THE "SPIRIT" OF 91!

      SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 2021

          THE "SPIRIT" OF 91

      This is an historic date in American

history and Pennsylvania played a bif roll

in the story. I think it's safe to say nobody 

like taxes. In fact it was a British tax on tea

that, in a sense, began the Americal revolution!

Of course we won that war and set up our own

government...which then needed to pay for the

war! It diod so by instituting the first tax

leved by the United States government. It was

a tax on whiskey! Farmers in western Pennsylvania

had been distilling their own spirits for years and

fought against the tax. The conflict became known

as the Whiskey Rebellion! It lasted three years

during which time 3 or 4 Pennsylvaania rebels

were killed and 170 were captured. The government

won and we're still paying taxes on whiskey...and

just about everything else! Cheers! Hope all your

NEWS is good!

STEPHANIE'S BIRTHDAY!

      SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021

       STEPHANIE'S BIRTHDAY!

   Stephanie Kwolek would have been 98

today. You may not know Stephanie's name

but, perhaps, you should! She was a

Pennsylvania girl born in New Kensington

who had a deep interest in science and chemistry.

Stephanie eventually went to work for the

Dupont Comoany where she became an inventor.

A pretty good one at that! She was the 4th woman

named to the National Inventor's Hall Of Fame!

Her speciality was making strong fabrics. She 

invented one that actually replaced steel in car

racing tires. Of course it eventually had another

use, far more beneficial for many. Her invention

was called Kevlar, the main material used for

Bullet Proof Vests! Just thought you ought to

know! Hope all your NEWS is good!

GAME MONEY!

   FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2021

        GAME MONEY!

    Games are usually fun! But there's

money in games too! Carles Darrow

proved that beyond all doubt! Carles

was the inventor of a game you may

have played at one time of another. It's

called Monopoly! Darrow registered

his copyright on this date in 1933. Then,

he sold the game to Parker Brothers!!!

That deal made him the first millionaire

game designer! And we're not talking

about Monopoly money!!! Hope you're

winning, whatever, you're playing, and

that all your NEWS is good.

BRING YOUR UMBRELLA!

   THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

   BRING YOUR UMBRELLA!

   July 29th is a very big day in the town

of Waynesburg Pennsylvania. This is 

"Rain Day!" It all started in the 1800's

when an unknow farmer walked into a

pharmacy and made a comment about

how it always seemed to rain on his birthday,

July 29th. The owner took note of the

comment, then, began taking notes on

the weather each July 29th. Family

members picked up on the "study" as did

members of the media. Turns out over the

past 147 years it has rained in Waynesburg

on July 29th 115 times! Local folks decided

to turn the legend into an annual festival!

Thousands of visitors show up on "Rain

Day" to listen to musical groups, shop

all sorts of vendors who set up for the

festivities, and visit all kinds of food

stands. There's even a contest to crown

a "Rain Day Princess." I was sort of

wondering.......if there's a rain date?

Hope you're well and that all your NEWS

is good! 

FINGERING THE SUSPECT!

    WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2021

     FINGERING THE SUSPECT!

   I wonder how many of you may have

spent part of Tuesday's dark, thundering,

and rainy night reading a mystery story.

In many of those stories a key bit of

evidence in finding the suspect comes down

to fingerprints! It was on this day in 1858

that fingerprints were first used in a criminal

case. A British man, Sir William James Hershel

who studied fingerprints for years and finally

convinced others that no two sets of fingerprints

were the same. DNA may be the "in thing" for

solving many crimes these days but a clear set

of fingerprints still go a long way in determining

"who done it!" Hope you're well, wearing gloves,

and that all your NEWS is good! 

A PLAYBOY BUNNY?

    TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2021

      A PLAYBOY BUNNY?

   I auppose you could say he's somewhat

of a playboy. But however you describe him

today we celebrate the Birthday of a big screen

idol as he turns 81-years-old! He's appeared in

hundreds of movies and a few feature films,

and been made the mascot of Warner Brothers

Entertainment! "He", in case you haven't guessed,

is Bugs Bunny! Bugs first showed up as a

regular cartoon character on July 27th., 1940

in an Oscar nominated film "A Wild Hare."

