THE MUD RUN DISASTER!

    THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2024

       THE MUD RUN DISASTER!

   October 10th marks the anniversary

of a terrible tragedy that happened right

here in northeastern Pennsylvania. Some

10,000 people from Scranton, Wilkes-Barre,

and the greater Hazleton area gathered in

Hazleton on October 10th., 1888 for a

temperance rally in Hazleton. Many of

those participating were Irish immigrants

seeking to destroy the stereotype image

of the Irish as drunkards. When the rally

ended about 5,000 of those attending

boarded one of eight special trains which

would transport them from Hazleton through

a part of Carbon County and then north to

Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. The 7th of those

trains stopped at the Mud Run Station, a small

isolated station in Kidder Township, Carbon 

County. The engineer believed he had plenty

of time until the 8th and final train  caught up.

He was wrong! The final section of train 

appeared as the engineer of unit 7 was oiling 

his locomotive and the two trains collided!

The old passenger cars, made of wood in those

days, were smashed to pieces and immediately

caught on fine! 64 people died in the wreck

and another 50 were injured! It remains one 

of the worse railroad accidents in U.S. history.

And it happened "right in our backyard" on

this date in 1888. Most people around here

known little or nothing about it and the history

behind it. I thought you ought to know...and

remember! Hope you're well and that all your

NEWS is good!

RHYME AND READ!

     SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2024

           RHYME AND READ!

   It's October 5th. That means this is

"Random Acts of Poetry Day!" I

It's a day when people are.

encouraged to come up with their own

poems at random and share them with 

others. It gives me an excuse to read one

of my own poems that I wrote awhile 

back. It's about the thousands of pictures

I've been taking through the years, I call it

       "The Stories My Pictures Tell!

       I find myself looking at photos

   of times that I call "used-to-bes."

   They carry me back to days now long gone.

   And revive loving memories.

   Some that I see show small children.

   That now stand much taller that I.

   Some are of family no longer around

   that may well bring a tear to my eye.

   All make a treasure more precious than gold. 

   But don't lock it away in some case!

   They're meant to be shared and meant to be seen

   So those memories cannot be erased.

    Take new ones whenever the chance comes along.

    So that someday when "this time" is old,

    Others may look at the memories you've shared,

    And learn from the stories you've told.   

    My photos will be here long after I'm gone.

    Please look at them once in awhile.  

    Remember the Love that went into each one.

    Then remember me too, with a smile!   

     That's it! Hope you like it and will enjoy

a poem or two of your own today. I also hope

you're well and that all your NEWS is good!  

 

   THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3RD., 2024
              IT USED TO BE EASY!

  October 3rd is "Walk, or ride your bike, to
school day! 
   It was organized by the organization
Partnership For a Walkable America to build
awareness for the need for walkable communities.
The first observance was in 1997. In 2000 it
became an International Day when Canada and the
United Kingdom joined in the promotion.
   Walking and biking have become very
popular exercises these days. There's a growing
number of trails nearly everywhere. But most
don't go to schools!
     When I was a kid in Hazleton my Grade
school was two and a half blocks from my house.
My Junior High was three blocks away. The
walk to High School was the longest at about
a mile or so. But it was a walk, at least until I
got my driver's license and access to Dad's car.
      School mergers pretty much did away with
neighborhood schools and raised the stock of
companies that make school buses!
        My first ride in a school bus came after I
became a TV reporter and was doing a story
about drivers that don't obey the school bus
laws.
         I think walking to school is a great idea.
If you live next door! The big new schools, you
know the ones that were going to improve
education and save us money by combining
services, are usually located on a couple acres
of land far enough from most homes so as to
make walking a little bit dangerous.
          Of course many of those old buildings
that weren't good enough to be schools anymore
are still standing as apartment or office complexes.
Maybe we could turn them back into neighborhood
schools and get back to the trend of walking.
          Or perhaps the students can be given an
extra half hour to walk around those new schools.
That should give them a mile or two!
           Hope it all works out and that all your
NEWS is good!

SWEET MUSIC!

    TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2024

             SWEET MUSIC!

  Welcome to October everybody. October

1st is "International Music Day!" It was

started in 1974 by the International Music

Council, an associate organization of

UNESCO, the United Nations Agency

tasked with promoting world peace.

