OUR TIME IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE!

   THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31st, 2020.                         OUR TIME IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE

  I bought a new calendar today to make sure we're ready for the new year. But I got to thinking...Rod Seeking, fro nearby Binghamton, New York, would have appreciated 2020! Sterling, for those who don't know, was the creator of "The Twilight Zone" TV show which odd and bizzare stories. 2020 fits that mold all too well! The horrible death toll was the worst part. But, for many,  the gloves, isolation, masks, and social distancing disrupted normal lives and, basically, proved a big pain in the neck ( or somewhere towards the back!) But it wasn't all bad! There were births. New lives welcomed in 2020. There were young folks who made commitments to one another and the future through 2020 engagements or marriages! That' s the kind of faith we should all have as 2021 shows up and, with it, vaccines against the virus! Thanks for following, liking, and commenting on my Blog in 2020. I'll try my best to keep it up in 2021. HAPPY NEW EAR and, as always, I hope al your NEWS is good!

HOLIDAY HOT DOGS!

   WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30th, 2020

               HOLIDAY HOT DOGS!

   So, what do you do on a winter day when

the temperature is below freezing and

restaurants are closed because of the

pandemic? Well, if you're like our family

you get in the car, drive to the woods, and

have a picnic! We spent several hours in

Loyalsock State Park in a pavilion built in

the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation

Corps. The huge fireplace provided both

heat and a the flames to cook our hot dogs!

It's not the first time we've ventured there

for a winter picnic. It's become a family

tradition for as many of our kids and grand kids

who can make it. I think it meant more that

ever this year as we thought of so many

families that have been locked away in their

homes for the most part since March. I should

note there are plenty of picnic tables available

so put on your winter sweaters  and coats, find\

a fireplace and enjoy life! Chances are you'll be

well socially distanced from anyone else

willing to take on the challenge! Hope you're

well and that all your NEWS is good! 

re

THE "Y"

     TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29th, 2020

                       THE  "Y"

    Chances are most of you have danced or

listened to the song YMCA! I mention it

because December 29th is "YMCA Day."

It's a day to celebrate/ But not the song! 

The actual YMCA. It's a world wide

organization established in the mid 1800's

and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

I spent a lot of my teenage growing up

days at my local YMCA. It was great to

get together with other young me to play

ping pong, pool, swim, bowl. and get

involved with clubs like the model train

club. the air rifle club, and the archery

club. I was even named Chaplin of our

High Y organization. Unfortunately that

local Y closed years ago and the building

has long since been demolished. The city

got a new YWCA which catered to women 

and men but that has now closed its doors

too. That's too bad. The Y was a place where

young men could gather together safely,

enjoy recreation while, at the same time,

building character! Glad to know there are

still plenty of Y's around. Hope you were a

member there or of a similar organization

supporting youth in your community!

By the way the game of basketball was

invited at a YMCA in Massachusetts!  Hope

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

A TICKET TO THE PAST!

 MONDAY, DECEMBER 28th, 2020

       A TICKET TO THE PAST!

   My wife and I joined my son, daughter-in

law, and two grand kids on a train trip Sunday.

We rode the last excursion, for this season.

from Jim Thorpe along the Lehigh Gorge

State Park trail. It's a major attraction that

brings thousands of tourists to the area each

year. And we almost lost it! The excursion was

halted for awhile over a dispute between the

railroad and the community over taxes/

Fortunately the dispute was settled and we

found ourselves enjoying the scenery along

the Gorge trail and the Lehigh River! It

brought back special memories for me because

some of the rail on which were were riding

once served the Black Diamond, a train my

family and I used to take to New York City

often in days gone by! Train travel haas

always appealed to me. All you have to

do is sit back and relax. Make you feel like

life is on the right track! Hope you'll give it

a try and that all your NEWS is good!

NUTTY AS A __________

    SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27th, 2020

           NUTTY AS A __________

      It's my experience there are two kinds of people

in the world and this is the perfect day to see who's

who! December 27th is "National Fruit Cake Day."

People either love or...don't love fruit cakes. My wife

is a lover so I try to get her one each Christmas. But

even if you;re one of those folks not so inclined to

like fruit cakes you may want one anyway. They are

good for so many things! One community hosts an

annual fruit came toss. You see who can throw one

the longest distance to try to win a prize. They can

be re gifted to others. And that can go on for years.

Fruit cakes have been known to last for many years!

At the very least they make good door stops! So,

pick one up to celebrate. Consume it, toss it, or

give it to someone else! Hope you're well and that

all your NEWS is good! 

THE DAY AFTER!

  SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26th, 2020

               THE DAY AFTER!

   The day after Christmas always seems

like a let down. All that excitement leading

up to the big day is over and you might be

looking for something else to celebrate. Well

you've come to the right place, or blog. This

is "National Whiners Day!" It's a day to let

you vent over anything you want. Maybe that

Christmas sweater that doesn't fit. Or the wrapping

paper still all over the floor! I can't complain!

I read it wrong and poured my self a glass of

wine! All's well here! Hope you're just fine and

that all your NEWS is good~

THE GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST!

   THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24th, 2020

  THE GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST!

     Christmas is just a day away now and

I'm excited. I like Christmas! But even through

there's no "Humbug" around here I will admit

I find myself visited by the ghosts of Christmas

past from time to time. I remember Christmas

morning when my brother and I ran to the

Christmas tree Christmas morning to see what

Santa had left for us. There was always an

electric train running around that tree. I remember

skating at a local pond with family members. I

had to depend on my big brother to keep me upright

most of the time. And I remember family members,

now long gone, who were part of our Christmas

gatherings when I was growing up. This year my

niece surprised me with an old toy Ferris Wheel,

a gift to me on one of those Christmas days so long

ago. After my Dad passed away the toy ended up

in my sister-in-law's house as a treasured antique.

She passed away this year and my niece was kind

enough to see that it came back to me. We shouldn't

live in the past. But it's a nice place to visit, especially

around Christmas. Hope you'll make some new

memories this year and that all your NEWS is good.

A 54 YEAR OLD "HOLIDAY?"

   WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23rd, 2020

        A 54 YEAR OLD "HOLIDAY?"

    It's December 23rd friends. A day also

knows as "Festivus!" This unofficial holiday

was born in 1966 on the Jerry Seinfield TV

show. It's a "festival for the rest of us." A day,

that is, for folks who have nothing else to celebrate.

It's marked with a thin, bare. aluminium pole,

feats of strength, and airing of grievances.

Aside from waiting a long time in a line of 

fellow last minute shoppers I've got nothing 

to grieve and have no feats of strength to

show off. Think I'll just stick with Christmas!

Hope you do too and that all your NEWS is

good!

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!

   TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22nd, 2020

          CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!

    I wrapped up my Christmas shopping on

Sunday. Well, let me clarify that. I wrapped

up my Christmas grocery shopping Sunday.

The fixings for our Christmas Eve and

Christmas Day family meals. It seemed to

me that every other shopper must be working

on the same menu because some of the things

on my list were already sold out or in very

short supply! I replaced the sold out items

with my own choices which may make this

year's dinners just a little bit different. As

for Christmas gifts, well, there's still time...

right? Hope you're well and that all your

NEWS is good! 

SCROOGE'S FAVORITE DAY!

  MONDAY, DECEMBER 21st, 2020

     SCROOGE'S FAVORITE DAY!

