I am  continually reminded day to day, how lucky I am to live in a country where I am guaranteed certain freedoms that many others around the world are denied.   The document that is most responsible for this is the Bill of Rights.  The first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States, were written by our forefathers to make sure that no future generation would be denied their individual rights by anyone including the  Government of The United States, they were adopted as part of the U.S. Constitution on December 15, 1791.  It is also astounding to me that so few people, understand which rights they are given by this document.

What is an amendment?

A constitutional amendment is a formal change to the text of the written constitution of a nation or state.

Amendment I–

Freedom of Speech, Press, Religion and Petition-Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

*Religion

*The government can’t help or hurt any religion.  They can’t make any person believe or practice any religion, nor can they stop any person from believing or practicing any religion.  The government can’t make someone Jewish, Hindu, or Muslim nor can they stop someone from being one.  They can stop a person from a religious practice if it hurts somebody else.  You can’t kill someone even if it is part of a religion.

*This is true for city governments as well.  At Christmas time cities sometimes get into trouble for putting up decorations that specifically denote the Christian religion while ignoring others.  Schools can’t promote any religion because they are operated by the government.

*Freedom of Speech

*Freedom of Speech does NOT mean that a person can say whatever they want to say.  It means that someone’s right to say something is protected within certain limits.  A person may have to suffer consequences for saying some things, but they still have the right to say them.  For example, it is against the law to yell, “Fire!”, in a crowded place because it may lead to panic and injuries of others.  A person has the right to say it, but  they also are responsible for the consequences of their actions.

*A person may not say things verbally or in print that they know aren’t true. This is called slander and there are consequences for doing this.

*Freedom of Speech includes non-speech also.  What someone wears and how they behave is considered, “Freedom of Expression”, and is a protected right.  The Supreme Court has even said that burning the American Flag is a protected speech because it expresses an opinion.

*The authors of the Bill of Rights did not want the government to be able to practice censorship over its citizens, so we have the right to say what we think.  An individual can even say disparaging things about the government and nothing will happen to you.  There are limits on what kinds of things a person can say in public.  that is why the government can limit television programming.

*There are often conflicts over things that are said or printed in books, magazines and newspapers, but just because someone doesn’t like what is being said doesn’t mean that an individual doesn’t have the right to say it.

*The right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

*The right to peaceably assemble means that someone can gather together with others without fear that the government will treat this act as illegal or treat them like a mob.  People can gather with whomever they want as long as they are peaceful and not breaking the law.  This applies to all groups, even if people generally don’t like or agree with these groups.  Motorcycle gangs, militia groups, vampire clubs and the Klu Klux Klan can all meet freely as long as they are peaceful.  Protest marchers and government dissenters also have th right to meet with whomever they want.

• Citizens also have a right to complain to the government about things they don’t like.  The government even provides a way to change those things, by way of a petition.  If there is a law or policy that the citizens don’t like they can gather signatures on petitions.  These petitions are then used to place initiatives on a ballot and the people can vote about whether to change the law they disagree with.

Amendment II–

Right to keep and bear arms-A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

*During the formation of our country, there was a strong mistrust of the government of Great Britain.  The colonists knew that the only way to protect themselves from the same type of tyranny in the future was for citizens to be able to form a militia to protect their freedom.  When The Bill of Rights was written, this protection was included.  According to current interpretation of the Second Amendment, the government does not have the right to prevent it’s citizens from owning guns.  However, this amendment is argued about often.  Some people believe that the government is the enemy an citizens must continue to protect themselves.  Some believe that the level of violence is so high in the United States because the number of guns available is too high and too many people have guns.  There is a popular saying, ” if you outlaw guns, only the outlaws will have guns.”  Another popular saying is ” Guns don’t kill people, people do.”

*The government can and does regulate the ownership of guns.  There are laws about gun ownership, registration, permits, transportation of guns and the sale of guns.  Gun proponents believe that attempts by th government to regulate guns are the same as attempts to keep guns out of the hands of it’s citizens.