He, and his famous line "What's up Doc."

makes him one of the most recognizable

characters in the entire world! So today we

say a very Happy Birthday to Bugs! Hope

he's around for years to come and that all your

NEWS is good!

  

THE BRASS RING!

    MONDAY, JULY 26, 2021

        THE BRASS RING!

   Unless you happen to be at an

amusement park you missed a big

celebration on Sunday. July 25th

as the anniversary of the day in

1871 when William Schneider of

Davenport, Iowa obtained the first

American patent for the Carousel!

Of course carousels or merry-go-

rounds date back much earlier than

that. But July 25th was the date the

popular amusement ride officially

came to the USA. The idea actually

dates back to the days of knights 

who used to practice jousting on

horseback by trying to run the tip of

their lance through a small ring. That's

when the concept of the brass ring comes 

from on the carousel! Hope you'll join

the celebration as soon as you can! Take

a spin and enjoy the ride! Hope all your

NEWS is good! 

VACATION REFLECTIONS

          SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2021

       VACATION REFLECTIONS!

     Our annual vacation to Wildwood, New

Jersey has come to an end. As it did I began

to reflect on why this particular trip is so bery

special. I've been going to Wildwood nearly

every year since I was about 3 years old! My 

Mom and Dad and brother used to take me

there. Over the years the trip was expanded

to include more family members and, sometimes,

a family friend or two. My wife and I make lots

of trips. We're even Tour Escorts for Travelworld

and have enjoyed wonderful adventures in

places like Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, and

Scotland to name just a few. So what makes

this trip to the Jersey shore so very sspecial.

I believe it's the fact that for one week many

or our family members are together again

under one roof every night. We may even

go separate ways each day. Bit in the evening

we're all together, just as a family shou;d be.

Where ever you're heading this summer, for

a week, a weekend, or just a day, bring as

many family members as you can gather

togeher to share the fun and the love. You

will make treasured memories to last a

lifetime! Hope you do and that all your

NEWS is good! 

PROVE IT!

       MONDAY, JULY 19, 2021

                "PROVE IT!"

 This was a rough day in Salem, Mass in 1692!

Five more people were hanged on this date after

being charged as witches!  19 were hanged in

all. One man was crushed to death with rocks

because he refused to plead guilty. And 5 more

died in prison! The trouble started when some

young girls in the community claimed they were

posessed by the devil or evil sprits and then

claimed that many of their neighbors, women for

the most part, had bewitched them! A series of

trials began throughout the coloney and the scare

spread wuickly leading to all those exceutions.

It continued until the Governor's wife was accused

of being a witch. That's when he, the governor,

changed the law. That change has become a basic

principal of American justice! It hold that every

person is now considered to be innocent until

proven guilty! A change we can all be thankful for!

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

 

  

REMEM!BERING ANNE

  SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021

 REMEMBERING ANNE!

This July 18th marks one of

those unofficial holidays that

rea;;y should be remembered if

not celebrated! This is Anne Hutchinson

Memorial Day. Ann was an English

woman who traveled to the American

colonies where she settled in a

Puritan community near Boston.

But Anna had her own, very serious

religious beliefs and she often spoke out

abou them! She believed that faith, not

good deads, was the way to salvation.

She also believed man could communicate

with God without the need for clergy to act

as a go between! The clergy didn't like that

idea very much and Anne was charged with

heresy!  She was convicted and forced out

of the community. She setteled on Long

Island where, 6 years after her conviction,

she, 6 of her children, and a number of

servants were massacred by indians! Now

many remember Anne as a true leader of

religious freedom in the new world!

It's Sunday. Hope you'll remember Anne

today and that all your NEWS is good!    

BE A MOTH MAN!

   SATURDAY, JULY 17, 2021

         BE A MOTH MAN!

  This is your chance to be a Moth

Man (or Woman)! Today, July 17th.,

marks the begging of "National Moth

Week." This is a week when your are

encouraged to study all those moths

with which we share our environment!