      If you're feeling just a little bit like
Scrooge before the ghosts came to visit
there may be a very good reason!
      It may have something to do with
the fact this is the shortest day of the
year. So much darkness may have you
in the dumps.
       Or it may simply be the fact that
December 21st is "Bah Humbug Day!"
I kid you not!
        The folks at Wellcat.com actually
copyrighted the "holiday!" According
to those folks Humbug Day "Allows
everyone preparing for Christmas to
vent their frustrations."
         And let's face it, preparing
for Christmas can be a bit strenuous.
Take if from a guy who still have
Christmas shopping to do!
         This day offers any of you
feeling the stress of the season an
opportunity, just for one day, to
shout out "Bah Humbug!"
          Hope you don't find it necessary
to "celebrate: and that all your NEWS
is good!
       

A COVID CHRISTMAS PARTY!

   SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20th, 2020

    A COVID CHRISTMAS PARTY!

  This will certainly be a Christmas unlike

any we've seen for many a year! So many

activities postponed or cancelled. And that

includes our Church Christmas party. Sort

of. Instead of just giving up, our pastor and

church board came up with a Drive Through

Christmas Party. The pastor and his wife 

set up a coupe long tables filled with Christmas

treats, decoration, and take out boxes containing

a hot lunch. Santa even showed up for the

festivities and handed out some gifts to the

kids who came along with their parents. Most

sat in their cars and enjoyed the food and the

atmosphere while sharing smiles and waves

with others as they came to this unusual

fellowship! Where there's a will, there's a way!

Hope all your NEWS is good!

THIS DAY THROUGH THE YEARS!

   SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19th, 2020

   THIS DAY THROUGH THE YEARS! 

         It's December 19th, a very important

date. In 1732 Benjamin Franklin began

publishing Poor Richard's Almanac. On

December 18th of 1776 Thomas Paine 

began publishing a series of essays on

"The American Crisis." The first began

with the words "These are the times that

try men's souls." On this date in 1888

Henry Stanley arrived in Africa, He's

the reporter who finally tracked down

Doctor Livingston! In 1974 the ninth

James Bond movie, The Man With The

Golden Gun, hit the big screen. It stared

Roger Moore. On that same date Nelson

Rockerfeller was swore in as Vice President

of the United States under Gerald Ford.

And on this date in 1976 our son, David

James (D.J.) DeCosmo, was born! Happy

Birthday D.J. You picked a great date!

Hope all your NEWS is good!

LET IT SNOW!

   FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18th, 2020 

                  LET IT SNOW!

       December 18th is National "Flake

Appreciation Day!"

    It's a fun day apparently created to

encourage us to take notice of snow flakes

and to be mesmerized by each icy one that

falls.

    I've been told that each snowflake is

unique. no two exactly alike. You've got 

to wonder what kind of research has been

done to support that conclusion! 

    I shoveled about a foot of snow.

yesterday but I can't honestly say I had

enough time to examine either those that

had fallen or those that were still coming down.

    Maybe when the next storm comes around

I'll have somebody else do the cleanup while

I catalog as many flakes as I can catch!  I can

have some fun and help science at the same time!    

    If I spot any duplicates I'll let you

know! Hope you're not flaky and that all your

NEWS is good!

A CAROL FOR ALL SEASONS!

 

       THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17TH., 2020
           A DICKENS ON A CAROL!

    It's the time of year when many people are
singing Christmas carols. But one of the most
famous Christmas carols is one you don't sing!
    You read or watch it!
     A Christmas Carol, the novel by Charles
Dickens, was published on this day in 1843!
     The story on Ebenezer Scrooge and his
run in with four ghosts (don't forget to count
Jacob Marley) has become as much a part of
Christmas as the tree and wreath that decorate
your house.
        Back before television (yes, there was
such a time) my Mom, Dad, brother and I
used to huddle around a record player and
listen to a famous actor named Lionel
Barrymore narrate the story on a series of
78rpm records (Kids can ask their grandparents
to explain what those were.)
         Over the past ten years I've taken to
watch various versions of the classic tale
on television presentations. Now that we've
switched to basic cable I won't see as many
presentations. I do, however, have several
recorded on dvd's so I may have my own
binge watching session!
         You should watch it at least once
during the holiday. The lessons learned
by Ebenezer are just as valid today as
they were on that day in 1843 when they
appeared like the Ghost of Christmas
present to the original readers!
           Hope your NEWS is good and
God bless s, everyone! 
 

LET ME IN WHEE-OH!

   WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16th, 2020

               LET ME IN  WHEE -OH!

    I'm all for Child Safety efforts. But, lately,

I'm realizing what a strain they've put on my

daily existence. On Monday I bought some

chocolate almond milk for my grandson. I

screwed off the cap only to find some sort

of pull out plastic tab underneath that had

to be yanked out before I could pour. Next

I reached for the peanut butter to make a

sandwich. It's always hard to unscrew the

lid the first time it's opened but after I managed

that I found the entire top covered with some

thin aluminum-looking cover that's only

removable by lifting three small holders that

don't seem to offer enough leverage to get

if off in one piece of with just one pull!

My prescription bottle wasn't much easier.

It's easier to open a combination lock than

to get to my medicine! Fortunately the wine

bottle opened with very little effort! Hope

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

UNPUBLISHED!

    TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15th, 2020

                   UNPUBLISHED!

   2020 has been a year filled with disappointments.

We couldn't have expected them. Still, there one

that really surprised me! For the first time in over

50 years my name does not appear in the Telephone

Directory! Yes, we still have a phone book! Of 

course it's no where near what it used to be. The

very first phone book was published in the Boston

area in 1878/ It was only one page because there 

was only 97 people in the area with telephones!

Over the years the phone books grew and grew!

There was a time when a young man who wanted

to show off his strength would do so by ripping

a telephone directory in half/ They're a lot

closer to that original phone book these days.

And here's another surprise! Since I'm  not in

the book how are all those telemarketers getting

my number? Well, at least I'm still around to

take the calls! Hope you're well and that all your

NEWS is good! 

THE HUNT!

  MONDAY, DECEMBER 14th, 2020

                   THE HUNT

   Regular readers will remember that I

spent a fair amount of time in class last

week. Well in my living room "in class"

on line taking the State Game Commission's

Hunter Education Safety Course. Well I'm

happy to report I passed and now have both

my certificate and my Hunter's license.

We don't always get to actually use the things

we learn in school. Algebra for instance. I

didn't study it very much but have never, to

my knowledge, had a pressing use for it during

my reporting career. But, alas. no sooner had

I passed my certificate test when I realized

I could put some of my newly acquired

knowledge to immediate use!  Seems there's

a skunk that's trying to make its home under

mine. So I've set a trap near the hole in made

in our siding and am now awaiting his capture.

Soon, I hope he'll be "SCENT" away forever.

Hope it's an odorless effort and that all your

NEWS is good.

THE WARNING LIGHT!

   SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13th, 2020

           THE WARNING LIGHT!

   I got worried, for just a moment, when I

started my car. The "Change Engine Oil

Warning Light" came on! In fact it's been

about 4,000 miles since ,e last oil change.

The guy at the garage told me to change it

every 3,000 miles! Then I remembered

reading that investigative report from a

Consumer Advocate who had some other

ideas. According to the statistics he came

up with most folks could probably go up

to 20,000 miles before needing an oil change.

Of course between 4 and 8,000 was more

realistic for most drivers. So why are we

always being told to change it every 3,000

miles? Simple according to the report. 

Most mechanics want to see your, your car,

and your wallet as often as possible! Hope

your car's oil is clean, that you're well. amd

that all your NEWS is good!

s

ANSWER THE PHONE!

  SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12th, 2020

            ANSWER THE PHONE!

   December the 12th's Unofficial Holiday 

is "Ding A Ling Day." It has nothing to do

with the Chuck Berry song "My Ding A

Ling" except for the fact both came around

in 1972. Franky Hyle came up with the idea

for this day. He started a club through a

newspaper advertisement and got nearly

800 people to sign up. The club numbers 

in the thousands now. The "Ding A Ling"

represents the ringing of a telephone. Each

December 12th members, and you as well,

are urged to make a call to family or friends

they, or you, haven't contacted for a long

time. It's a great way to re-connect and 

usually both parties end up felling pretty

good about the call. I plan to make a call

or two and, with a little luck, maybe I'll

get one myself. Give it a try yourself!