Amendment III–

Conditions for quartering of soldiers in homes.  No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

*During the Colonial Period, colonists could be forced to let British soldiers sleep in their homes and eat their meals.  The authors of The Bill of Rights wanted to make sure this could never happen again so the Third Amendment was added.

Amendment IV–

Right of search and seizure regulated-The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

*The police can’t search someone’s person (body), house, papers, or effects without having a good reason.  They can’t take anything from someone without a good reason.  Of course the question is often argued, “What is a good reason?”

*Unreasonable searches and seizures are those that are without cause, or more specifically without probable cause.  Probable cause means that the police have a good reason to believe that some law has been broken.  The Police  can not do anything until they convince a judge that they have probable cause and then they can get a warrant which gives them permission to search.

*After the police convince a judge that a crime has been committed, a warrant is issued.  The search warrant must say what is to be search, when it is to be searched, what they expect to find and the warrant must be signed by a judge.  Many cases are dismissed in court because someone is arrested for having something that is listed on a search warrant.  This amendment is the reason the police always ask permission to come into your home or the search your car.

*The police can arrest someone without a warrant when there are special circumstances.  If they are chasing someone from the scene of a crime or if they catch someone in the act of a crime, they may not have time to get a warrant before hand.  After the arrest, they must then convince the judge that they had “probable cause” to arrest them.

Amendment V-

Provisons concerning prosecution–No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

*No person can be put on trial for a serious crime, unless a group of people called a grand jury first decide that there is enough evidence to make a trial necessary.  When there is enough evidence an indictment is issued, which means that the person charged with the crime will face trial for that crime.

*There is an exception for an individual in the military.  They can be put on trial without an indictment from a grand jury.  If they commit a crime during war or a national emergency.

*Double Jeopardy- If a person is put on trial for a crime and the trial ends, they may not be tried again for the same crime.  If they are convicted and serve their time or they are acquitted, they may not be put on trial again.

*The government can’t make someone testify against themselves.  A trial generally relies on witness testimony and physical evidence to find justice.

*Due Process-The government can not take away an individual’s life, freedom or property without following a series of steps that give them a fair chance to defend themselves. This procedure makes sure that everyone gets treated the same.  No matter who someone is tey should be treated fairly by the police, courts and government.

*The government can’t take away someone’s property without paying them for it in some way.  If the state wants to build a road through someone’s property, they can’t just do it they have to compensate the person for it.

Amendment VI-

Right to a speedy trial, witnesses, etc.- In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.

*An accused person has the right to a quick trial.  This doesn’t mean that the process of a trial must be over a quickly as possible.  It protects a person from being held in jail for an unreasonable amount of time while they wait for a trial.  This would be unfair to anyone who is innocent.

*An accused person also has th right to a public trial.  The state can’t put them on trial behind closed doors.  The trial must be available to the public so that it is certain the rights of the individual were not violated.

*The Trial must be held by an impartial jury.  The member of that jury can not be prejudiced against the accused or the crime that they’ve been accused of, or it would be unfair.  The trial must also be held in the area where the crime was committed.

*The only exception to this is that in some cases a change of venue would be appropriate if the accused might not get a fair trial in the region the crime was committed due to publicity.

*The accused has the right to know what they are being charged with and why they’re being held in jail.  They also have the right to know who is saying that they’ve committed  the crime, and the right to ask them questions.

*The accused has the right to force anyone to come to their trial that they believe can help their case.  The court can force someone to come to court by issuing a summons or subpoena and the person has no choice but to come to the trial.

*The accused also has the right to an attorney. If they can’t afford an attorney, one will be appointed to them by the court.  Whenever someone is arrested they must be read their Miranda Rights which include the right to be silent and the right to an attorney.

Amendment VII-

Right to a trial by jury-In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

*When the Bill of Rights was written twenty dollars was a lot of money.  Today, any dispute involving less that $15oo will be handled in small claims court without a jury.  Otherwise you are given the right of a trial by a jury.

*United States law forbids anyone from setting up their own court system.  If a person goes to court they will always go to a recognized court of the government, either national, state or county.  This prohibits a person or a small group of people from taking the law into their own hands, and robbing individuals of their rights.