Scientists tells us there are between

150 and 500 thousand species of moths

on the planet. (Wouldn't you think they'd

know!) Of course studying them isn't

always easy. They fly around so much and

so quickly! They are also almost all nocturnal!

Those of us who drive at night often find

them squashd on the windshield and lights

of our cars! If you have trouble finding one

to study give me a call. I believe there's one

in my closet that's interested in my sweaters!

Hope you're well and that all your NEWS is

good!

COUNTING THE MINUTES!

   FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2021

COUNTING THE MINUTES!

  This is a big day in automotive

history although a sad one as well.

However you chooss to look at it

the man to credit or blame for the

anniversary is Carl Magee. Carl 

was at attorney, a newspaper

owner/reporter, and an inventor.

And on this very day in 1935 Carl's

newest invention hit the streets of

Oklahoma City. It was the parking

meter! For just a nickle you could get

an hour of paking! Most meters don't

take nickles these days. Some don't

even take quarters! The newest versions

and connected to computer systems which

keep track of your parking. Stay too long

and you'll still find yourself getting a ticket

and having to pay a fine! Thanks Carl!!!!

Hope your meter is full, you're feeling

well, and that all your NEWS is good!

 

I FOUND MY THRILL....

   THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2021

     I FOUND MY THRILL...

    I wanted to make sure you are

all aware this is "Blueberry Month!"

We have had a blueberry bush

outside our house for several years.

I bought it as a gift for my wife and

we added a bush from the woods

right next to it. The combination has

worked out very well. If you can beat

the birds to the berries you can enjoy

a really mice treat. I'm not sure if

Huckleberries are to be included in

this month's celebration. They are

similar to blueberries but not quite

the same. Blueberries have soft seeds

inside. Huckleberries have ten hard seeds.

We've had a good crop of blueberries this

season but I don't have a lot to show you.

Seems I tend to eat them faster than I

can store them in a container! Hey! They're

good! What can you expect? Hope you're

well and that all your NEWS is good! 

TWO CONNECTICUT YANKEES

    WEDNESDAY,JULY 14, 2021

TWO CONNECTICUT YANKEES!

   Next time you need to do some

measuring for your kitchen snack

bar or your woodworking shop, pause

for a moment and remember two men

from Connecticut who simplified the

task. It was on July 14th., of 1868 when

Alvin Fellows patented his newly designed

spring loaded rape measure. Just four years

earlier William Bangs, Fellow's fellow

Connecticut resident, had patented his

own spring loaded tape measure. Fellows

improved the design by coming up with a

tape measure that would stop and you unrolled

it and then sprang back inside its contained

with the push of a switch! Fellows and Bangs,

two men who really "measured up!" Hope

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

A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS!

        TUESDAY, JULY 13, 2021

       A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS! 

    Vernon Rudolph was looking for

a good business opportunity. He found

oun in the form of a secret baking recipe

he bought from a French chef. It provided

for a way to make light, fluffy donuts.

Vernon set up a manufacturing line

and, on this day in 1937, began selling his

donuts to local stores. But the baking process

produced an attractive fragance that had people 

stopping by to see if they could buy Vernon's

donuts directly. Thinking it was a good

idea he cut a hole in the wall and began

selling to the public. And so was born

Krispy Kreme Donuts which has thousands

of shops in the United States and, now,

around the world! Seems Vernon ended

up rolling in dough! Hope you're well,

perhaps enjoying a donut, and that all

your  NEWS is good!  

  

  

PARTY TIME!

   MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021

          PARTY TIME!

   We had a great day Sunday as

family and friends gathered for my

grandson Ryan's Graduation party.

I didn't have a graduation party when

I graduated. I did get a graduation gift.

My Mom and Dad bought me the Citizen's

Band Radio I wanted. They were new back

then and the truckers hadn'r discovered 

them! But there was no graduation party.

And I can't remember any of my friends

having graduation parties. In fact the

only party I heard about through the

grapevine that had anything to do with my

graduation was the rumor that all my former

teachers got together to celebrate my leaving

school? Hope they had a good time...and that

all your NEWS is good!

CLIPPINGS!

