TRADITION!

     SUNDAY, JUNE 12TH., 2016
                TRADITION!

      As anyone who has ever seen
"Fiddler on the Roof" knows,
tradition is very important to a
family.
      On Saturday our family, most
of them anyway, continued a
family tradition that, as far as my
involvement is concerned, dates
back to 1945!
       We headed for a week's
vacation in Wildwood, New
Jersey.
       My memories there date back
to a day when I was allowed to
blow the car horn over and over and
a big plate of spaghetti was placed
in front of me, Far more that I could
ever consume!
         I now know that was VJ Day.
The end of World War II. My family
and I have been coming most years
ever since. I missed a few in my early
working days, But the tradition
resumed as soon as we were able to
get everybody together again.
        This year my newest grandson
enjoys his first visit. He's only 10-months-
old so he may not remember this "first."
But photos and family will remind him
through the years.
          It's a special joy to see a new
generation involved in a tradition they
will, hopefully, carry on!
          He's already taken note of the
"Watch the Tram Car alert." And
before week's end I expect him to know
there's a "Curly Fries' just a few blocks
from our apartment!
         My blogs may be scattered this
week as we enjoy him, the rest of the
family and the shore.
         My many thanks to Karl for
moving in to our place to house sit
while we're away for a couple days.
         Hope my grandson enjoys his
first taste of Wildwood (which included
pizza) and that all your NEWS is good!

   
           

WHAT'S "OFF" TV TONIGHT?

   SATURDAY, JUNE 11TH., 2016
   WHAT'S "OFF" TV TONIGHT? 

    About now I find myself wondering
how many Yankee fans switched from
Comcast to Direct TV after the cable
company dropped the YES network?
     Now, perhaps happy to see the
Yanks in action again, those same
viewers may lose all the programs,
including regional news, offered by
WNEP TV.
      And whether it's Direct, Comcast,
or any other television provider, you
may see (or not see) more stations
involved as time goes on.
      Way back at the start of local
TV broadcasting WDAU and WBRE
became the hated enemies of the
cable TV industry. The local stations
were upset that the products they
paid to produced were being picked
up and distributed by the cable
companies for free. Sure, the cable
companies got paid. But the local
stations didn't.
        Years later that argument got
legal support and now those cable
and satellite companies have to pay
the providers for the shows they
share to their subscribers.
        The question is...how much
should they pay?
         Comcast insisted that the
YES Network was asking too much
for the Yankee games and other
sporting events they produce. So,
Comcast dropped YES.
         Nobody has said what channel
16's parent company is asking from
Dish. But it's apparent Dish thinks
it's too much!
         Brings to mind those early
days when every house in the area
had an antenna on the roof to pick
up the local stations and, sometimes,
some distant signals too.
          Now you get a hundred
channels or so....and often.....there's
nothing worth watching!
           Hope you've got a radio...
and that all your NEWS is good!

         

MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD!

     FRIDAY, JUNE 10TH., 2016
  MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD!

     Writing has gone through a lot of
evolution over the years.
    I don't mean "style." I'm writing
about the mechanics of writing.
    From drawings on the walls of
caves to the quill which penned our
Declaration of Independence.
    But one of the biggest revolutions
 in writing happened 72-years-ago
today!
    That's the day the Bíró brothers,
 László and György, got Patent
 # 2,390,636 for their invention....
the Ball Point Pen!
     It's hard to believe it was only
available to the wealthy initially.
     These days most of us have
lost or misplaced more Ball Point
Pens than all the quills that ever
existed.
     Many companies hand them out
as promotional items. Although
most banks still chain them to those
platforms where you endorse your
checks!
      Personally I favored the fountain
pen.....up until I ruined my 4th white
shirt with leaking ink! I believe it was
my wife who suggested I switch to a
Ball Point!
      I generally have about 3 or 4 Ball
Point Pens within ten feet. I use them
till they won't write anymore.
       Of course the advent of the Lap
Top has me doing most of my writing
on line these days.
        But when it comes to personal letters,
thank you notes, Birthday Cards and such,
I still turn to the Bíró boy's invention to
get my message out!
      Now if we can just find a way to make
sure there's one close by to take down a
message or number when someone's
trying to rattle off that stuff on the
telephone!
       Hope you've got one somewhere
where you can find it and that all your
NEWS is good!

AN UNEXPECTED STOP!

     THURSDAY, JUNE 9TH., 2016
        AN UNEXPECTED STOP!

      Temperatures as well as the
darkness had already started to fall
as we made our way back from
Watkin's Glen on Tuesday night.
       We raised the top on my
Miata and popped up the headlights
in plenty of time to spot the large
buck standing right along side
the highway. Guess our small
sports car surprised him because
he just stood there. That was a
good thing!
        I saw something else I
didn't expect as I got closer to
home. I was driving along Route
92 along the Susquehanna rive
when the unmistakable red and
blue flashing lights of a Police
car appeared in my rear view
mirror.
       I started to pull to the right
to allow him to pass when I
realized he didn't want to pass.
He wanted me to pull over!
       I have to admit I was
surprised. I didn't believe I
was exceeding the speed limit.
But, as the officer approached
I asked my wife to get our
registration card out as I began
to reach for my wallet and
Driver's license.
       Turns out he didn't need
either!
        The officer, a very
professional sergeant from
the Exeter Township Police
Department, took one look
inside and explained that we
didn't look anything like the
subject he was searching for.
        Apparently my car was
close enough to the description
of the one that subject was
driving to warrant a check.
         As I breathed a sigh of
relief he bid us a good night
and we were back on our way
home.
        Hope he got his man and
that all your NEWS is good!