Hope you get through and that all your

NEWS is good!

SNOW STUFF!

    FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11th, 2020

                 SNOW STUFF!

  Wednesday's snow storm caused a lot

of problems for many folks trying to travel

or shovel the white stuff. But even as it was

melting away there were those who realized

if life gives you a lemon you make lemon aid!

In this case life gave us snow so kids were

making snowmen. My grandson was one of

them. He built a small on in the front yard

knowing he'd probably only be able to enjoy

it for about a day. No problem! Frosty goes

and comes/ Ours will as well. Don't forget

your mittens! Hope you're well and that all

your NEWS is good!

FINALS WEEK!

      THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10th, 2020

                      FINALS WEEK!

     THE LIVING ROOM, BED ROOM, AND

EVEN KITCHENS HAVE REPLACED THE

TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM FOR STUDENTS

EVERYWHERE THIS YEAR. TWO OF OUR

DAUGHTERS ARE INVOLVED IN TEACHING

EFFORTS ON LINE. TWO OF OUR GRAND KIDS

IN PUBLIC SCHOOL ARE LEARNING ON 

COMPUTERS, AND TWO OF OUR GRANDDAUGHTERS

IN COLLEGE FACE FINAL EXAMS THIS WEEK.

I THOUGHT THEY'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT I'M

WITH THEM BOTH IN SPIRIT AND ON LINE!

I'M TAKING A COURSE AND EXAMS THIS

WEEK TOO. IN MY CASE, HOWEVER, I'M

NOT STUDYING CHEMISTRY OR LITERATURE.

I'M TAKING THE STATE GAME COMMISSION

COURSE ON HUNTING. I SHOULD POINT OUT

THAT I HAVE NO INTENTION OF GOING

HUNTING. BUT A HUNTING LICENSE GIVE

ME ACCESS TO THE STATE'S PRACTICE TARGET

RANGES. SO I FIND MYSELF STUDYING RIFLES,

SHOT GUNS, PISTOLS, AND ARCHERY AND

AND TRAPPING EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUES!

THERE'S A WHILE LOT OF CHAPTERS AND YOU

HAVE TO PASS A TEST ON EACH.

ONE GOOD THING THOUGH. YOU CAN LOG IN

AND OUT OF THESE LESSONS AND TESTS ANYTIME

YOU WANT THEN COME BACK WHEN YOU'RE READY

TO START UP AGAIN. IT COULD TAKE DAYS!

THE GRANDDAUGHTERS DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION.

BUT THEY WON'T KNOW HOW TO TRAP MUSKRATS

WHEN THEY'RE DONE! WELL, I HOPE WE ALL PASS

THAT YOU;RE WELL. AND THAT ALL YOUR NEWS IS

GOOD!

A HALLMARK HOLIDAY?

   WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9th, 2020

         A HALLMARK HOLIDAY?

 

    For the past 11 years my wife and I have
been attempting some Christmas magic every
December. It's our annual card trick!
    Back in 2009 we went to Cleveland to see
the house used in the movie "A Christmas
Story." You know. It's the movie where little
Ralphie tries to convince everyone  why he
should get a Red Rider BB Gun for Christmas
only to be greeted with the admonition "You'll
shoot your eye out."
      We had our picture taken in from of the
famous Leg Lamp from that movie and
decided to use that photo as our Christmas
card that year.
       We also came up with the idea of trying
to replicate a scene from that hilarious holiday
feature every year as part of our Christmas
greeting.
        It's been a real challenge but we've
enjoyed doing it.
         Generally speaking those who know
the movie have loved the cards and many
look forward to them every year.
           There are a few, though that almost
seems unbelievable, that haven't seen the
movie or don't remember it well enough
to recall the scenes we've selected We
remind them that one networks runs it
all 24 hours Christmas Day and that it's
also been turned into a stage production.
If you haven't seen it....get moving!!!!
            It's based on the book "In God
We Trust. All Others Pay Cash" by the
late writer and humorous Jean Shepard.
             And so, as another Christmas
Day looms we present our "Christmas
Story" Christmas Card for 2018.
             Hope your Christmas in Merry
and all your NEWS is good!

THANK YOU MR. GAYETTY!

    TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8th, 2020

      THANK YOU MR. GAYETTY!

   It's December 8th., "Toilet Paper

Appreciation Day!" It was on this date

in 1857 that Joseph Gayetty began selling

toilet paper in the United States. There's

another similar day in August marking the

day in 1871 when the commodity was first

sold on a paper roll. In 1894 both forms 

got some competition when the Sears

Catalog was published! "Splinter Free"

toilet paper didn't come along until 1935.

Guess you just had to take your chances up

till then. We had two  paper producers

in our area up until last week. Cascade Company

shut down its Pittston Township factory on 

Friday. Charmin still operates a huge plant

just outside Tunkhannock. Given the situation

in 2020 you'd think this would be Toilet Paper

Year! There's still a big demand so producers 

are still.....cleanup up! Hope you've got a good

supply and that all your NEWS is good.

DAYS OF INFAMY!

   MONDAY, DECEMBER 7th, 2020

              DAYS OF INFAMY!

   It's December 7th. Pearl Harbor Day.

ON this date in 1941 the Empire of Japan

staged a surprise attack on American

military forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

sending the United States into World War II.

We face another attack this year. But this 

time it's a virus rather than bombs that

suddenly confronted our country and , like 1941.

rest of the the world. Our response has been

just a bit surprising. After Pearl Harbor 

everyone came together to deal with rationed

meat and gasoline. People everywhere collected

their scrap metal so it could be turned into

ammunition to be fired at the enemy. This

year the battle plan involves social distancing

and wearing masks. Some people aren't 

pleased with the plan, partly because they

don't like being told what to do. I suppose

people in the 40's weren't especially pleased

with rationing their meat and beef either. But

their efforts helped win the war. Perhaps our

efforts will help win this war too! Hope you're

well and that all your NEWS is good.

REMEMBERING KING COAL!

 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6TH,

REMEMBERING KING COAL!
 
     This is a day that should get a
lot of attention around these parts.
Yet I doubt most people even
know about it.
      December 6th., is National
Miner's Day. And, by the way, it
is official! A resolution designating
the day was passed by the U.S.
Senate in 2009.
      Other than occasional visits to
the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour
my only experience with mining
came as a reporter a few years
back. It was in Schuylkill County
where a team of brothers operated
a coal mine some 500 feet below
the surface.
      My photographer and I were
invited inside so, after putting a
set of coveralls over my business
suit, I joined my cameraman and
one of the brothers on a ride straight
down into the mine standing on a
ladder inside a giant coal bucket!
     There was a long tunnel at the
bottom with a set of tracks and a
small engine used to haul a sting of
coal cars. We road in one of the
cars and had to duck every few feet
so our head didn't smack a timber
or one of the light bulbs that provided
the only glow inside that long cave.
     Water dripped everywhere and 
I couldn't help but notice the way we
came in seemed to be the only way
out. That's when I stated to wonder
if I really needed to be there.
      That thought hit me again when
the miner said he was about to set
off a charge! That's dynamite to us
lay people!
      I made it back out with a good
story and a much deeper appreciation
to those men who spent the better
part of their lives laboring in tunnels
like that to provide for their families
and our communities.
      Up till then I figured a "Beaker
Boy" was the kid that flipped the
switch to get the lights back on!
       I'd like to see today's minors learn
more about the miners we're suppose
to be honoring!
       Hope we all remember them and
that all your NEWS is good!