The agency believes music tends to

promote togetherness and fosters peace

throughout the world. I decided to

celebrate the day by breaking out my

harmonica! Unfortunately my wife

spotted me before I could play

anything. She doesn't believe my

harmonica playing promotes peace

anywhere. Especially in our house.

(I plan to wait till she goes out then

do a verse or two of "Oh Susanna!"

Hope you're humming a tune or

two today and that all your NEWS

is good! 

ONE SUNDAY DRIVE!

 

     SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH., 2024
              ONE SUNDAY DRIVE.

      It's Sunday again and, chances are, my
wife and I will spend at least part of the
day enjoying a ride somewhere.
      Our travels have never been restricted
to Sundays but during our working years
that was the day most often available.
      One in particular comes to mind.
      It was a pleasant day with the
leaves beginning to show off their fall
colors. Pretty much like this week.
     I'm pretty sure I had the top down
for at least part of the drive which
took us into Sullivan County. But I didn't
have my Miata!
      That convertible was a 1965 Chevy
Impala with a Corvette engine! Plenty
of horsepower to handle the mountain
roads that weaved their way to World's
End State Park!
       The date was Sunday, September
29th., 1968 and I remember it pretty
well because that's the day, 56 years
ago, when Leona and I got engaged!
        The car is long gone but we're
still going strong!
        Pretty good Sunday drive for me!
Hope all your NEWS is good!    
   

SAY WHAT?!

 

          SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2024

                        SAY WHAT?!

    As a former news reporter this day has special
meaning to me.
    September 28th is "Ask A Stupid Question Day."
    It was established by teachers back in the 80's
who were trying to encourage students to ask more
questions in the classroom.
    It has often been said there is no such thing as a
stupid question. I would have to disagree. Some of
my colleagues in the media prove that on an all too
regular basis. Not that it's limited to them.
    I often wondered why ,for instance, when you've
checked yourself into an emergency room, the first
thing the doctor asks is "How are you?"
   How about the guy who drives up in a bright,
shiny car with the purchase sticker still on the
window who is greeted with questions such as
"Is that car new" or "is that yours?"
    How about the boss who sees you come in
10 minutes after your starting time and asks
 "You're late, aren't you?"
    Still those in the media usually get the Stupid
Question Award.
    You see them at the scene of a fire, usually the
 "Cub reporter" approaches the home owner and
 asks "How are you doing?" I'm surprised more
 haven't been answered with a slap upside the
 head!
    Of course there's also the "hopeful reporter"
 who asks the alleged killer "Did you do it?"
 They're hoping for a stupid answer such as
 "Sure I did and I wanted you to be the first
 to know."
    In any case today all bets are off! You can
ask anything you want. In fact it is suppose
to be stupid! So ask away!
    Hope you get a sensible answer and that
all your NEWS is good!

(Stupid is as stupid does: Forest Gump)

YOU CAN DO IT!

 

      TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH., 2016
                             CAN DO!
                    
    Lift you foot high. Then bring it down quickly! This
is September 27th. It's "Crush A Can Day."!
    People crush cans for a number of reasons. For some it
relieves stress! They stomp on the can as a way of dealing
with the frustrations of the day.
    Some do it for financial gain! You can get a lot
more cans into a garbage bag if they're crushed. More cans
equal more weight.
   When you get a garbage bag full of crushed cans take it to
the recycling center and trade them in for cash! It's better than
working! 
    While the "holiday" itself surprised me I was just as stunned
to learn my method of flatting the aluminum is not the only way
to do it. And the other is rather impressive!
    Here is the way it is described on one Web site:
1. Fill a large pot with three quarts of cold water.
2. Put one tablespoon of water into an empty aluminum soda can
 and heat it on the stove until it boils.
3. Let it boil for 30 seconds and then carefully remove it with tongs.
4. Invert the can and quickly dip it in the pot of cold water.
    The can will collapse immediately, impressing women,
 captivating  small children and frightening the family dog.
    I may have to give this a try. Although we don't have a family
 dog.  Not sure if that makes a difference or not.
   Anyhow, which ever method you decide to use, I encourage you
 to celebrate by crushing all the cans you can find.
   Hope they're empty...and that all your NEWS is good!