           

OVER (to) THE RAINBOW!

   WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8TH., 2016
       OVER (to) THE RAINBOW!

     A few years ago my wife and I made
a road trip to Watkin's Glen, New York.
Once there we drove north on Route 14
which runs along the hillside on the
west side of Seneca Lake. But we
wondered if there might be a road that
actually ran along the lake itself. There
is not.
      But while searching for one we
stumbled across a beautiful, but small,
motel and restaurant called Rainbow
Cove that does, indeed, sit right at the
edge of the lake. We wanted to book a
room. But the place was filled. So, the
following year, we called ahead and
reserved a room.
       Two of our friends came to visit
and we all booked ahead for the next
year. A year later a third couple
joined us. And two other friends
came the year after that!
       It looked like it was to be an
annual reunion!
       But other commitments caught
up with our gang and only one of
our couples made it last year.
       It was the same story this year
when my best friend and his wife
were the only one from our original
troop who made it to Rainbow
Cove.
      My friend called the other day
to ask if we'd consider a visit while
he was there. He sounded very
disappointed when I told him the
weather didn't look great and we
were having some work done
around the house and might require
us to stick around.
      Two hours after I gave him that
"bad news" the sky cleared and the
work team at our place said they
didn't need us! So, I called back to
tell my buddy we'd be on our way!
     Yesterday afternoon we linked
up it was like old times, if only for
a few hours! We relaxed and
chatted, enjoyed the scenery, and
dinner at the restaurant operated
by people who have, themselves,
become friends!
       I don't know if all or some of
our original group will get together
at Rainbow Cove again. But after
our brief visit my wife and I will
certainly be trying to fit a couple
days into our schedule.
       And, as long as we were in
the area, I felt compelled to stop
at our favorite winery for a couple
bottles of Niagara! Just my
contribution to the local economy!
        There may be "No place like
home." But Rainbow Cove, with
friends, is pretty close!
         Hope we all go back soon
and that all your NEWS is good!

       

THE MAGIC OF TELEVISION!

     TUESDAY, JUNE 6TH., 2016
    THE MAGIC OF TELEVISION    

      For those of you who don't know
I do a weekly television program on
Electric City Television, a Public
Access station carried on Comcast
in much of our area.
       My co-host, Rusty Fender, our
Director Mark Migilore and I promote
public events and public service efforts
throughout the region.
       But viewers don't realize that,
sometimes, it's a magic show!
       That was the case Monday. 2
minutes before show time I got a
text message from my scheduled
guest. Seems she fell yesterday
and broke a toe. She was going to
her doctor to have it checked instead
of coming to our studio.
        Totally understandable. But,
here's the thing. Our initial show is
done live. It's also recorded and
played back numerous times during
the week. But you can't play something
back you haven't recorded!
          It's not the first time we've
found ourselves hoping their was
a rabbit in our hat.
         Once before one of our scheduled
guests simply forgot us! As luck would
have it a member of one of those "Ghost
investigating teams" happen to be in
the studio to drop off a tape. Instead
we "spirited him" onto our show....with
5 minutes to spare.
         Yesterday our Director did the
trick. He called up a friend who runs
the County's Art's and Cultural Department
and asked what she had planned for the
new half hour. Since the Courthouse is
near our studio she "appeared" quickly
enough to be our guest!
          Of course nobody in the audience
knew what had happened or what went
on behind the scenes to make sure "the
show goes on." That's OK. They're not
suppose to! It's part of the magic!!!!!
         Hope you get to watch sometime
and that all your NEWS is good!

FORE!

  MONDAY, JUNE 6TH., 2016
                FORE!

      I found myself at a golf
course yesterday. But fortunately
for everyone else in attendance
I did not have a club in my hands!
      The occasion was the 8th
annual Nicole Spencer Memorial
Tournament at the Lehman Golf
Club.
      Nicole was an Education
major at Mount St. Mary's
University and the tournament
raises money for a scholarship
in her name.
      The players support those
efforts while enjoying the game.
My wife and I make a donation
each year rather than putting me
on the course and endangering
other players or spectators.
      There was a time when I
was a regular at area golf
courses. I could hit a golf ball
fairly far. Unfortunately I
couldn't hit it very straight!
        My 'slice" (my ball always
sailed off to the right) left me
along on the course as the
other three folks in my foursome
walked straight down the fairway
while I searched the woods and
brush to find my ball.
       I tried aiming the wrong
way to correct my flight pattern.
But that never worked.
       Yesterday I watched as
teams enjoyed their game!
I never saw anyone searching
the woods! Of course none of
them were interrupted by
hearing me yell "Fore!!!!!"
       Hats off to all those players
who contributed to a great cause!
Hope the tournament was a big
success and that all of your
NEWS is good!