     

       
  

LET'S RAISE A GLASS!

    SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5th, 2020

          LET'S RAISE A GLASS!

  Welcome to December 5th. This is "Repeal Day!"

  Back in the early 1900's a lot of people were

blaming alcohol for most of the troubles in

America. The lobbying efforts came hard and

fast and the result was passage of the 18th

amendment.  People were not suppose to

drink or manufacturer alcoholic beverages.

We called it Prohibition! After awhile, a long 

while, people began to realize it did not cure the

 problems. In fact, it created some! Bootleggers

made the booze, gangsters sold and distributed

it and speakeasies served it to willing, very

willing, customers. On this date in 1933

Congress repealed  the 18th amendment and

Prohibition was over. People have been free

to drink up since then. I'm celebrating with

a Cherry Pepsi. Hope you're well and that

all your NEWS is good!

 

HIS CHRISTMAS LIST!

  FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4th, 2020

        HIS CHRISTMAS LIST!

     Before you start jotting down a

numerical list of all the things "he" 

wants for Christmas or the things

you're considering buying, allow me

to explain that December 4th is  "Santa's

List Day," It's the day when Santa and

his elves begin their final review of

his "Naughty Or Nice list." Ironically

I mention it just after I've completed 

a lengthy afternoon drive taking my

wife to various spots she had or wanted

to visit. Which, by the way, comes after

last evening when I prepared her supper

and put all the tray tables away nicely.

Not that those efforts should put me on

his "Nice list." Although he may want

to consider them. (Might as well let

him know, just in case!) Hope you're

nice, well, and that all your NEWS is

good! 

IF YOU WANT TO BE THE TOP BANANA!

   THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3rd, 2020

IF YOU WANT TO BE THE TOP BANANA!

  

         HUMBLE BEGINNINGS/BIG FINISH

   A POPULAR VOICE IN LOCAL RADIO IS SAYING

 GOODBYE THIS WEEK. JOHN WEBSTER, HALF OF

 WILK'S WEBSTER & NANCY TEAM, IS RETIRING 

 AFTER 40 YEARS OF ENTERTAINING AREA

 LISTENERS. THERE'S NEVER BEEN A SHORTAGE

 OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET INTO RADIO OR

 TELEVISION. IT ISN'T ALWAYS EASY. BUT IT CAN

 BE REWARDING. THERE'S AN OLD SAYING IN

SHOW BUSINESS," IF YOU WANT TO BE THE TOP

BANANA, YOU'VE GOT TO START AT THE BOTTOM

OF THE BUNCH." WE ALL HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.

 WEBSTER STARTED IN COLLEGE RADIO BEFORE

 GETTING A PART TIME JOB AT A COMMERCIAL 

 STATION. I STARTED 61 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH AS

 AN ERRAND BOY THEN MOVED TO ANOTHER

 STATION AS A JANITOR BEFORE ACTUALLY GETTING

 ON THE AAIR FULL TIME. THE JANITOR'S ROUTE

WORKED OUT FOR ANOTHER GUY TOO. PAUL  AURANDT

STARTED BY CLEANING UP AT A SMALL

 RADIO STATION AND WENT ON TO DO PRETTY WELL

 FOR HIMSELF. (IN FACT HIS RADIO SHOW WENT NATIONAL

 ON THIS VERY DAY IN 1950)..YOU KNOW HIM AS PAUL HARVEY!

 WEBSTER'S DONE PRETTY WELL FOR HIMSELF TOO

 AND, LIKE PAUL HARVEY, WE'LL MISS HIM. HAVE

 A GREAT RETIREMENT JOHN. HOME ALL YOUR NEWS

 IS GOOD!. 

 

   

SOME SHARP. NUT STRAIGHT TALK!

  WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2nd, 2020

 SOME SHARP, BUT STRAIGHT TALK!

    Just in case it's not noted on your

calendar you should be aware that this

is "Safety Razor Day."

     It was on December 2nd., 1901

when King Camp Gillette began selling

the first so-called Safety razor with a

disposable double-edge blade!

     The revolutionary razor pretty much

did away with the straight razor for home

use.

      That straight razor could be very

unforgiving. It could also be scary! I

remember going to a barber shop in my

old home town where the barber used

a straight razor for shaves. I was getting

one when the barber's wife, obliviously

upset about something, stormed into the

shop and started yelling at her husband

in Italian. He continued the shave as he

shouted back at her.

       I never did find out what the fight

was all about. I was just glad to get out

of the chair with my jugular vein still in

tact!

       This is not to say that the safety razor

is perfect. Today's multi blade devices can

still draw blood if used too quickly. And,

believe it or not, the blades cannot be

used indefinitely! I speak from experience!

Try to get too many facial miles from

those razors and it feels like shaving with

a rock!

      It's also good policy to have a "His" and

"Hers" on hand. They don't share very well!

      Still, Mr. Gillette's Safety razor has lead

to cleaner, smoother shaves and fewer scars!

Hope that barber back home got one by now

and that all your NEWS is good!

ONE YEAR LATER~!

   TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1st, 2020

          ONE YEAR LATER!

    It seems appropriate that November

gave way to December on a wet, cloudy.

somber sort of day. It may seem hard to

believe that the very first reported case

of the Corona 19 virus was discovered

on December 1st, of 2019! Most of us

knew little or nothing about it until eary

March at best. And look where we are

now! On the other hand this December,

the moth of Christmas, is  month of

hope. And, indeed, we have hope as

distribution of a vaccine is about to

begin. There is, finally, light at the end

of the tunnel. Good reason to smile! Hope

you're smiling, that you're well, and that

all your NEWS is good.  

A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS!

    MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30th, 2020

   A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS!

    My wife and I, our son, and his son and

daughter spent part of Sunday at Country

Junction. a store with a little bit of everything!

Social distancing was very well observed as

was the wearing of masks. There were 

disinfecting spots throughout the store and

even a spot at the entrance where you could

have your temperature checked. Among the

numerous attractions was an arcade. I remember

when they were called "Penny Arcades." Back

then a penny, nickel, dime, or quarter would

give you access to a number of entertainment

devices. Mostly pinball machines. I couldn't

find any pinball machines at Country Junction.

Most all the devices were electronic simulators

allowing kids to pretend they were driving

race cars, or motorcycles, shooting targets,

or trying their luck winning prizes in Crane

machines. None of them took pennies! Instead

customers inserted their credit cards in a

machine, typed in the amount of money they

expected to use, then got an action card that 

allowed the kids to activate the simulators

of their choice. It's a lot easier to keep track

of pennies (or other coin denominations) in

your pocket and most parents found themselves

returning to the machine that accepted their

credit cards!   Lots of fun...but oh for the days

of the Penny Arcades! Hope you're well and

that all your NEWS is good!

SAVING THE DAY!

    SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29th, 2020

               SAVING THE DAY!

   Usually, the Saturday after Thanksgiving

finds most kids and their parents here in

Plains Township crowded along the curbs

of our main street for the annual Santa

Parade. You could almost feel everyone's

disappointment when the march was

cancelled because of the virus pandemic.

But rather then let everyone down the

Township and the Plains Lions Club

made a decision. If the people couldn't

come to the parade, they'd bring the

parade to the people! So, with a massive

police escort, Santa Claus hopped on

board a Township fire truck and road

through streets throughout the

community waving to the kids and

parents watching from their front

porches totally socially distanced

from others while welcoming our

guest from the North Pole! Hats

off to our local officials and the

Plains Lions Club for starting the

Christmas season off right. Hope

everyone enjoyed the parade and

that all their NEWS is good.

OUR METAMORPHOSIS!

 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28th, 2020

        OUR METAMORPHOSIS!