Amendment VIII–

Excessive bail, cruel punishment-Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

*The courts can not assign an accused an excessive amount of Bail.  If they could, then a judge might be able to decide a bail amount excessively high because he has a personal dislike or bias toward that individual.

*Bail is a sum of mone or property given to the court as a promise that the accused will return for trial.  If the accused fails to appear for their trial, they lose the bail.

*Bail is assigned regarding the type of crime committed and the likelihood that the accused will return for the trial.

*Bail allows time for the accused to prepare for theri defense, which might be somewhat harder to do if one were in jail.

*Cruel and unusual punishment- You can not punish someone cruelly nor unusually because of this amendment.  Defining what is exactly cruel or unusual can be somewhat difficult to define.  It could be argued that all punishments are cruel, that is why they are called punishments and not rewards.  The circumstances of the times determine largely what is considered cruel and/or unusual.  For example, punishments that might have been condoned in the past are today considered cruel and unusual.  Today the issue usually surrounds capital punishment or the death penalty.  States that practice capital punishment use either the gas chamber, lethal injection, the electric chair, a firing squad or hanging.  Some of these may be considered cruel or unusual.  As for the unusual part

the Eighth Amendment prevents teh government from punishing a criminal in an unusual way.  You can’t cut off someone’s hand for stealing, or publicly humiliate them as a form of punishment.

*The Supreme Court ruled in 1976 that the death penalty is legal.  Since that time there have been 628 citizens punished in this fashion.

 

 

 

Amendment IX-

Rule of construction of Constitution-The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

*This amendment was written to protect the rights of people, even though those rights were not specifically mentioned in the Bill of Rights.  No one is really sure what these rights are but it is believed they may have included the rights of life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, etc.   The Ninth Amendment has not been used to justify protection for any citizen of the United States that I am aware of.

Amendment X-

Rights of the States under Constitution-The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

 

*Anything not mentioned in The Constitution specifically will be handled by the state government.  For example, each individual state issues it’s own laws regarding marriage, driver’s licenses, state taxes, voting, job and school requirements.   Since these areas are not mentioned in the Constitution they are determined by the states.

 

 

 

 

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A friend suggested that I should read this poem and I am glad I did.  I do have hope for the future and a hope that the past will all make sense and all will work out ok in the end, despite what it looks like at the present time. I have found this to be true.  The past is what it is, accept it, and today will be a much more pleasant place for you.   Peace to all.

Thanks, Robert Frost

by David Ray

Poem: “Thanks, Robert Frost” by David Ray, from Music of Time: Selected and New Poems. © The Backwaters Press. Reprinted with permission.

Thanks, Robert Frost

Do you have hope for the future?
someone asked Robert Frost, toward the end.
Yes, and even for the past, he replied,
that it will turn out to have been all right
for what it was, something we can accept,
mistakes made by the selves we had to be,
not able to be, perhaps, what we wished,
or what looking back half the time it seems
we could so easily have been, or ought…
The future, yes, and even for the past,
that it will become something we can bear.
And I too, and my children, so I hope,
will recall as not too heavy the tug
of those albatrosses I sadly placed
upon their tender necks. Hope for the past,
yes, old Frost, your words provide that courage,
and it brings strange peace that itself passes
into past, easier to bear because
you said it, rather casually, as snow
went on falling in Vermont years ago.

A few months ago I was feeling nostalgic and listing all of the songs about rain that I liked, and that is an awesome list, but I was urged to add a few more songs to the list and instead of using the same post, I started a new list of songs that reminded one of my friends about what they love about the rain.  Water in and of itself has a quality of power to it, no matter if it is a river, a lake, an ocean or the rain, water can touch the soul.  Enjoy the list of favorite songs about rain Part Two, Music is a passion of mine, it fills up many of my memories and I believe it is the language of the soul.

 

A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall  – Bob Dylan

When it comes to rain it sometimes falls easy and delightful, providing a cool respite from the heat. Yet there are other times when the rain falls hard. Usually, when you are hurting on the inside, it’s a hard rain that is gonna fall. For these occasions, there is this song by Bob Dylan, just for you.  And the first of our favorite songs about rain part two.

