A Good Punch?

   January 27th is another of those bizarre
and unusual "holidays" that most people
know little or nothing about.
   And, in this case, that's just fine by me!
   This is "Punch the Clock Day!"
   Not "punch the clock" literally. But
"punch the clock" as in logging in and
out of your work day!
    I intend to celebrate by refusing to
celebrate!
    I began my broadcasting career in
1959, worked at my last full time
position in 2009, and continue to
donate time to the Public Access TV
station based in Scranton.
    I had to deal with time cards through
most of those years. But they were the
kind of cards you usually filled in at
the end of every two week period
rather than filling them out at the
beginning and end of each work day.
    Most of the bosses took you at your
word and most of the employees were
honest with the accounting of their
time.
     Once, part way through my tenure
at WYOU TV, somebody sold someone
at corporate a telephone " punch in
system!"
     We had to dial a number and enter
a code at the beginning and ending of
our day.
      How the automatic answering
system knew we were dialing each
from work I'll never know!
     I do know I almost always came in
early to get some preparations underway.
     I would have to drop those efforts at
exactly the right moment to check in.  More
often than not I would look late because I
was checking sources or lining up an
interview and didn't get the check in call
there on time!
     Of course the company paid for the
service, as well as all that cell phone
time to make the calls.
     Somebody else at HQ must have see
the bills for both and suddenly. one day,
the "Punch Clock Call" was dropped like a
hot brick!
      Some places these days have
sophisticated systems that require workers
to get their fingerprints scanned as their
report  to work.
      Ironically I've see them at some
government offices. It may prove somebody
is there. But it sure doesn't prove they're doing
any work!
     We should make crooks use that system.
     Then, at least, we'd already have their
prints!
     Anyhow I don't do any "punching in"
these days so you'll just have to have this
celebration without me!
    Maybe I'll call in my congratulations.....
IF I'm awake!
    Hope you're running on time and that
all your NEWS is good!