      In nature metamorphosis is a biological
change in form like when a caterpillar changes
into a butterfly.
      In magic metamorphosis is an illusion in
which two people suddenly seem to change
places.
      In our house metamorphosis takes place
when my wife has a burst of energy that
results in changing displays inside and
outside to reflect a change in seasons and/
or holidays. It usually requires several
trips to and from our shed as artifacts
stored there are swapped with those
removed from our door, windows and
walls. An elf aid would be handy. But if

you haven't got an elf a grand child will

do nicely.
      Yesterday with the help of our

grandson the metamorphosis, and
trips to and from the shed happened.
         We have seen a transformation from
a Fall/Halloween décor to "it's beginning
to look a lot like Christmas!" Houdini would
be impressed with my wife's magic! I am!
           Hope all your NEWS is good!

          

SOME SWEET THOUGHTS!

    FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27th, 2020

        SOME SWEET THOUGHTS!

   I know it's after Thanksgiving but I've

got some thoughts I feel I must share. A

lot of attention is always given to that huge

Thanksgiving dinner. The turkey, ham,

stuffing, and on and on. I think we should

be paying as much attention to the desserts.

We had all kinds of desserts at our table.

Cakes, cup cakes, pies, and candy. If my

Dad were still around he'd have surveyed

the dessert offerings and said, "Isn't anybody

else having anything/" My favorite is a pie

that's been in our family since I was a kid.

My daughter and granddaughter team up

to make it these days. We call it 'Dad's Pie."

It's simple enough. A gram cracker base 

filled with a mixture of Eagle Brand 

condensed milk and some lemon. It has

been known to add an inch to my waste

before I've actually eaten it. But even

though it comes after the turkey dinner

it's well worth the (wait/weight)! Hope

you had a great Thanksgiving and that

all your NEWS is good! 

STUFFED WITH HISTORY!

                    NO NEWS IS....

THANKSGIVING DAY, NOV 26th, 2020

      

  THE HOLIDAY WE OBSERVE TOMORROW

IS OBSERVED IN 5 OTHER COUNTRIES IN

THE WORLD, BUT ON DIFFERENT DATES

AND IN DIFFERENT WAYS. BUT THANKSGIVING

IS, IN SO MANY WAYS, A TRUE AMERICAN

HOLIDAY.

   THE STORIES YOU HEARD IN ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL ARE TRUE. IN 1621 THE PILGRIMS

HAD A REALLY GOOD HARVEST AND THEY

HELD A BIG FEAST TO GIVE THANKS. THEY INVITED THE INDIANS TO JOIN THEM AND THEY CAME WITH

SPME FOOD OF THEIR OWN. TO THIS DAY I HAVE

NEVER ATTENDED A THANKSGIVING DINNER

WHERE GUESTS DIDN'T BRING STILL MORE FOOD

TO THE TABLE!  BUT THAT ORIGINAL THANKSGIVING

WAS NOT AN ANNUAL AFFAIR!

IT MAY SURPRISE YOU TO KNOW THAT, IF THOMAS

JEFFERSON HAD HIS WAY HE WOULD NOT HAVE

THANKSGIVING...AT LEAST NOT AT THE NATIONAL

LEVEL. JEFFERSON WAS QUITE DEDICATED TO THE

CONCEPT OF SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

THAT HE REJECTED APPEALS TO HAVE AN ANNUAL

DAY OF PRAYER AND THANKS.

PRESIDENT LINCOLN FINALLY ISSUED A PROCLAMATION

ESTABLISHING THANKSGIVING IN 1863..PARTLY IN THE

HOPE IT MIGHT HELP BRING THE NORTH AND SOUTH

BACK TOGETHER IN THE MIDST OF THE CIVIL WAR!

BUT LINCOLN WAS ACTUALLY RESPONDING TO A

PETITION THAT WAS IGNORED FOR 30 YEARS!

IN A VERY REAL SENSE THE FOUNDED OF

THANKSGIVING WAS A WOMAN.  SARAH JOSEPHA

HALE. SHE WROTE THOUSANDS OF LETTERS AND

ARTICLES URGING OFFICIALS TO HAVE A DAY OR

PRAYER AND THANKS FOR OUR BLESSINGS. IF YOU 

DON'T KNOW HER NAME FROM ALL THOSE EFFORTS

YOU MAY KNOW HER FROM A SONG & POEM SHE WROTE.

  "MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB."

  SO MUCH HISTORY TO BRING US WHERE WE ARE

TODAY AND TO GIVE US ALL THE MORE REASON

TO GIVE THANKS.  

  HAPPY THANKSGIVING! HOPE ALL YOUR NEWS IS GOOD!    

CHEF BOY OUR DAVE!

   WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25th, 2020

              CHEF BOY OUR DAVE!

    I've decided to help out with the Thanksgiving

meal preparations this year. My "new school

thinking" can speed up things a bit! For instance,

that old fashion thermometer my wife uses to

check the turkey. I plan to replace it with one of

those new ones you just point at the subject and

get a reading. But then I got to thinking. Why

check the bird's temperature? It's not sick! It's

dead! It fact its frozen. And guess where I found

it? In the refrigerator!!! You shouldn't try to

defrost it in the fridge, It's cold in there! I plan

to just toss it into the microwave for an hour or

two and it will be all ready to reheat tomorrow.

Yes indeed. I'll probably get the Household

Helper of the Yer Award. Don't you think?

Hope you're helping too and that all your NEWS

is good! 

 

LOOKING FOR D.B.

   TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24th, 2020

              LOOKING FOR D.B.

  It's November 24th friends. D.B. Cooper Day!

For those too young to remember, D.B. Cooper

was the man who hijacked an airliner back in

1971. He forced the pilot to land and exchanged

the passengers for $200,000 and some parachutes.

He then forced the flight crew to take off again

and somewhere over Washington State he bailed

out with the loot! It's the only unsolved hijacking

in U.S. history and still quite a mystery. A small

package of the ransom money was discovered

near a river. An FBI agent assigned to the case

disappeared, And over 900 people have confessed

to the crime. None were considered creditable!

Every year on the Saturday closest to the hijacking

date an observance (read that D.B. Cooper celebration)

is held in Washington. I suppose there's still a reward

for his capture so keep your eyes open! Hope you're

well and that all your NEWS is good!

DINING OUT!

   MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23rd, 2020

                  DINING OUT!

  Romantic and big spender that I am I

took my wife out to dinner Sunday. We

had plush and heated seats for our

dining experience. We were in my Chevy

Suburban! You see I took her to a Food

Truck famous for its cheese steaks! Since

the adjoining trailer was selling cheese

cake we got some of that too! Eating in

the car is nothing new to us but this is

the first time I was confronted with a

very large cheese steak that was both

too hot and too bulky to hold without

dumping 50% of the contents over my

lap, trousers and the floor. Being

innovative I used the fork designed

for my cheese cake as a utensil and

the bun holding the cheese and steak

as a bowl and pretty much are the

whole thing. I think my wife enjoyed

the outing although she may have

questions the next time I suggest 

"dining out." Hey, the cheese cake

was good too! Hope you're well and

that all your NEWS is good! 

WHERE WERE YOU?

    SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22nd, 2020

               WHERE WERE YOU?

   Thanksgiving is just a few days off now.

This one may seem a bit somber as the virus

pandemic keeps many away from family

members in other communities. It brings

to mind another somber Thanksgiving in

1963. I was driving when I first heard

reports that shots had been fired as the

resident's motorcade drove through Dallas,

Texas. I rushed back to the radio station

where I was working, WNAK to cover

the story. We had no radio network, just

an Associated Press Teletype machine

that printed the latest news as it was

received. I ran an extra long microphone

cord into the closet where we kept the

AP machine and read every word as it

was printed! Of course the climax of

those reports can with confirmation

that President John F. Kennedy had

sustained fatal wounds and had been

pronounced dead.  We didn't know. as

a nation, if we'd get over this tragic

event. We did. Eventually. Just as we

will eventually get over this virus crisis.