Singing in The Rain- Gene Kelley

This song should have definitely been on the first list, I mean who hasn’t been so happy in love that they tap danced down the street?  Happens to me once a month.  But seriously, I challenge you to listen to this song and not sing along and tap your feet as you listen to the words.  It’s fantastic, makes you want to learn to tap dance and buy an umbrella all at once.

Songs About Rain   -Gary Allen

How can you have a list like this without this song? I don’t think you can so here it is. A song about all the songs about rain that affect all of us so deeply.  All of the songs mentioned in this song are on my list so kudos to Gary Allen.   This song projects the feeling we all have when some things haven’t gone our way, sometimes it is just better to embrace the rain and all that comes with it, because if you don’t experience the rain you will never appreciate the sunshine when it comes, whether it is literal or metaphorical. Bring on the rain and we’ll get through it and move on!

Here Comes the Rain Again- Eurythmics

This belongs on any rain song list for two reasons. One, it relays a feeling that we have all felt, using rain as a symbol of love.  Being covered and immersed in the flow. Secondly, the personal memories surrounding this song, take me back to a simpler time when I was a much younger man. Either way this song makes the rain more bearable.

 

It Will Rain  – Bruno Mars

This is a song that is not in my normal genre of music, but being urged to listen I can see why it would go on the list, the thoughts about losing the one that you love and the hurt that will result from that.  Being a person that is not approved of by your significant other’s family is not a new thing.  It is a tale as old as any.  Even though I have never been a big Bruno Mars Fan, I like this song.

November Rain- Guns ‘N’ Roses

“When I look into your eyes, I can see a love restrained, but darlin’ when I hold you, don’t you know I feel the same.  Nothing lasts forever and we both know hearts can change. And it’s hard to hold a candle in the cold November rain.”  Classic words by a classic band that makes you remember what it was like in the past and maybe in the present today. Either way, a great song about rain.

Rainy Days and Mondays- The Carpenters

Much like David Spade and Chris Farley in Tommy Boy, when you hear a song by the Carpenters, most will say that it is stupid or a bad song, but really inside you can sing along with the whole song, and that is the case with Rainy Days and Mondays because they do always get me down. It deserves to be on the list. Sing along quietly to yourself, nobody is going to judge you.

Every Storm Runs Outta Rain- Gary Allen

When the rain is falling so hard that you can’t see the positives in the world, it is important to remember that all things will pass in time. Each storm we face will eventually disperse and there will be a new beginning waiting for you there.  In all things there is always hope and hope will bring a new day, a new start and the chance that life will be great once again.

I Love a Rainy Night- Eddie Rabbit

When I was in middle school, many years ago, this song was popular and I felt then as I do now, I love a rainy night.  The sounds of rain are soothing on the roof or falling on the grass outside the window brings with them a possibility of great things in the future. That is why it puts a smile on my face every time.

Clearly I could go on all day but just like the rain, all things must come to an end and that is where we are at with this list of songs about rain Part 2.  Enjoy your rain and realize that it is a part of the cycle of things and it will bring your life new growth.  Here is one last rain song for you. We have all seen Fire and Rain because that is life.

 

After doing so much writing the past few weeks, I saw this and wanted to share it with the world.

Rules for All Writers

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a truly American Holiday that we ccelebrate on the fourth Thursday in November every year.  It has been an official holiday in the United States since 1863, when Abraham Lincoln declared it a national holiday.   Even though the Civil War was still raging, Lincoln believed that people should take this one day and be thankful.

It quickly carved out it’s place with all of the other major holidays, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, The Fourth of July, Labor Day and Christmas.

The First Thanksgiving

Anyone who went to virtually any school in this country knows that Thanksgiving began, all be it unofficially, with the Pilgrims.  Here is a brief account that tells the tail.  The First Thanksgiving was a way for the earliest settlers to the New World, to give thanks to God for guiding them safely across the ocean.  The year was 1621, and it was a harvest celebration as well.  The feast was attended by both European Settlers and Native Americans, and was an early display of cooperation, that unfortunately did not set the tone for the rest of the colonization of America.  Historic Native Americans, Squanto and Massasoit attended this celebration. This was continued in later years, first as an impromptu religious observance, and later as a civil tradition, until Lincoln made it an official holiday.

