an artists’ market. Ridgeway Loop Road, April 14-16
Storyfest Once upon a time in the not-so-far-away Halloran Centre, real Memphians shared their real stories in an effort to build community. That time has come once again with this Storyfest that features live performances, engagement activities, and community reflections. Halloran Centre, April 14-15
Cooper-Young Porchfest Rascal Flatts once sang of sitting on the front porch, drinking ice-cold cherry Coke, and now the front porches in Cooper-Young are for more than a refreshing refreshment. At this unique music festival, they’re stages for free intimate concerts with local bands playing throughout the day. Cooper-Young Historic District, April 15
Juke Joint Festival This festival has 100+ blues performances plus real-deal juke joints, monkeys riding dogs, racing pigs, arts and crafts, music workshops, children’s events, Southern food, and much more. Clarksdale, MS, April 15
Shelby Forest Spring Fest Go wild with live music, food, arts and crafts vendors, wildlife and cultural exhibits, and a cornhole tourney at this fest. Meeman Shelby Forest, April 15
Taste the Rarity A hundred bottles of beer on the wall, a hundred bottles of beer, take one down, pass it around, and you’ve still got four hours of unlimited drinking at this festival, bringing the best and weirdest brews from all over the country. Wiseacre Brewing Company, April 15
Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival (Photo: Courtesy Porter-Leath)
Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival Bob it, eat it, race it — the “it,” here, is of course the crawfish at this festival raising money for Porter-Leath. The day will also include live music, arts and crafts vendors, and a kids zone. Riverside Drive, April 16
Africa in April Africa in April will salute the Republic of Rwanda for its 36th annual festival, filled with live performances, food and merchandise vendors, and the International Diversity Parade. Robert R. Church Park, April 19-23
Shell Daze You’ll be dazed but not confused by this lineup of musical acts, with Southern Avenue, Neal Francis, Paul Thorn, Trampled by Turtles, Leftover Salmon, and Bailey Bigger. Overton Park Shell, April 21-22
Brewfest Enjoy all the beer you could ever want from local and regional breweries, plus a concert by the Amber McCain Band. Mississippi Ale House, Olive Branch, MS, April 22
Delta Roots Music Festival This festival boasts live music by a variety of artists, plus arts and crafts, food; a kids area; raffles; a harmonica workshop; a Greens, Beans & Cornbread Contest; and a Backyard Grillin’ Contest. Downtown Helena, AR, April 22
Hopped Beer Festival Hoppy times are ahead as this fest returns, with limited-run hoppy ales, live music, food trucks, and games from Board to Beers. Memphis Made Brewing, April 22
Overton Square Crawfish Festival It ain’t gonna suck, so you best go cray at the Overton Square Crawfish Festival where there will be crawfish galore. Overton Square, April 22
Shop Black Fest Shop from Black-owned small businesses and enjoy empowering workshops, training, and networking opportunities. Riverside Dr., April 22
Black Arts & Wine Festival The inaugural Black Arts & Wine Festival will feature visual art by 20 local Black creatives. Attendees will sample wine and liquors from 20 Black-owned brands, and shop from Black-owned businesses. Museum of Science & History, April 23
Memphis Mimosa Festival The Mimosa Festival is back, with creatively crafted mimosas, food, music, and games. Court Square Park, April 23
Double Decker Arts Festival The Double Decker Arts Festival boasts 100+ art and 20+ local food vendors, an impressive slew of musical performances, art demonstrations, and more. Oxford Courthouse Square, Oxford, MS, April 28-29
Blues for the Blue Crawfish & Blues Festival Support the Southaven Police Department and feast on all-you-can-eat crawfish while enjoying live music, drinks, and more, including a Touch-A-Truck event, where kids can touch, climb, and explore emergency vehicles. Silo Square, Southaven, MS, April 29
Bookstock: Memphis Area Authors’ Festival If you’re overdue for a treat-your-shelf kind of day, you have to check out Bookstock, where you can meet 60+ local authors and enjoy cultural performances, live music, a virtual reality empathy lab, and more. Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, April 29
