OK Soda was Coca‑Cola’s bold attempt to bottle Gen X cynicism, a strange, self‑aware experiment in anti‑marketing that fizzled fast but left behind one of the most fascinating cult legends in soda history. The post OK Soda: Coca-Cola’s Most Ironic Experiment appeared first on The Retro Network.

Author of How to Prep When You’re Broke and The Flat Broke Cookbook Do you enjoy a steaming cup of herbal tea? It’s one of the simple pleasures that I most enjoy. I like the entire ritual of it. Putting the water on to boil. Placing sweet local honey in a beautiful mug. Loading up my infuser with fragrant herbs. The sound my spoon makes when it rings against the mug, and I stir everything together. I noticed the last time I was at the store that the price had gone up on herbal tea bags. (Of course, the price has gone up on just about everything.) Not that this is enough to make or break you, but tea bags ranged from 20 cents apiece to 40 cents apiece, depending upon the brand. What’s more, there have been recent reports about heavy metals and pesticides in teas, even organic ones, and the NIH has warned about microplastics risk caused by the bags. There’s a far better and cheaper way to make herbal tea, my friends. Make your own! For a small investment up front, you can buy organic herbs by the pound on Amazon or at many different online retailers. I dehydrate the herbs I grow, as well as random citrus peels and other elements of herbal tea, for even thriftier ingredients. There are a few things I often grab in tincture format, especially if I don’t use them every day. Then, all you need is a tea ball or an infusing mug(my favorite way), and you’re paying single-digit pennies per cup. What’s more, your blends are personalized and probably a lot higher quality than the ones you get at the store. How do you use loose tea? There are all sorts of ways to use loose tea. In fact, you can find entire websites dedicated to the art. I like to keep things simple, though, and also thrifty. I own this mug with an infuser insert and lid. It’s not fancy, but it is my favorite color and it is one of the more reasonably priced options. I also like these tea steepers. They’re a little bit bigger than those tea balls with the squeezy opening mechanism, and I find them far easier to fill. Making tea this way is simple. Fill your tea strainer or infuser with about 2 tablespoons of loose herbs, then pop it into your mug. Add your honey if you’re using it. Boil your water and pour it over the infuser. Pop a lid on it (you can also use a saucer) and allow it to steep for 5-15 minutes. Remove the infuser or strainer, give it a stir, and enjoy your super-thrifty cup of herbal tea. Below are some of my favorite blends. These are just suggestions for blends. Make them your own according to your likes and dislikes (and what you have on hand). Play around with the ratios until it tastes right to you. Get-‘Er-Done Tea Got stuff to do, but your get-up-and-go got up and went? Try this get-‘er-done tea for a boost of herbal energy. Lemon Peel Orange Peel Ginseng Green Tea Peace Tea Have you had a stressful day? Are you feeling anxious? Do you need to wind down and chill out? Peace Tea is a blend containing calming herbs that may support relaxation. Lemon Balm Peppermint Chamomile Skullcap Feel-Better Tea Are you feeling under the weather? Depending on what ails you, this tea can help with its fragrant herbs and medicinal properties. I always make this when someone is suffering from a cold or flu. The slippery elm bark helps soothe a cough, and I prefer to use a few drops of this extract instead of the dried material. If you don’t have slippery elm, you’ll still find the tea beneficial. Peppermint Slippery Elm Chamomile Elderberry Orange Peel Hibiscus Flower Tummy-Ache Tea Looking to settle your stomach? This combination can help support digestion and calm an upset stomach. If you are vomiting or have heartburn, leave out the ginger. Slippery elm tincture is my go-to for heartburn. Peppermint Chamomile Ginger Slippery Elm Sweet Dreams Tea One of the most popular teas out there is Sleepytime Tea by Celestial Seasons. And for good reason – the ingredients are gentle and pleasant in taste. You can make your own version with these herbs. Chamomile Peppermint Lemon Verbena or Lemon Balm Passionflower Skullcap Hibiscus flower Courage Tea Nearly everyone has seen the movie Practical Magic, with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock. But did you know that it’s based on a delightful four-book series by Alice Hoffman? These books will transport you to a quaint, charming home by the sea, where magic abounds, and whimsical lore is a part of everyday life. In the books, the Owens women make a drink called “courage tea” whenever someone needs a boost. Because my daughters and I love both the books and the movie, I concocted a tasty blend inspired by the tea that sustained generations of the fictional family. It’s really tasty, and perhaps it’ll make you feel braver. Ginger Lemon Peel Orange Peel Elderberry Red Roiboos Star Anise Black Pepper Recommended ingredients for herbal tea blends Here are some of the things that I always keep on hand for tea blends. Most herbs I get by the pound, but smaller packages are available. It would be a big expense to get everything at once. Start small and add to your tea-ingredient collection on a monthly basis. This summer, you can grow many of these herbs in pots on your patio or in your garden. Peppermint Chamomile Lemon and orange peel (I dehydrate my own from fruit I eat or use in cooking, and then zap it in the food processor) Hibiscus flower Elderberries Slippery Elm (dry or extract) Passionflower Skullcap (dry or tincture) Lemon Balm PS: Homemade herbal tea blends and an infuser would make a lovely holiday gift basket that won’t cost much if you use bulk herbs you purchased for yourself anyway. Do you make your own herbal tea blends? What about you? If you are an herbal tea lover, do you make your own herbal tea blends, or do you buy the little bags? What are your favorite blends? Let’s talk tea in the comments. About Daisy Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging author and blogger who’s traded her air miles for a screen porch, having embraced a more homebody lifestyle after a serious injury. She’s the heart and mind behind The Organic Prepper, a top-tier website where she shares what she’s learned about preparedness, self-reliance, and the pursuit of liberty. With 17 books under her belt, Daisy’s insights on living frugally, surviving tough times, finding some happiness in the most difficult situations, and embracing independence have touched many lives. Her work doesn’t just stay on her site; it’s shared far and wide across alternative media, making her a familiar voice in the community. Known for her adventurous spirit, she’s lived in five different countries and raised two wonderful daughters as a single mom.  Daisy is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books, 12 self-published books, and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides, printables, and courses at SelfRelianceand Survival.com You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, and X. The post Make Your Own Herbal Tea Blends and Save $$$ appeared first on The Organic Prepper.

Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas is making accusations of blackmail in the aftermath of an alleged affair he had with a staffer who later committed suicide by lighting herself on fire. Gonzales' former staffer Regina Santos-Aviles reportedly sent a text to her co-worker in April 2025 claiming to have had an "affair" with their "boss." Just months later, in September, Santos-Aviles took her own life. Gonzales, who is married with children, is now accusing a lawyer representing Santos-Aviles' husband, Adrian Aviles, of blackmail.'You are guilty and should resign.'"I WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED," the Trump-endorsed congressman said in a post on X Thursday. "Disgusting to see people profit politically and financially off a tragic death.""The public should IMMEDIATELY have full access to the Uvalde Police report," Gonzales added. "I will keep fighting for #TX23." RELATED: Texas Republican's staffer fatally set herself on fire last year — text now seems to confirm their alleged affair Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty ImagesGonzales also posted an apparent screenshot of a message from Aviles' lawyer, Robert J. Barrera, offering a settlement and nondisclosure agreement. Barrera confirmed to Blaze News that the communication was from his firm on behalf of Aviles as part of a "confidential settlement negotiation" that was sent to Gonzales' lawyers on February 10. "What Tony printed is not the entire email, clearly," Barrera told Blaze News. "... He cut out the significant reason of why we were attempting to settle and the evidence we had."Barrera noted that the discreet nature of the communication goes against the claim that he intended to blackmail the congressman as Gonzales had claimed. "What I guess Tony, in his anger and rage, doesn't read is that letter clearly states we had no intention of wrecking his political career," Barrera told Blaze News. "Had we intended that, we would have not engaged in settlement communications. We would have just filed and gotten all the publicity we could in suing him for sexual assault and retaliation and office harassment, which is all covered under the Congressional Accountability Act." "In his desperate rage, Tony Gonzales went public with our attempts to settle the case under a confidentiality agreement, which is beyond common in these situations." Gonzales' office did not respond to Blaze News' request for comment.RELATED: 'Loser mentality!' Sparks fly as Texas Republicans spar to succeed Ken Paxton in debate moderated by Allie Beth Stuckey Photo by Scott Stephen Ball for the Washington Post via Getty ImagesNotably, Aviles replied to Gonzales' post, denying the blackmail accusation and issuing a scathing rebuke of the congressman for what he called a "consistent pattern of evasion, refusal to take accountability, and outright lies to protect [his] image." "You’re a classic case of a two-faced politician who says whatever is convenient to save face," Aviles said in the post. "We chose to hold back the full police report and body cam footage for one reason only it shows my wife suffering severe burns in horrific detail. I will not allow that graphic material to become accessible to our 8 year old son in the future when he is old enough to search for or come across it.""Nothing in that police report protects you, that decision is about protecting our child’s well-being, not concealing anything improper," Aviles added. "Your actions have been disgraceful, and you continue to mislead your constituents with falsehoods. You may avoid responsibility here on earth, but one day you will answer to a higher authority. Today, though, you still answer to the people you represent—people who deserve the truth, not more deception."Gonzales' primary opponent Brandon Herrera, a gun YouTuber who nearly unseated the Texas Republican in 2024, also sounded off on social media in a post on X. "You are guilty and should resign."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

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