Still, November 22nd will always be a

day to remember. Hope you're well and

that all your NEWS is good~ 

ON THE AIR!

   SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21st, 2020

                   ON THE AIR!

  This is World TV Day! I like TV. I made

a living on TV for many years. But it has

changed a lot over the years! When I was

growing up it was a radio, not a TV that

held the center spot in our living room. We

didn't get a television set until I was about

10 or 12. That TV received 3 channels. You

had to actually walk up to the set to turn it

on or off or to change the channel. A little

later we got cable which brought in about an

additional 10 channels! Remote controls came

a year years later. Now with cable or satellite

service most of us have access to over a

hundred stations. Ironically I find myself

watching re-runs of some of the shows

that were produced back when we had just three

channels. Well whatever you're watching (perhaps

my video blog) I hope you're enjoying it and

that all your NEWS is good.    

JUST RUNNING ALONG!

   FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 20th, 2020

       JUST RUNNING ALONG!

  It's November 20th. It's the Global

"Hug A Runner Day." Well sort of.

Because of the virus it's become  'Wave

At A Runner" this year. The event is

actually an attempt to get people to either

run or walk in a 5K event anytime during 

the month of November. Participants can

qualify for various prizes and a portion of

the income from entry fees will be donated

to native Americans facing housing or food

shortage problems. I thought about signing

up but its been about 40 years and 140 pounds

since I was into jogging. Maybe if they had a

"Crawl category" I'd reconsider.  Hope you'll

join in or at least get some exercise to celebrate

and that all your NEWS is good.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

  THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19th, 2020

     BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

   Today I offer a life lesson for the guys

out there. Be prepared to wait! We all have

to wait at one time or another. Often it's

in a waiting room for a doctor or a dentist. 

But I've learned most of us men will often

find ourselves waiting for the women in our

lives. So it's important to learn to be prepared.

My wife, for instance, loves to stop at the Fabric

Shop. I have never seen her go in and out in less

than 20 minutes. I can usually expect three quarters

of an hour. But I have learned how to wait. I have

a SirisXM radio in the car so I can listen to any

type of music I prefer. I can, of course, use my

cell phone to catch up with old friends/ I even

brought the latest copy of AARP along to read

the latest articles.  I brought along a soda and

a snack too. You can really take advantage of a

good wait...if you're prepared! Hope you are

and that all your NEWS is good!

OLD WESTERN WISDOM!

    WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18th, 2020

             OLD WESTERN WISDOM!

   I had an experience this week that got me

to thinking about those old western movies I

enjoyed as a kid. I'd see one most every weekend

at one of several neighbor theaters in our town.

Often is was a double feature. There were

certain things you could pretty much count on

in those features. Most of the time the good guy

wore a white hat. He nearly always had a faithful

side kick to have his back. Right and wrong was

clearly defined. And, the cowboys never ran out

of ammunition! Some how those "6 shooters" just

kept firing! I need one of those guns! The other

day I visited two large sporting stores in search

of ammo for my target pistol! Both places were

almost sold out! Not just the ammo I was looking

for. All types!!! We've either got a lot more hunters

than usual or somebody spread a rumor that the

virus can be shot to death. Unofficially ammo

sales are sid to be at record highs because so many

people are afraid of civil unrest. I'm thinking if

there's civil unrest the military will be called

out to deal with ot and I'm not sure how effective

those household weapons will be against tanks!  

We need some old fashion 6 shooters and, even

more, some old western wisdom about right and

wrong. Hope you're a straight shooter and that

all your NEWS is good!

FACEBOOK FRIENDS!

    TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17th, 2020

            FACEBOOK FRIENDS!

  This is one of those unusual "holidays" I

won't be observing. This is "Facebook Unfriend

Day." It was either created or at least promoted

by talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and was

started ten years ago. Kimmel suggested that

having too many friends on Facebook keeps

you away rom your actual friends. I don't

agree. The average Facebook user has about

130 friends. I have 4,534. I probably actually

know about 30 of them. But most of them know

me from my many years in the media. We're

suppose to social distance from friends right

now so this seems to be a very safe way to do

that. So I'll keep you if you'll keep me! Hope

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

ANIMAL HOUSE!

    MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16th, 2020

                 ANIMAL HOUSE!

     I've often heard it said "It's a jungle out there."

On Saturday we found one inside! It was a large

collection of mounted animals. from lions and

tigers and bears to elephants! We were at Cabella's

Sporting goods store near Reading. The kids were

thrilled to see the animals displayed in an area

designed to look like their natural setting. Then

it dawned on me. There was a time when the kids

could have seen animals like these, alive, in a

circus or certainly in a zoo. But the world has

changed. The circuses. at least those with animals,

have all but disappeared and zoos are few and far

between. Displays such as this one may be the

only opportunity the kids can get to see animals

like these ever! I'm glad Cabella's has the display

and hope they keep it forever! Hope you get to

see it and that all your NEWS is good.

WHAT'S INSIDE?

   SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15th, 2020

             WHAT'S INSIDE?

             Welcome to November 15th. Otherwise

 know as Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day!
 You know the refrigerator. It's that big box
 in your kitchen that holds up all the magnets!
 You can also use it for storing food! 
    Trouble is, sometimes it's stored too long!      
    As it's told in Holiday Insights  "Everything in
your refrigerator was once a fresh, healthy food,
ready for your consumption. It may have been a
tasty leftover, intended for later enjoyment. 
Unfortunately, over the course of weeks or more,
things get pushed to the back of the refrigerator
and slowly transform into something impossible to
identify."
    No matter what you may have heard, mold on 
an over refrigerated apple will not help you to 
know which was is North! 
    Work place refrigerators are said to be the worst. 
Coworkers often share the space but, seldom, the 
clean up duties! 
    With Thanksgiving just around the corner you 
will certainly want to get a heard start on that holiday
by observing this one!
   Be sure the potatoes you placed in your fridge way 
back whenever are not growing little trees in that 
seldom used bin tucked away on the bottom! Don't
try to age that cheese on your own. Remember that
expiration date on the milk is actually there for a
reason and you don't want to learn that the hard
way! So celebrate the day with a check of all the
food you've been storing in your refrigerator. And
When in doubt, throw it out!
    Hope you're not growing your own penicillin, and 
that all your NEWS is good!

TURN AROUND, LOOK AT ME!

    SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14th, 2020

      TURN AROUND, LOOK AT ME!

    This is International Selfie Day! It's actually

a theme day to promote world awareness of people

suffering from diabetes. But selfies have become

a common option in photography these days. It's

nice to be able to put yourself into the picture

without having to have somebody else to work the

camera! Of course selfies can be dangerous! A number

of people have fallen to their death at the Grand Canyon

by getting too close to the edge while trying to take a

selfie. I put my life into my hand each day when I

photograph my video blog! My wife reviews the

recording, not for intelligent content but, rather, to

see what's in the background of my video. She's afraid

I'll include papers I didn't clean up or coats I didn't   

hang in the closet. Today's video blog was shot on our

front porch. No danger there! All the decorations our

hers! Have a look on my Facebook page. Hope you

like it your-"self" and that all your NEWS is good!

Triskaidekaphobia!

    FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13th., 2020

         TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA!