Spring Faire/Memphis Children’s Theatre Festival Let me set the scene for you: a free event, 30 artists’ and artisans’ booths, food trucks, performances, and a simultaneous children’s festival with youth-focused performances and activities. Theatre Memphis, April 29
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes/FIT Fest Families in Transition, which supports those impacted by violence and abuse, will host its third annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes to raise awareness for and speak out against violence against women. Following the walk, families can enjoy inflatables and games for children, food trucks, vendors, a cornhole tournament, and live entertainment. Tilden Rodgers Park, West Memphis, AR, April 29
MAY
Memphis in May International Festival For the month of May, this festival salutes Malaysia with cultural events and performances, educational experiences, museum and gallery exhibits, films, and more. Various locations, May 1-31
Beale Street Musical Festival Let’s groove tonight, share the spice of life, baby, slice it right — oh, pardon me, I’m getting carried away with Earth, Wind & Fire lyrics. But I can’t help it! I’m just too excited that they’re coming to Memphis! Also, some other people, like The Lumineers, Hardy, GloRilla, Yola, Cedric Burnside, and more. Tom Lee Park, May 5-7
Collierville Fair on the Square This family-friendly festival has something for everyone — from vendor booths to great food to puppet shows. Collierville Historic Town Square, May 6-7
Made in Memphis Summer Series at Saddle Creek Shop local businesses, makers, and artists, and enjoy live music, drinks, and food. Saddle Creek South, May 6, June 3, July 1, & August 5
Memphis Public Libraries Comic Con The inaugural and free Memphis Libraries Comic Con will feature legendary comic creators, plus artists and vendors selling their wares, cosplay contests, a trivia contest, crafts, and comics. Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, May 6
Memphis Fashion Week The devil wears Prada, but no Prada-wearing devils will be walking the Memphis Fashion Week runway (so chill your satanic panic) — it’ll just be some gorgeous mortals wearing awesome and cool local emerging designers. Regardless, the event promises to be a devilishly good time. Arrow Creative, May 12-13
Memphis Greek Festival (Photo: Phil Dixon)
Memphis Greek Festival Call me the dad from My Big Fat Greek Wedding because if you give me a word, any word, I’ll show you that the root of that word is Greek. Take the word Memphis. You see, Memphis comes from the ancient Greek word for the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis — cue your amazement at this wild connection between Memphis and Greece. Of course, there’s also the Memphis Greek Festival, with scrumptious Greek food, tours of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, live music, artisan booths, and activities for kids. Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, May 12-13
World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest I don’t eat meat, so don’t take my word for it when I say that this contest is the “Most Prestigious Barbecue Contest.” USA Today made this bold statement and apparently they hold more clout than I ever will. For four days, the best of the best barbecue buffs will compete in such categories as Ribs, Shoulder, and Whole Hog, as well as Hot Wings, Sauce, and “Anything But Pork.” Tom Lee Park, May 17-20
Bluff City Fair You know what doesn’t sound like a great time? Majestic thrill shows, rides galore, fair food, and an all-day petting zoo. Okay, fine, call my bluff — that sounds like a heck of a great time. Liberty Bowl Stadium, May 19-29
Cooper-Young Garden Walk (Photo: Kenzi Campbell)
Cooper-Young Garden Walk With over 80 green businesses and urban gardens to tour, mini talks and demos to attend, vendors and artists to meet, and educational booths to visit, you’ll have the best day ever. Cooper-Young Historic District, May 20-21
JUNE
Memphis Italian Festival On top of spaghetti, all covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball, when somebody sneezed. It rolled off the table and onto the floor, and then my poor meatball rolled all the way to Marquette Park for the Memphis Italian Festival. The event boasts Memphis’ favorite Spaghetti Gravy Contest and other food-related competitions, live music, games, vendors, activities, and tons and tons of great food. Marquette Park, June 1-3
