The world has gone mad! I just read that Pepperidge Farms is changing the name of one of its most popular snack foods: Goldfish. The only good news is that the new name, Chilean See Bass, will be printed on limited-release packaging. But their timing is terrible: right before the holidays and in an election year? Goldfish are my go-to snack for stress relief. I don’t want Chilean Sea Bass crackers. The corporate reasoning is that the Goldfish brand is more about kids, so Pepperidge Farm stated in a Food & Wine article, “Chilean Sea Bass is a playful nod to adults that the iconic fish-shaped snack is for grown-up tastes, too.” Hello, we already knew that! I looked up what a sea bass looks like (see below), and it’s not even close to the cute little goldfish. Shameful.
Well, there are other happenings in the world that align with the “gone mad” branding.
In October, the U.S. announced it is sending a “few thousand” troops to the Middle East to bolster security and defend Israel if necessary, according to the Pentagon. The additional forces would raise the total number of troops in the region to as many as 43,000. The decision followed a significant escalation in the war in the Middle East, with the strikes in Lebanon and the assassination of the Hezbollah leader. And then, we hear that North Korea has sent troops to Russia as support for their war against Ukraine.
So, Nov. 11 is around the corner, and it’s a day that we honor the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces. Veterans have played a crucial role in safeguarding American freedoms and values. I am thankful that our voices and our votes count in this country because of the brave men and women who choose to protect all of us.
Please vote on Nov. 5.
On Nov. 3, Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. so remember to turn your clocks back.
Moving on to Thanksgiving: Despite the Goldfish betrayal, I have a lot to be thankful for this year. My family is healthy, and my youngest daughter is having her first baby! Her two older sisters, with three kids each, will be great advisors or absolute pests. I am looking forward to another new baby! I’m also thankful this year that my dad is doing well in his new apartment, and my mom is still gardening and enjoying life in her 80s. My husband is still fixing windshields and I’m still publishing a newspaper.
The NFH is approaching 21 years. We started with nothing, and thanks to great people over the years, from our team of writers and sales people to a community that embraced us from the beginning, we’re still in business.
This month, we have a lot of informative articles. Jon Huang participated in the El Paso County Citizens Academy. He writes a first person view of his experiences there. Next month, he will follow up with a special Sheriff’s Office program that addresses mental illness. Our editor, Marylou Bride, has written an editorial on climate change, in response to last month’s opinion piece by Terry Stokka.
Finally, Black Friday is approaching and so is Small Business Saturday so don’t forget about your local retail shops and businesses in Falcon, Black Forest, Peyton and Calhan. Each year, the Eastern Plains has more shopping options for residents.
Finally, we have a photo on the front page that was submitted by a resident of Falcon. Please send in your photos; we love to put them in the paper.
I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!
See you in December!
Michelle