   Today is Friday the 13th! It's considered

to be very unlucky by many people! Traditionally

the number 13 has been considered unlucky. You

won't find a floor marked 13 in most high rise

buildings in big cities like New York. Ship

captains often refused to sail if the crew numbered

12 because, the captain would make the 13th

person on board. Now how Friday got tied in with

the number I'm not really sure. Some Biblical

scholars believe that Cain killed Abel on a

Friday the 13th. I'm not exactly sure how they

did their calculations since I doubt very much 

that either brother had a calendar on the wall

back then! There are some people who take

the opposite point of view, believing that

Friday the 13th is a lucky day. Lottery sales

are usually up on this day and date! We've got

two of them in the year 2020. Today, and the

other was in March. Just about the time the

pandemic scare was really getting underway.

Maybe there's something to this bad luck thing!

Hope all your luck and your NEWS is good!

IT HAPPENED TODAY!

    THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12th, 2020

             IT HAPPENED TODAY!

   It's November 12th. Just an ordinary day.

Just past Veteran's Day and still a bit away

from Thanksgiving. Just an ordinary day. But

yet, there have been some unusual events on

this date you won't find in most History books.

In 1941, for instance, Alma Heflin became the 

first female commercial test pilot! Her first

test flight was for Piper Aircraft in Lock

Haven, Pennsylvania. November 12th 1926

marked the first time bombs were dropped on

America! But they weren't dropped by an foreign

enemy. They were dropped by bootleggers on an

opposing gang of bootleggers in Williamson County,

Illinois! Hugh Gray was busy on November 12th

of 1933. He was taking the first reported photo

of what may have been the Loch Ness Monster!

And in 1859 a young aerial artist preformed the

first flying trapeze act at a circus in Paris. You 

don't remember the act of course, but you may

recognize his name from the garment he designed

that still bears his name. Leotard! I wonder what

will happen on this November 12th? Who knows?

Hope it's something interesting amd that all your

NEWS is good! 

  

 

HITTING THE BRICKS!

   WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11th, 2020

               HITTING THE BRICKS!

  To most people hear the term "Hitting the

bricks" means you're looking for a job. In

my case I can assure you that is not true! There's

no way I'm looking for work. The bricks to which 

I refer are the ones or our patio that support our

picnic table throughout the summer. When the

colder weather moves in, however, the table is

set aside and those bricks become the "floor"

on which my Miata is stored. It's covered too of

course. But the move, in essence, signals an end to

my sports car driving season and I never enjoy

that! Hopefully I'll be surprised with some late

year great weather and I'll be back on the road

again. If not I'll have to hope for an early spring!

Either way, I hope all your NEWS is good!

NUMBER PLEASE!

  TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10th, 2020

            NUMBER PLEASE!

     For those of you who don't already

know, this is "Area Code Day!" Your

area code is, of course, the first three 

numerals of your telephone number.

The designate, as the name suggests,

the area from which you;re calling. We

didn't always have area codes! When I

was a kid you picked up the telephone

and waited for an operator to come on the

line and say "Number please." If I was

calling my home I'd say "1515" and the

operator would connect me. Rotary phones

and local exchanges like "Gladstonre" came

next.  While they used names the first letters

of your exchange were, in reality, two numbers

which added to the length of your telephone

number. Push button phones came along next

and just a few years ago we were required to dial

the area code even if we were calling someone

in the same area we were calling from. Cell

phones didn't initially require the use of an area

code but that has changed now too making the

typical dial ten numbers long. You can do so

much more on cell phones than on the old traditional

telephones. You can't even play games on the old

phones, unless you're the one calling to sell car

warranties! Seems whatever the device, the

Con Game is still playable! Hope you're not

in the game and that all your NEWS is good.

TANKS A LOT!

 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9th, 2020

            TANKS A LOT!

    It's so great to see something old

turned into something that can make a

community proud. That' exactly what my

wife and I found Sunday when our weekend

drive took us Berwick. The area we found

was once off limits to the public. During

World War II the old American Car and

Foundry factory made Army tanks in Berwick.

A large plot of land bear the Susquehanna

River became a test track for the vehicles.

The area and the factory were actually on

Hitler's target list. These days the community

has turned the test track into a public park.

There's picnic areas, a walking trail, a disk

golf course, a BMX type bike trail, and a

boat launch too. It's not a target anymore.

It's a destination. And a good one at that!

It was a pleasure to visit the park and to

realize there's something similar in many

of our communities. If there's one near you,

take advantage of the facilities whenever

you can! Hope you enjoy yourself and that

all your NEWS is good! 

A THOUGHT FROM THE CORNER

         SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8th, 2020

       A THOUGHT FROM THE CORNER

   

   TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH., 2016
         KNOW WHAT TODAY IS?
   
  You should know that this day,

November 8th, is "Dunce
Day!"
  Very few people know much about

the "Dunce" except, perhaps, for the image

of a school kid from years ago, sitting in 

the corner of a classroom, wearing a

cone-like hat with a point at the top.
  The "Dunce" was always pictured
as the troublesome kid in the class
who wasn't especially smart!
   Lucky for me the day of the
"Dunce" and the "Dunce Hat" were
already long past when I did my
best to get through school!
   In reality, the term "Dunce" comes
from the name of a medieval scholar,
Duns Scotus of Scotland.
  He came up with that pointed hat
because he believed knowledge would
flow from the point into the head of
the person wearing it!
    Dun's theory didn't work very well
and, over the years, students forced to
wear the caps became known as  a
"Dunce" and were usually thought of
as being....well....not very smart.
   Hope you don't get sent to the corner....
 and that all your NEWS is good!

CAN YOU COME OUT AND PLAY?

   SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7th, 2020

    CAN YOU COME OUT AND PLAY?

   This is one of those "unusual holidays" I cane

acress that's suppose to be observed every month

rather than annually! It's "National Play Outside

Day!" All to many playground sit unused these

days and that's not because of the virus. They

are emptier than usual because of competition

from things like video games. When I was a kid

playing outside, whatever time of year, was the

norm. As a matter of fact most kids in my old

neighborhood ended up in my back yard

because it was the biggest. This "holiday" is

suppose to be celebrated on the first Saturday.

And, by the way, it's not just for kids! Everyone

is encouraged to get outside for a bit of fresh

air play! Hope you do, that you're well, and

that all your NEWS is good!  

WHERE'S WALDO...OR DAVID!!??

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6th, 2020

 WHERE'S WALDO..OR DAVID!!??

   You know I love to tell you about those

unusual holidays I find throughout the year.

Most are just fun. But, every now and then

there's one than can be useful. That's the case

today! It's "Marooned Without A Compass

Day!" I walked into the woods near my house

and imagined I was there without a compass

trying to find my way out. My first thought 

was to find moss at the base of a tree, Moss

always grows on the North side so once I

found the moss I could figure out my 

directions. One problem. No moss!!! Then

I realized the sun comes up in the east in the

morning and sets in the west at night. Just

check the position of the sun and, again, I'd

know which way was which. But wait! I

didn't know what time it was. Could have

been Noon for all I knew with the sun right

over head. Next time I'll drop breadcrumbs!

And, bring a phone! Hope I find my way

out and that all your NEWS is good!

c

PASS OR FAIL!

   THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5th, 2020

                   PASS OR FAIL!

  I thought once I left High School my exam

days would be over! Not so. I had several

exams scheduled for this week. Not by a

teacher. By my doctor! The first was a breathing

test. I figured I'd ace that one. I've been breathing

for 78 years now and I think I've got it down.

Admittedly though, the air doesn't seem to be as

fresh as it used to be. Today I'll go thought. One

will, generally, check my heart beats while the

other will check it's flow. They inject a radioactive

dye into my blood stream then track it with some

high tech equipment. I had that one once before and

it caused all kinds of problems. Not with my health.

With my job! You see the day after the test I was

assigned to do a story at the Berwick Nuclear

Power Plant. Seems some of that radioactive dye

was still in my system and I triggered a detector!!!