The Memphis Pride Fest Weekend offers family-friendly fun, welcoming more than 50,000 attendees from all walks of life every year. (Photo: Kevin Reed)
Memphis Pride Fest Weekend Spanning four days, the celebration includes a Drag N Drive, complete with a movie screening and drag show, a dance party, a brunch crawl, and the signature parade and festival with two stages, over 150 vendors, food trucks, and much more. Various locations, June 1-4
Memphis Margarita Festival Will you find yourself wasted away again in Margaritaville, searching for your lost shaker of salt? Or will you find yourself at the Memphis Margarita Festival? The choice is yours, but you’ll get 12 margarita samples from your favorite restaurants at this fest and you can’t say the same for Margaritaville. Overton Square, June 3
Tupelo Elvis Festival Save the date for the celebration honoring the King and the impact his music has carried for decades. Tupelo, MS, June 7-11
Memphis Crafts & Drafts Shopping is exercise. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t kill the summertime fun. So if you don’t want summertime fun to be smothered by rising temperatures, you’ll want to head over to this summer market of local makers and artists. Crosstown Concourse, June 10
Tri-State Black Pride With this year’s theme of “The Time Is Now,” Tri-State Black Pride presents four days of fun, education, and community, with workshops, lectures, a drag show, and a music festival to cap off the weekend with performances by national and local artists. Various locations, June 15-18
Memphis Juneteenth Festival (Photo: Wiley Henry)
Memphis Juneteenth Festival For the 30th Annual Memphis Juneteenth Festival, celebrating African-American culture, the two-day event will include food, music, and entertainment. Health Sciences Park, June 17-18
Memphis Vegan Festival Redefine what it means to veg out with all the vegging out you’ll do at the Memphis Vegan Festival, a full day of vegan food, live entertainment, and a marketplace. The Fourth Bluff, June 18
Craft Food & Wine Festival My favorite word in the English dictionary is borborygmus, a fancy word for when your tummy rumbles, which happens to be my least favorite bodily sensation. Ironic, isn’t it? Also ironic: I’m dealing with some borborygmus as I write this blurb about the Craft Food & Wine Festival, benefiting Church Health. I mean, the artisan breads, the cheeses, the fruit preserves, the popcorn — just oh my. Columns at One Commerce Square, June 25
JULY
Memphis Summer Cocktail Festival Heads or tails? No thanks, I’m not in the mood for games to decide my fate. I’ll tell you what I want: a cocktail. What kind? Well, at the Memphis Summer Cocktail Festival, the choice is easy: Sample them all (and enjoy the party with music, food, and dancing). Shelby Farms Park Event Center, July 14
Fully Loaded Comedy Festival Are you a “haha” texter or do you prefer an “lol”? Whatever your style, it doesn’t matter when it comes to this festival that will have you LOLing IRL with stand-up by Bert Kreischer, Big Jay Oakerson, Chad Daniels, Mark Normand, Ralph Barbosa, Rosebud Baker, and Tiffany Haddish. AutoZone Park, July 8
AUGUST
Crown Me Royal Film Fest This film festival boasts panels, workshops, and independent film screenings from BIPOC behind-the-scenes filmmakers and creatives from all media platforms. Various locations, August 4-6
Elvis Week Lord almighty, I feel my temperature rising, higher, higher — it’s burning through to my soul. And it’s not a hunk of burning love; it’s just the thought of the Memphis heat in August, burning, burning, burning. But August in Memphis means more than just heat; it means that Elvis Week is here, with highlights including a special screening of Elvis’ ’68 Comeback Special, the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, and the annual Candlelight Vigil. Graceland, August 9-17
Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival I’ve never really understood why we are always asking why the chicken crossed the road. The answer is obvious: It was headed to the Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival to mingle with fellow beer-drinkers and enjoy live entertainment, games, inflatables, and more. Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium Field, August 12