Thanksgiving On the Roads

The American Automobile Association (AAA) estimated that 42.2 million Americans traveled 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2010.

Thanksgiving Table Statistics

The U.S. Census Bureau states that Minnesota is the state that produces the most turkeys in America.  It is estimated that they will provide about 46.5 million turkeys in 2011.  There will be about 248 million turkeys raised in the U.S. this year, with Minnesota, North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri, Virginia and Indiana accounting for the majority of the birds.

The National Turkey Federation, (yes, there is one.) estimates that about 1/5th of all turkeys consumed in the United States in a given year are eaten at Thanksgiving.

Those wizards at the National Turkey Federation, conducted a survey in which they learned that almost 88 % of Americans proudly claimed they eat turkey at Thanksgiving.  They went on to inform us that the average turkey weighs 15 lbs. Which by their very strict calculations means Americans consume an approximate total of 690 Million pounds of Turkey!  No wonder our country has an obesity problem.

When it comes to cranberries the United States doesn’t shy away from consumption.  Our most ardent cranberry producing states, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington produce 750 million pounds of cranberries for production in 2011.

We can’t leave pumpkins out to the mix here.  Illinois, California, Pennsylvania and New York are the main pumpkin producing states, it was estimated that last year they produced 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkins for our Thanksgiving Day feast.

 

The sweet potato is most plentifully produced in North Carolina, which grew 972 million pounds of the popular Thanksgiving side dish vegetable in 2010. Other sweet potato powerhouses included California and Mississippi, and the top producing states together generated over 2.4 billion pounds of the tubers.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest pumpkin pie ever baked weighed 2,020 pounds and measured just over 12 feet long. It was baked on October 8, 2005 by the New Bremen Giant Pumpkin Growers in Ohio, and included 900 pounds of pumpkin, 62 gallons of evaporated milk, 155 dozen eggs, 300 pounds of sugar, 3.5 pounds of salt, 7 pounds of cinnamon, 2 pounds of pumpkin spice and 250 pounds of crust.

Thanksgiving Across the United States

Football has always been a tradition on Thanksgiving and the Detroit Lions have been featured since 1934 with the short World War II break from 139-1945, but they played every Thanksgiving since then.  The first televised Lions Thanksgiving game was broadcast in 1956, and we all relax and watch all zonked out on turkey every year.   The Dallas Cowboys are the other traditional Turkey Day Team, that grace our air waves.  It is only appropriate that America’s Team should play on America’s Holiday.  How grateful can we be for that?

 

Thanksgiving Parades and Football

Originally known as Macy’s Christmas Parade—to signify the launch of the Christmas shopping season—the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade took place in New York City in 1924. It was launched by Macy’s employees and featured animals from the Central Park Zoo. Today, some 3 million people attend the annual parade and another 44 million watch it on television.

Tony Sarg, a children’s book illustrator and puppeteer, designed the first giant hot air balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1927. He later created the elaborate mechanically animated window displays that grace the façade of the New York store from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

Snoopy has appeared as a giant balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade more times than any other character in history. As the Flying Ace, Snoopy made his sixth appearance in the 2006 parade.

The first time the Detroit Lions played football on Thanksgiving Day was in 1934, when they hosted the Chicago Bears at the University of Detroit stadium, in front of 26,000 fans. The NBC radio network broadcast the game on 94 stations across the country–the first national Thanksgiving football broadcast. Since that time, the Lions have played a game every Thanksgiving (except between 1939 and 1944); in 1956, fans watched the game on television for the first time.