    SUNDAY, JULY 11, 2021

            CLIPPINGS!

   Those who watch my video blog

will have a far better idea of my

subject today. You see I got a haircut.

Now that's not all that unusual. I do

that from time to time. But this time

I got it in a Barber Shop! You see my

wife normally cuts my hair but she

had several projects she needed to get

done so I decided to see out an actual

barber. I found one not too far from

home and there was an open chair

shortly after I came in. The barber

asked me what I was looking for. I

told him my hair was too long around

the ears, my sideburns neede to be

shortened and my eyebrows needed to

be trimmed. "So," he said, "You want a

haircut!" Exactly why I choose a Barber

shop I replied and he got right down to

it. I think he did a pretty good job and

I'll probably go back. As soon as I can

save up! Seems the rates have gone up

a bit since my last visit! My wife is much

moe reasonable! Hope you're well and

that all your NEWS is good! 

EDISON'S PENCIL!

   SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2021

       EDISON'S PENCIL!

   July 10th is an historical date. It

was on this date in 1866 that Edison

came up with an invention that's very

hard to forget. Oh,,,no....not Thomas

Edison. I'm referring to Edison Clark!

You don't recognize the name? Well

Edison Clark invented the indelible

pencil! You will surely remember that

if you've ever accidentally got the point

of one on your dress shirt or, heaven

forbid, answered a test question

incorrectly with one of those then

realized your mistake! Eventually Mr.

Clark turned his talents to manufacyuring

crayons. Still, I think we can safely say

Edison Clark "left his mark" with us!

Hope you're well and that all your NEWS

is good! 

AND THEN, THERE'S HENRY!

          FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2021

 AND THEN, THERE'S HENRY!

   Regualr followers of this blog know I

enjoy telling you about inventors and

some of their inventions that have changed

our everyday lives in some way. I can't

really say that about Henry Tibbe's

invention. It didn't have any impact on

most people's lives. But, in a way, you

could say it had a small effect on helping

us win World War II! You see Henry's

patent of this date in 1878 was for 

improvements to the corn cob pipe!

And you'd be hard pressed to find a

photograph of General Douglas MacArthur.

who lead out forces in the war against

Japan, in which he did not have his

trademark corn cob pipe! I guess it

served him pretty well. So put that in

your pipe and smikw it! Hope you're well

and that all yoru NEWS is good!

AND STILL WE WONDER!

    THURSDAY, JULY 8, 2021

    AND STILL WE WONDER!

   The press release was issued on this

date, July 8th., of 1947. The U.S. Army

said that the remains of a "flying disc"

were recovered from a farm near Roswell,

NM. But the story quickly changed! The

revised version told on an experimental

weather baloon that had crashed, After

some of the debris was show, the story

kind of died away. But then, in 1970, a

retired Army Officer told a reporter the

weather baloon story was just a cover up!

Ever since Roswell and the subject of

flying saucers have been the subject of

controversy and conspiracy! Several

Presidents have been questioned about

the incident and what really happened

None have given any specifics although 

President Clinton suggested the truth was

fas lee exciting that the stories circualated

about Roswell. Wonder if we'll ever hear

all the facts? Hope we do and that all your

NEWS is good!

THE CUTTING EDGE!

    WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2021

         THE CUTTING EDGE!

   It happened on this day in 1928!

The day when the invention of Otto

Fredrick Rohwedder changed our

lives forever! Otto, who began his

[rofessional career as a jewler, had

an idea for a very special machine.

He set up a factory to build his

device well before  1928 but a fire

destroyed his building and he had

to start all over again.  He finally

completed his invention which allowed

the Chillicothe Baking Company to sell, for

the first time on July 7th., 1928, Sliced

Bread! Otto sort of set the standard

because most other inventions since

that time claim to be "the greating thing

since sliced bread!" Just thought you 

should know! Hope you're well and that

all your NEWS is good~

A LOTTA BULL!

   TUESDAY, JULY 6, 2021

         A LOTTA BULL!