SEPTEMBER
Delta Fair & Music Festival Carnival rides, live music, attractions, livestock shows, oh boy, there’s so much going on every day at the Delta Fair — way too much even to fit in this space as my word count runs out like sand in an hourglass and the days of our lives. Agricenter International, September 1-10
Cooper-Young Festival At last year’s Cooper-Young Festival, I saw a pink parrot in an orange diaper and I haven’t seen one since. Who knows if I’ll see him again this year, but at least I can count on the usual art, music, and crafts that make the fest a hallmark tradition to look forward to. Cooper-Young Historic District, September 16
Mighty Roots Music Festival Last year I opened this blurb with the lines: “Whatta fest, whatta fest, whatta mighty good fest.” And gosh, that tune has stayed in my head all the way till now as I introduce the festival’s third year. The lineup for the music fest will be announced June 12th. Stovall Gin Company, Clarksdale, MS, September 22-24
Pink Palace Crafts Fair (Photo: Courtesy MoSH)
Pink Palace Crafts Fair The Pink Palace Crafts Fair celebrates 51 years. Explore the variety of artwork, and let the kiddos enjoy the attractions. Audubon Park, September 22-24
Latin Fest Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at this festival, complete with Latin music, Latin food and drinks, crafts, vendors, and fun for all ages. Overton Square, September 23
The Mempho Music Festival features some of music’s biggest stars and local favorites. This year’s lineup will be announced soon. (Photo: Joshua Timmermans)
Mempho Music Festival You know it, you love it, do you really need me to tell you more about it? Keep up with all things Mempho, including the lineup announcement, at their website and on their socials. Radians Amphitheater, Memphis Botanic Garden, September 29-October 1
A music researcher found that finches don’t like The Oblivians. A fascinating New Yorker story about the research said the birds would hit levers that played bird songs, flutes, and trumpets many times.
They avoided a lever that played a recording of a canary, “a large, threatening species,” and another with a song by The Oblivians, described as a “noisy garage-rock band from Memphis.”
“The first time they heard the band, the finches shrieked and jumped away from the lever,” reads the story. “They never listened to The Oblivians again.”
That storm
Posted to Facebook by The DAMN Weather of Memphis
When the weather was wild last Friday, The DAMN Weather of Memphis was there for the play-by-play “because you need balance with actual weather reporting and shitty, cult-following weather reporting,” he posted.
Reddit user u/Smoke1000Blunts got the convo going on the Memphis subreddit asking, “What are you drinking for the end of the world tonight?” Milo’s Sweet Tea got the most upvotes.
April Fools’
Posted to Facebook by Meddlesome Brewing Company
Meddlesome Brewing Company announced a new Mashed Potato & Gravy Black and Tan and a Loaded Mashed Potato Porter last week in an April Fools’ release that said it was “time to carb up and veg out.”
Ava Carrington and
her dog, Mars (Photo: Michael Donahue)
Ava Carrington’s first musical instrument was a fence in her grandmother’s backyard.
“I’d get two sticks and I’d play on her old rusty metal fence,” she says. “I thought that sounded like I was making music, and I would sing along with it and make up little songs.”
Sixteen years later, Carrington, 18, is a recorded singer-songwriter. She played her version of “Canon in D (Pachelbel’s Canon)” by ear at the age of 4.
Carrington picked up the guitar at 7 and began writing songs the next year. “I’d never been in love. I’d never experienced that. But at age 8 I was only writing love songs. The lyrics are very funny.”
But, she says, “I had a pretty hard childhood. There was a lot of stuff going on. Fighting around me a lot of the time, which was stressful as a child. I took it upon myself to try to fix everything and be a people-pleaser. And I got lost in that. Because of that I missed out on a lot of my childhood and a lot of things I wish I would have experienced.”
Carrington began writing prolifically when she was in a treatment center for anxiety at 14. “Dragon Fly” was “about stuff I went through the year prior, which was one of the reasons I was sent there.”
