Did You Know?

Did You Know This National Park Has Been the Most Visited Since 1944?
Did you know there is a National Park Week? This year it’s the week of April 22-30. The History In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed into law the creation of the U.S.’s first National Park, Yellowstone. But did you know the man credited with the idea of...

Did You Know Tax Laws Can Get Stranger?
The only constants in life are death and taxes. You can’t escape either. So have you ever wondered when and where taxes started? Ancient Taxes (The Beginning) The first record of taxation occurred about 5,000 years ago in Ancient Egypt. The Greeks spread the...

Did You Know Taxes and Squirrels Went Together in This State?
One of the “joys” of becoming an adult is paying taxes. Since tax date is fast approaching, I thought this would be a good time to share some interesting information about taxes in the U.S. Revenue Streams Though not without various types of taxes (property,...

Did You Know Perception Can Be The Key?
Having spent most of my work life in Human Resources, I can tell you perception is a tough foe. However, in this case, perceptions—or should I say misperceptions—provided me with a quick and easy entrance into an exclusive group. Calling New Zealand In Did You...

Did You Know You’re A Pebble?
Have you ever tossed a pebble into a still body of water and watched the ripples it creates? As they move outward, they affect everything they touch. You’re like that pebble. Everything you do and say affects those around you. Recently, my family received the sad news...

Did You Know Spanish Explorers Called This Southern Favorite a “Wrinkle Nut?”
The Algonquins’ (Native Americans) word for it meant “a nut too hard to crack by hand.” When the Spanish Explorers arrived on the Texas and Louisiana shores, they called it a “wrinkle nut.” Today, it’s simply called a pecan. History Pecan trees are native to...

Did You Know This Bird Flies As High As Commercial Jets?
Leaving Middle Tennessee for the Gulf Coast of Texas meant leaving behind four seasons, beautiful hilly terrain, and my house. I’ll miss all of that. What I won’t miss are the vultures that roosted in the trees behind the house. Close Encounter The first...

Did You Know You Can’t Take Your Lion to the Cinema in This State?
Not every city, county, and state in the U.S. have the same laws. And some laws, that made sense at the time they were written, are now so out of touch they’re ridiculous. Others seem totally bizarre, regardless of when they were written. In any case, if a law is...

Did You Know Bugs Bunny Spoofed Clark Gable?
A few days ago, we celebrated Texas Independence Day. How much of the following do you know? Abbreviated State History Native Americans lived in what is now Texas for thousands of years. Then, in 1519, the first Europeans—the Spanish—arrived. During the...

Did You Know This U.S. President Saved American Football?
A few days ago, the U.S. celebrated Presidents’ Day. Here are some things you may not know about the men who held that office. Sports I’m a football fan. So to learn the sport was almost banned because of its violence, surprised me. If you think the game is...