The Thanksgiving Song by Adam Sandler

When I was a kid growing up in a small town in Maine, Halloween was one of the best times of the year.  There were some community events, but for the most part, the fun was in the collection of candy.  Living in a small town, we knew everybody, and it would be my father’s job to drive us around and point us in the right direction.  As very young kids, we kind of needed the guidance, and as we progressed and got older we needed, rather we wanted less and less of the guidance.  We would go from house to house, and I know it was something we take for granted now, because we weren’t worried about getting abducted, or poisoned, like it seems you have to be today.  It was just fun.  We learned the tricks of trick or treating from the older kids, who quickly taught us that a pillow case holds a lot more candy than the plastic bags our parents wanted us to use.  We also learned that what kind of costume you wore really didn’t matter.  I can remember as a very young person, always wanting one of those store made costumes, that had the half mask made of plastic.  I do not remember all of the costumes that I wore, but I remember that as I grew, my costumes became more homemade and it was a lot more fun and memorable.  I know that one year I went as a football player, and it was probably the best costume ever.  As an adult I find sports costumes are the easiest and least embarrassing ones to wear.  But I digress.

The purpose of this story is to share my favorite Halloween things, because although the holiday itself is safely a part of our culture and heritage, there are many people who would do away with it, due to religious reasons.  It never ceases to frustrate me, to hear people claim that Halloween promotes the devil, and witchcraft and you better watch out for your soul.  I think that those people ought to watch out for their soul all the time, because if Halloween can turn your kids towards the devil, or make them a witch, you need a better religion.

The fact is that the holiday is about candy, being scared, costumes and candy again, and that is it.  Anyone who puts any more thought into it is just looking for trouble.   Halloween should be fun and should supply happy memories that will last a lifetime.  I know it did for me.  I can remember the feeling of running, literally to the next house to see what we would get.  I recall looking at my stash of candy and thinking that it would probably last until Christmas and then being amazed that it was always gone in a week or two.  I am sure that dentists love Halloween.  I remember carving pumpkins and trying to get the teeth just right, I am not sure that I ever did but I remember I loved doing it.  I remember going to watch scary movies at the school, and learning about Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Werewolf.  One of my favorite movies of that genre was The Creature From the Black Lagoon, I have no idea why, but I was borderline obsessed with that one.

Did I ever participate in mischief on Halloween?  Well the answer would be yes I did.  Nothing too destructive, because deep down I would feel too guilty to do anything really bad. One of  my earliest transgressions occurred when I was in the sixth grade, my friend Mike Martin and I had gotten a full pillow case each of candy, and we were pretty proud of ourselves.  It was still early when we got back to my house.  We had always heard about smashing pumpkins, and wanted to try it.  Now the art of smashing pumpkins was that you would sneak up to someone’s house and swipe their carved pumpkins off of their porch and then in the near by road, throw them as high in the air as you could and watch them smash on the pavement.  We carried out our mission all up and down our street.  We were not very smart kids, because it really didn’t take very long for people to figure out who was destroying their precious pumpkins on the pavement of Maple Street. Although I know that it was wrong, back then it was the most heart pumping adrenalin thing I had ever done.  Even the other day, I was traveling around with Mike when we came upon a very nice pumpkin display in front of a house.  He looked at me and said, “You can probably snatch one of those before anyone would see you.”, I laughed because it was so far fetched for us now at forty five years old to revert to pumpkin stealing. I think he would have done it if I didn’t stop him.

The Moosehead Haunted House

In Greenville Junction there was a house across the street which was then and still is haunted.  How do I know this?  I saw the ghosts that inhabit that place many years ago.  Today it is the home of the Moosehead Historical Society, and they are too proper to tell anyone about the ghosts that wander through that house and museum.  They are there, though and kids in town would do well to stay away from that house on Halloween, because it is on that night that the ghosts are most active.

Television from the 70’s and 80’s

There are few things that I enjoy as much as nostalgia from my youth.  Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s there are literally thousands of cultural icons, I can look to and truly appreciate as part of my experience of life.   Here are some of the examples, mostly from the classic TV shows we watched and talked about at school the next day.