She had gone to a Connecticut boarding school. “There was sexual assault,” she says. “And a lot of people didn’t believe me or do anything about it until it was happening to other girls at that school. I was barely 14 when I went there.”
“Dragon Fly” is about “going through it and processing it and wanting to get away or fly away from it.” Writing that song after “going through that shock at a young and impressionable age” gave her a lot of closure.
“That experience kind of made me lose myself a little bit. I didn’t feel I knew myself. And being able to have pieces of dialogue between myself and I helped me realize that sense of self — of who I am as a person.
“I do remember one line from it. It’s: ‘You sit and wonder why your head hurts when you cry/But, darling, that’s just life/You live until you die.’”
Treatment center residents sat outside her room and listened to her play guitar and sing. “The amount of people grew and grew and grew. I felt I was inspiring people, in a way. And I was able to connect with people in a creative and musical way.”
Carrington realized she wanted to “create music that people can relate to and experience life through.”
She then went to St. Mary’s School, a boarding school in Raleigh, North Carolina. “It was kind of a big breath of fresh air. Being somewhere where I had a sense of freedom.”
Carrington moved back to Memphis in 2021 and began recording with Elliott Ives and Scott Hardin at Young Avenue Sound.
The track “Messed Up Man” is based on experiences at that first boarding school, she says. “How the person that did that stuff to me and all the people screwing me over a little bit were supposedly mature people. But they really acted like children.”
Says Ives: “Ava is extremely talented at such a young age. She has a unique self-taught unorthodox guitar style that only she can execute. She’s not afraid to venture into different genres with her songwriting and production. Her voice is so pure and balanced. The mic loves her full range. She reminds me of a female Kurt Cobain, which I have not heard anyone of the like since Nirvana.
“All these elements combined with her real-life experienced subject matter set her apart as a songwriter and performer.”
Carrington, who is working with California producer Adam Castilla, says “loss of childhood” is a theme running through a lot of her new songs. “And wondering whether I’m grieving the passing of a simpler time or mourning the loss of something that was never given a chance to exist.”
The excitement began last Thursday with a post by former President Donald Trump on his Truth Social network: “These Thugs and Radical Left Monsters have just INDICATED the 45th President of the United States …” he wrote. Yes, Trump was very angry that he had been “indicated,” but the misspelling went mostly unnoticed, except by snarky liberals who were unaware that outrage doesn’t need no damn proofreader.
Trump went on in his usual grammar-free, random all-caps style: “THIS IS AN ATTACK ON OUR COUNTRY THE LIKES OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!” he wrote. Which was true, since previous attacks on our country have involved bombs, airplanes, armies, other nations, and such. But this was not an attack on our country. It was an indictment of one American citizen, which happens around 90,000 times a week in the U.S. judicial system. Still, Trump had a point of sorts: This was at least an indictment, the likes of which have never been seen before — one issued to a former U.S. president.
Those who’ve lived in this country for the past seven years have experienced a political maelstrom unlike any in our history, one involving a president — now-former president — who utters one lie after another, ignores all political and ethical protocols, and has no apparent respect for the rule of law. Trump used all of these tools during the final months of his presidency, culminating on January 6, 2021, when his planned attempt to overturn the national presidential election mercifully came up short.
Now that he’s facing real-life repercussions, the evidence is pretty clear to anyone not in the Trump cult that the former president will not hesitate for a nanosecond to do whatever it takes in order to keep himself out of jail. It’s who he is. It’s who he always has been.
The forthcoming New York case is likely just the preview before the main feature hits the screen. The charges (unreleased as I write this) in this first indictment are not expected to rise to a level that would put Trump behind bars, unless there is an egregious felony charge that no one saw coming. His punishment, if he is found guilty, will probably involve a fine, probation, and/or suspension of his business license. (There could also be a mug shot that will break the internet for a couple of days.)
