Banter Bites

Tornadoes Tear Apart. Americans Come Together.

We may have our differences, but when it comes to a disaster, we come together.

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: When Red’s daughter, a freshman at Belmont University in Nashville, let us know that tornadoes were forecast for later that day, we never could’ve imagined the magnitude of the event; and we felt helpless when in the middle of the night Sawyer let us know all the dorms had gone into “sheltering” (thank you, Belmont, for your preparedness!) as a tornado’s path was forecast to pass through campus.

But while Sawyer was lucky in that she and her classmates were ultimately safe, the next morning, no one could quite believe the utter devastation, extraordinary destruction, and countless lives that had been lost due to tornadoes that tore through six states, hitting Kentucky especially hard. The stories of heartbreak, of loss, and of heroes, will continue and it will take years to recover.

There really isn’t much more we can say except that it’s times like this is when we all want to do something, anything, to help … so we’re going to repeat what Axios editor Laurin-Whitney Gottbrath, who's based in Louisville, Kentucky, suggests:

Donate

Give blood

Be smart: Before donating to any organization you're not familiar with, check out their profiles and rankings on sites like GuideStar and Charity Navigator.

Beware the Ides of March! That sounds scary. But what is it? And is it a myth or the truth? Red knew it had to with (Julius) Caesar, and the mere mention of “Caesar” made Black question if we were talking about a General, a politician, or a salad. But it does reveal the power of storytelling, and how a good story can last not only decades, but centuries!

Is "The Ides of March" the day Julius Caesar was assassinated, a famous Shakespearean quote, or a George Clooney movie?

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: The answer is "all three" but we'll completely understand if "The Ides of March" means nothing to you, or if you think it sounds familiar but you're not quite sure why.

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It’s easy to think that Girl Scouts are only about the cookies. But in celebration of tomorrow being National Girl Scout Day, take a moment to remember that they’re about so much more – as the organization was founded with the goal of building confidence, courage, and character. And we strongly support them as we believe girls can do anything!

Of course, you can help support your Girl Scouts by buying cookies, as long as you don’t want the new Raspberry Rally, as they’re already sold out!

Let's play word association. If we say, "Girl Scouts," what's the first word that comes to mind? Ok, what's the second word?

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: When Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low organized the first Girl Scout meeting – hoping to create an organization that redefined what was possible for girls everywhere – there was no way for her to know the difference it would make in the lives of millions of girls and their communities.

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This year’s International Women’s Day theme is #EmbraceEquity, and although it may sound like a catchy phrase, it’s more than just talk (which Red loves to do) – it’s about taking action (definitely Black’s strong suit). It’s about the power of women to drive change (pun intended, as we’ve seen the effect Black’s racing Ferraris has had on girls). So, since March is Women’s History Month, spend some time learning about and celebrating women’s accomplishments, including these female trailblazers who changed American education.

And even though we talked about breaking the bias last year (see below), we think it bears repeating and rereading …

Pointing out bias may seem negative, but it can lead to positive change.

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: Red, as a lover of history, likes that March is Women’s History Month and she’s inspired by all the stories of women’s accomplishments; but Black prefers International Women’s Day, with its emphasis not only on raising awareness but looking toward the future and making positive change.

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