   Summer is here and with it comes

a lot of festivales. One of the biggest

gets under way today, primaraly in

Spain! It's the annual "Running of the

Bulls!" It's a custome that dates back

to the days when farmers had to move

their cattle from one town to another.

These days, in communities throughout

Spain and a number of other countries,

young men run ahead of the bulls

teasing them to charge while the guys

try to keep from being gored! These

events happen on the main streets of

the participating towns and, sometimes,

the bulls come out the winners! Not to be

outsone we have a similar event in our

towns and cities. We call it "Crossing

the Street!" Hope you do so safely and

that all your NEWS is good! 

A STRIKING PENNSYLVANIA PITCHER!

            MONDAY, JULY 5, 2021

A STRIKING PENNSYLVANIA PITCHER!

   You may not know it but this is a very

historic day in Major League Baseball History!

On this day in 1898 Lizzy Arlington became

the first woman to pitch for a professional Men's

Baseball team! And it happened right here in

Pennsylvania! Lizzy pitched for the Reading

Coal Heavers. She pitched all 9 innings against

the Allentown Penuts! Lizzy gave up two hits

and only one walk in her 5 to 0 win! I know a

couple Major League teams that could use

Lizzy right about now! Maybe they should be

looking to the female players!!! Hope you're

well and that all your NEWS is good!

 

JULY 4TH FIRSTS!

SUNDAY, JULY 4, 2021

   JULY 4TH FIRSTS!

   It's a big day of clebration here in

the Unioted States. And for a lot of

good reasons! Independence Day of

course resulting from our 1776

Declaration of Independence from

England. Ironically the nation

didn't begin its annual celebrtion of

July 4th until 1796! In 1802 the U.S,

Military Academy at West Point opened

its doors on July the 4th.  The following

year, 1803, the Louisiana purchase added

828, 00 square miles to the United States.

That was announced on July 4th. In 1831

the song "America {My Country Tis Of

Thee) was song for the very first time on

July 4th. Then, in 1862, Lewis Carrol 

choose Independence Day to publish

"Alice In Wonderland." The following

year General Robert E. Lee pulled his

troops out of Gettysburg on Jukly 4th

effectively marking the beginning of the 

end of the Civil War!  On July 4th 1876

the first electric light was demonstrated 

in San Francisco and in 1884 France gave

us the Statue of Liberty of the 4th of July.

Our flag has changed a lot since 1776. On

July 4th of 1959 we saw a new 49 star

banner as Alaska was added to the union.

That flag didn't last very long though as

Hiwaii became the 50th state and another

star was added on July 4th of 1960. A lot

of July 4th history for a fairly young nation.

Wonder what the future hold in store? Hope

it's all positive and that all your NEWS is

good!   

THE FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE!

        SATURDAY, JULY 3, 2021

THE FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE!

    Most everyone has already started the

celebration of our independence highlighted

on the 4th of July. But the Declaration of

Independence was just that...a declaration.

It took a war to actually gain that independence

and one of the most dramatic battles took place

two years after that declaration, on July 3rd of

1778. And it happened right here in Luzerne

County. A force of British loyalists and Iroquois

indians massacred more than 399 Patriots in an

area that now makes up Wyoming and Exeter

boroughs. A monument in Wyoming marks the

final resting place of those victims who died

fighting for our independence. A ceremony will

be held there today, as it is each year, to pay tribute

to those Patriots. It's important to remember

Independence Day but more important to remember

those who gave their lives to make that independence

happen. I hope you do and that all your NEWS

is good! 

CELEBRATING?

   Thursday, July 1, 2021

      CELEBRATING?  

  Well I'm writing today's Blog while

visiting the Thousand Islands in upstate

New York. It's July 1st and it's a big holiday.

But not here. The holiday is across the border

in Canada. It's CANADA DAY...marking the

combination of three territorties into one

Canada! I wanted to help them celebrate but

that's darn near impossible! I have my passport

and I've had all my covid shots. But the border

is still closed to those of us here in the U.S.

The only way to cross for non essential reasons

is to take a covid test as you enter Canada then

be escorted to a hotel where you'll have to await

the test results....for as long as three days! Think

I'll just wait here and celebrate our 4th of July.

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