But this is worth remembering: A defendant in a criminal case has to appear in court every day during his trial. With a possible 34 counts to argue, this trial could go on for weeks, meaning Trump would have to stay in New York City and sit in a courtroom for several hours every weekday. No social media, no Mar-a-Lago schmoozing, no television, no golf, no distractions. Just hour after hour of sitting still, watching other people talk about him, unable to interrupt. That scenario will be pure hell on earth for a twitchy narcissist like Trump.
But, unfortunately for millions of schadenfreude lovers, that’s not going to happen for weeks, if not months. Trump’s lawyers have those 34 charges to appeal, and they will — all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary. Trump attorney Joe Tacopina has said that his client does not intend to take a plea deal, and that his team planned “substantial legal challenges,” including motions to dismiss or appeals on all or most charges.
The same scenario will play out in any subsequent indictments of Trump, whether they be in Atlanta, New York, or Washington, D.C. Trump’s legal tactics have remained the same for 40 years: delay, appeal, obfuscate — anything to throw gravel in the gears of the legal system. The day when Trump will have to sit down and face a jury of his theoretical peers isn’t coming any time soon. In fact, we can expect that Trump’s various legal entanglements will be ongoing during the 2024 primary season and ensuing presidential campaign.
This isn’t comforting news for any American longing for a return to normalcy. The lunacy, crudeness, and threats of violence from Trump and his die-hard supporters will be with us for the foreseeable future. The 65 percent of Americans who just want this all to go away will have to remain strong and steadfast. Maybe it will help to remember the former president’s own words: “THIS IS AN ATTACK ON OUR COUNTRY THE LIKES OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”
One of Johana Moscoso’s denim-clad sculptures on display. (Photo: Abigail Morici)
Growing up in Colombia, Johana Moscoso resented the fragility of the two porcelain figures her mother treasured, figurines whose fingers and nose would always break. Years later and now living in Memphis, she stands in the gallery housing the Dixon’s collection of decorative porcelain — equally untouchable, fragile, and overwhelmingly European — but in the room over, in the interactive gallery’s “Who Is That Artist?” exhibit, Moscoso holds the hands of her life-size recreations of porcelain figures in the collection. These pieces are structured with recycled cardboard and paper, with their exteriors clad in used denim. “I wanted to create something that people can touch,” she says.
In creating her sculptures, Moscoso took inspiration from the Colombian New Year’s tradition of Año Viejo, where friends and family make an effigy of the past year to burn as a way to welcome the next and say goodbye to the last. Likewise, the artist hopes to burn these sculptures, honoring her roots and looking to the future, but for now, she strives to make accessible what was once inaccessible in the porcelain. For instance, in one piece, where the original depicts a woman assisting a young lady at a vanity, Moscoso doesn’t include the young lady; instead, a stool sits for anyone to take her place and to see themselves as part of the art.
Similarly, Danielle Sierra, another artist in the exhibit, also aims to make visitors a part of her art. In her typical work, Sierra reinterprets Mexican milagros, religious charms used to pray for miracles. Instead of saints, images often found in milagros, Sierra renders faces of those in her life enshrined in rays of gold and surrounded by flowers. “I wanted to focus on the human being the miracle,” she says. “We tend to not see the beauty in ourselves, but we’re so quick to see it in flowers and plants and creation.”
In the exhibit, Sierra has created a photo stand-in for guests to see their own faces as part of one of her milagros. “It’s a matter of you becoming those things that you see as beautiful,” she says.
The third artist in the exhibit is Karla Sanchez, who challenges visitors with a comic-making station to reflect on what plagues their minds — their hopes, fears, worries. As an artist who has struggled to understand her complex identity as a DACA recipient from Mexico, she has found comics to be a therapeutic outlet to express her experiences as an immigrant. She hopes that by sharing her illustrations in the exhibit, she can inspire others to find healing in creativity, whether that’s in drawing or writing or something else entirely.
Altogether, the three Latina artists hope to uplift their respective cultures and welcome others into their work. For more information on the exhibit and the artists, visit dixon.org.
“Who Is that Artist?”, Dixon Gallery & Gardens, on display through April 16th.
