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!

           

 

 

   

AN APPLE A DAY!

 

  THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH., 2024
                 AN APPLE A DAY!

    It's apple season! Orchards throughout
our area are open and stocked full of your
favorite varieties.
    Many have turned the season into
festivals with apples, apple pies, apple
butter, apple cider, and apple dumplings
on their shelves.
     At least one orchard even makes use
of its bruised apples by selling them to
customers who use them in a sling
shot aimed at wooded targets!
    So if you enjoy apples or any of those
apple products this is a day to thank the
gentleman who made them so widely
available!
     John Chapman was born on this date
in 1774.
     Mr. Chapman was an American pioneer
nurseryman who introduced apple trees
to large parts of Pennsylvania. But he didn't
stop there!
      His trees were distributed in Ohio,
Indiana,  Illinois, and northern counties
of West Virginia to name a few of the
others.
      Thanks to his efforts I've enjoyed
plenty of apples over the years and an
apple dumpling whenever I can find
one.
     Oh, by the way, you may remember
Mr Chapman by his other name.
Johnny Appleseed!
     Yep. It's a true story!
     Hope you'll have an apple in his
honor today and that all your NEWS
is good!
     

READING THE CLASSICS!

 

  WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH., 2024
         READING THE CLASSICS!

   For those of you who didn't already know
September 25th is National Comic Book
Day!
    Of course I couldn't find any documentation
that Congress actually declared this a
"National day." I would have thought comic
(or "Funny books") would have been high
on many member's agendas!
   In any case the day's designation
brings back some memories. Especially
of my Super Heroes! Like Superman
and Batman! They appeared in Comic
Books when I was growing up. And I
was a comic book fan!
    There was a great selection. The
aforementioned Superman and Batman
were always popular. But I also enjoyed
the "Funny Books" that were designed to
be funny!
    Scrooge McDuck was one of my
very favorites. Donald's uncle was so
rich he measured his money by depth
rather than counting out the dollars.
   And you could enjoy reading about his
wealth, or Superman's X-Ray Vision, or
the Bat Mobile for just one thin dime!
    I'm almost tempted to go out
shopping for a comic book.
    I doubt I'll find anything for a dime.
    I just checked a few of my old
favorite comics on line and......"Holly
Inflation Batman!"
    EBay is currently offering a 1940
Batman edition (the ten cent price
still posted on the cover). You can "Buy
it Now" for $615.00!
   I found one featuring Uncle Scrooge
McDuck going for around 9 bucks. But
that's still a tall pile of dimes (if you're
measuring by depth!)
   Guess I should have saved more.
   Not my dimes......my old comic
books!!!!!
    Hope you've got a few of the "classics"
to read and that all of your NEWS is
good!