Good thing it didn't happen when I was leaving the

place. I would have been stripped searched to make sure

I wasn't stealing uranium! Well, hope I get a passing

grade on my tests and that's it's not a "Final exam!"

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

PREMIUM PROPERTY!

    WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4th, 2020

                 PREMIUM PROPERTY.

      I was enjoying my bowl of Cheerios the

other day when I suddenly started to wonder

what happened to my land? You see back in the

50's my favorite radio serial was "Challenge Of

The Yukon." It was about a Canadian Mountie

Sgt. Preston and his dog King. The sponsor

Quaker Oats, decided to capitalize on the show's

popularity by offering land in the Yukon to people

who bought their product. The company bought

just over 19 acres of land near Dawson City, Canada

and divided the property into 21 million one inch

square "lots." Deeds to a square inch were included

in each box of Quaker Oats. Since it was my favorite

program I undoubtedly got at least one, Probably more!

Now I'm wondering what happened to my land! Maybe

there's gold there! I thought about going to check it

out but two things stopped me in my tracks. First, right

now, we're not allowed in Canada. Second, I began to

wonder if I might owe property tax!!!! I decided to

stay home and stick with my Cheerios! Hope you're

well and that all your NEWS is good!

YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN!

 

   TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd, 2020

      YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN!

  

  WELL THE BIG DAY IS HERE FOLKS

  IT'S ELECTION DAY! BUT, IT'S ALSO

  CHICLE'DAY! YOU KNOW. THOSE PHRASES

  WE HEAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN. MAYBE

  WE CAN COMBINE CELEBRATIONS! SEEMS

  THE CAMPAIGNING STARTED MONTH AGO BUT

  ...HOW TIME FLIES

  THE CANDIDATES HAVE MADE A

  LOT OF PROMISES BUT IF IT SOUNDS

  TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT PROBABLY IS.

  NOW DON'T RUSH OFF TO THE POLES WITHOUT\

  THINKING....HASTE MAKES WASTE. IT'S OK

  TO GET THERE RIGHT BEFORE THEY CLOSE,

  YOU KNOW..IN THE NICK OF TIME..AFTER ALL

  BETTER LATE THAN NEVER! MOST IMPORTANLY,

  IF YOUR CANDIDATE LOSES,

  DON'T CRY OVER SPILT MILK..CAUSE THAT'S

  THE WAY THE COOKIE CRUMBLES! 

  HOPE YOU'RE WELL AND THAT ALL YOUR NEWS

  IS GOOD!

   

IF I AM ELECTED...

  MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2nd, 2020

              IF I AM ELECTED...

     

   TOMORROW IS ELECTION DAY BUT MY

   WIFE AND I HAVE ALREADY VOTED.

   THANKS TO THE PANDEMIC VOTING BY

   MAIL HAS BECOME AN OPTION THAT

   MANY OF US APPRECIATE.

   HERE IN THE U.S.A. VOTING IS A

   RIGHT AND A PRIVILEGE. 

   BUT IN MANY OTHER COUNTRIES IT'S

   ALSO A REQUIREMENT! AUSTRALIANS

   WHO DON'T VOTE FACE FINES THAT

   MORE THAN DOUBLE AFTER THE FIRST\

   OFFENSE.  IF YOU MISS 4 ELECTIONS

   IN BELGIUM YOU FORFEIT YOUR RIGHT

   TO VOTE FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS!

   AS FAR AS OUR SYSTEM GOES, WHETHER

   IT'S IN PERSON OR BY MAIL, YOU'VE

   GOT TO BELIEVE WE'RE BETTER OFF

   THAN GAMBIA WHERE VOTERS DROP

   MARBLES INTO METAL DRUMS ADORNED

   WITH PICTURES OF THE CANDIDATES.

   WITH ALL THE VOTING CONSPIRACY

   THEORIES I'VE HEARD AROUND HERE

   THAT SYSTEM WOULD SURLY RESULT IN

   SOMEBODY LOSING ALL THEIR MARBLES!

   WELL HOPE YOU REMEMBER TO VOTE IF

   YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY AND PLEASE

   REMEMBER A WRITE IN FOR ME WILL

   GET YOU NOWHERE! HOPE YOU'RE WELL 

   AND THAT ALL YOUR NEWS IS GOOD! 

               

SHOULD I ?

   SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1st, 2020

                  SHOULD I ?

  I had just completed a couple errands

and was thinking about other things that

need to be done when I realized it was

November 1st. This marks the third annual

"Give Up Your Should Of Day!" The idea

is simple. You give up things like "I should go

to the gym. I should lose weight. I should help

clean up the house." Toss them all out the window!

After last year's 2nd annual "Give Up Your Should

Of Day" participants reported feeling a lot better

about themselves! Some of them felf so much

better they gave up their "Should of''s" for the

following day too! I think it's a great holiday

that we should celebrate more often. And one

we shouldn't put off! Hope you're well and that

all your NEWS is good. 

TIME TO BE SCARED!

   SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31st, 2020

           TIME TO BE SCARED!

  Well it's Halloween. A time for ghosts and

goblins to roam the streets looking for treats.

But this year, the really scary time happens

after Midnight! That's when we switch our

clocks, at least many of us do, to Standard

Time! Now, don't get me wrong. I enjoy an

extra hour of sleep more than most of you.

But consider this. Turning our clocks back

one hour, in essence, adds 60 minutes to the

year 2020! That certainly scares the heck out

of me! Hope you'll use the time wisely and

that all your NEWS is good!   

"IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIVE!"

   FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30th, 2020

      "IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIVE!

   If it's the last Friday in October there's

one thing of which you can be sure! It's

Frankenstein Friday! Frankenstein! The

perfect Halloween monster. He's been

scaring young and old for over 100 years.

    He was born, rather created, by Mary

Shelley in 1818 when she was just 21-years-

old. The actor most identified as the monster

is Boris Karloff. His image is still used in

masks produced today. Ironically he wasn't

the studio's first choice for the role. Bella

Lugosi, best know for playing Dracula, was

offered the part. But he turned it down because

the monster never spoke during the movie! He

wanted to have dialog! In retrospect, he should

have remained silent and accepted the offer.

It paid off bug for Karloff! Don't know how

we're suppose to celebrate the day. I'd suggest

a scary movie or two, one of which should

probably be Frankenstein! Hope you enjoy the

show, that your're well, and that all your NEWS

is good!

LOGGING ON!

  THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29th, 2020

               LOGGING ON!

   It's October 29th friends. It's " Internet Day!"

We've come so far on the world wide web. Emails,

technology that allows Smartphone texts, video

calls and the like. But, in a sense, it all started on

October 29th. of 1969. As part of a Defense Department

project a team at UCLA attempted to send a message

for their compute to one at Stanford University. It

was a one word message. The word was "LOGIN."

The L and the O made if through just fine. But then

the system crashed! As I said, we've come a long

way since then. On the other and the internet now

brings us Spam, Political commercials, and Hackers.

Maybe we haven't come all far just yet! Hope you're

getting my message, that you;re well, and that all your

NEWS is good!

"NATIVE AMERICAN SUMMER?"

   WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28th, 2020

     "NATIVE AMERICAN SUMMER?"

   Well many of the leaves around this area

are down and the ones that remain have taken

on that "rusty color." I'm looking forward to

Indian Summer. That's a period of mild weather,

usually in October or November, that follows

the first hard frost. It's a pleasant time though

the name doesn't stem from pleasantries! Back

when the settlers and Native Americans started

to feud the term "Indian" took on a negative

connotation. "Indian Giver" was used to refer

to someone who gave you something then

wanted it back! "Indian Summer" meant a

time that felt like summer but really wasn't.

Well, whatever its origin, I hope Indian Summer

comes soon and stays awhile! Hope your weather

is fine, that you're well, and that all your NEWS

is good!