Happy Days

Tuesday nights at 8, this was a must see for all kids in the 70’s.  We all wanted to be as cool as the Fonz, but were usually as awkward as Richie Cunningham.  Set in the midwestern city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the series revolves around teenager Richie Cunningham(Ron Howard) and his family: his father, Howard (Tom Bosley), who owns a hardware store; mother Marion (Marion Ross); younger sister Joanie (Erin Moran); and high school dropout, biker and suave ladies man Arthur “Fonzie or The Fonz” Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler), who would eventually become the Cunninghams’ upstairs tenant. The earlier episodes revolve around Richie and his friends, Warren “Potsie” Weber (Anson Williams),Ralph Malph (Donny Most) with Fonzarelli as a secondary character. As the series progressed, Fonzarelli proved to be a favorite with viewers and soon more story lines were written to reflect his growing popularity. Fonzie befriends Richie and the Cunningham family, and when ‘Richie’ (Ron Howard) left the series following his character’s

wedding to his long-time college sweetheart, Winkler’s Fonzie became the central figure of the show. In later seasons, other characters were introduced including Fonzie’s young cousin, Charles “Chachi” Arcola(Scott Baio), who (finally) became a love interest for Joanie Cunningham after Joanie initially resisted his charms.

Sha Na Na TV Show

Sha Na Na hosted the Sha Na Na syndicated variety series that ran from 1977 to 1981. It was among the most watched programs in syndication during its run.The show was produced by Pierre Cossette and originally distributed by LBS Communications.

The show featured the group performing hits from the 1950s and 1960s, along with comedy skits. The “tough guys” road act from their original road shows was adapted for TV and the group moved to a comedy and self-deprecating routine. The mainstay continued to be the 1950s song and dance routines. The show opened in a typical concert scene, and then moved through various street and ice cream parlor scenes where they and their guests performed several songs. That was followed by a comedy-oriented song (“Alley Oop”, “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah”) and closed with a slow song, again in their concert format.

 

Among the supporting members featured in the series were Avery Schreiber, Kenneth Mars and Phillp Roth (all of them in the first season); Pamela Myers and actress Jane Dulo (who played the crabby Lady in the Window, who watched over the street scenes from the window of her apartment with undisguised disdain) (Both throughout the show’s run), June Gable and Soupy Sales (Seasons 2 to 4); Michael Sklar (Season 2); and Karen Hartman (Season 4).

Guests included Jan & Dean, Fabian, Chubby Checker, the Ramones, Ethel Merman, Frank Gorshin, Billy Crystal, Danny and the Juniors, and others

The members of Sha Na Na during the TV series were Jon ‘Bowzer’ Bauman (vocals), Lennie Baker (sax), Johnny Contardo (vocals), Frederick ‘Dennis’ Greene (vocals), ‘Dirty Dan’ McBride (guitar) (left after third season), John ‘Jocko’ Marcellino (drums), Dave ‘Chico’ Ryan (bass), ‘Screamin’ Scott Simon’ (piano), Scott ‘Santini’ Powell (vocals), Donald ‘Donny’ York (vocals). Each was introduced only by his nickname or his first name in a voice-over by Myers at the beginning of each show.

Schoolhouse Rock!

An American series of animated musical educational short films that aired during the Saturday morning children’s programming on the U.S. television network ABC. The topics covered included grammar, science, economics, history, mathematics, and civics. The series’ original run lasted from 1973 to 1985, and was later revived with both old and new episodes airing from 1993 to 1999.  What better way to learn about Adverbs, counting, the Constitution, conjunctions or America?

 

 

The Six Million Dollar Man

The Six Million Dollar Man was an American television series about a former astronaut with bionic implants working for the OSI (which was usually referred to as the Office of Scientific Intelligence, the Office of Scientific Investigation or the Office of Strategic Intelligence. The show was based on the novel Cyborg by Martin Caidin, and during pre-production, that was the proposed title of the series. It aired on the ABC network as a regular series from 1974 to 1978, following three television movies aired in 1973. The title role of Steve Austin was played by Lee Majors, who subsequently became a pop culture icon of the 1970s. A spin-off of the show was produced, The Bionic Woman, as well as several television movies featuring both eponymous characters.  

“Steve Austin, astronaut. A man barely alive.” Richard Anderson, in character as Oscar Goldman, then intones off-camera, “Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world’s first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better…stronger…faster.”

WKRP In Cincinnati

WKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy that featured the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI (AM) in Atlanta. The ensemble cast consisted of Gary Sandy, Howard Hesseman, Gordon Jump, Loni Anderson, Tim Reid, Jan Smithers, Richard Sanders andFrank Bonner.

WKRP premiered September 18, 1978, on the CBS television network and aired for four seasons and 88 episodes (90 in syndication) through September 20, 1982. During the third and fourth seasons, CBS repeatedly moved the show around its schedule, contributing to its eventual cancellation.

When WKRP went into syndication, it became an unexpected blockbuster. For the next decade, it was one of the most popular sitcoms in syndication, outperforming many much bigger prime time hits, including all the other MTM Enterprises sitcoms.

Baby, if you’ve ever wondered, Wondered whatever became of me,
I’m living on the air in Cincinnati, Cincinnati, WKRP.
Got kind of tired packing and unpacking,
Town to town and up and down the dial
Maybe you and me were never meant to be,
But baby think of me once in awhile.
I’m at WKRP in Cincinnati.

The Love Boat

The sitcom was usually set aboard a cruise liner called the Pacific Princess, whose passengers and crew had romantic and funny adventures every week. Other ships used were twin sister Island Princess, the Stella Solaris (for a Mediterranean cruise), Pearl of Scandinavia (for a Chinese cruise), the Royal Viking Sky (for European cruises) and the Royal Princess and Sun Princess (for Caribbean cruises). In 1981 P&O Cruises’ MV Sea Princess was also used for a special feature length episode called ‘Julie’s Wedding’, set in and around Australia, and guesting Lloyd Bridges, Katherine Helmond, Harry Morgan, Patrick Duffy and Anthony Andrews, among others.

Series stars MacLeod, Bernie Kopell, and Ted Lange are the only cast members to appear in every episode of the regular series, including the last three 2 hour made-for-TV movies, and stayed throughout the entire run. MacLeod was not the captain in the first two TV movies, however.

The long-running TV series was finally canceled in 1986, because of low ratings. After the show’s cancellation, the show became immensely-popular in reruns, both in syndication and on TV Land.

Love, exciting and new. Come Aboard. We’re expecting you. Love, life’s sweetest reward.
Let it flow, it floats back to you.   Love Boat soon will be making another run
The Love Boat promises something for everyone, Set a course for adventure,
Your mind on a new romance.   Love won’t hurt anymore
It’s an open smile on a friendly shore.
Yes LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It’s LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! (hey-ah!)
Love Boat soon will be making another run.   The Love Boat promises something for everyone
Set a course for adventure, Your mind on a new romance.

Love won’t hurt anymore.  It’s an open smile on a friendly shore.
It’s LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It’s LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It’s
LOOOOOOOOOOOVE!      It’s the Love Boat-ah! It’s the Love Boat-ah!

 

Watch Boston Legal, You won’t Regret It

Like so many things in life I missed Boston Legal when it was on TV the first time.  Thanks to Netflix and my own obsessive compulsive tendencies, I started watching this series from the beginning and I have to say that it has become an unexpected treat.  The show evolves characters faster than you can say Denny Crane,  but the staples of the show have remained the same.  William Shatner as the clueless, Denny Crane, who is experiencing the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s but doesn’t want to admit it so he thinks he has “Mad Cow” disease.  James Spader as the individual thinking, sometimes despicable always likable Allen Shore .  He handled more issues than Oprah and did it in a much more interesting way.  Candice Bergen as the powerful, Shirley Schmidt, and Rene Auberjonois as the “bad guy” in the office, were all pretty much staples that allowed the show to get off on the right foot.  The rest of the characters changed from time to time, as the creators searched for the collection that made the most sense.

However, it is the continual insertion of new blood and characters that allowed Boston Legal to continually evolve and stay interesting to me.  Along with the ability to face down every conceivable social issue to face our society in the first decade of the 21st Century.  I will list some of my favorites later.  At the time of this writing I have finished three seasons of Boston Legal so please don’t spoil it for my by telling me what happens, but so far I have loved them all, they are funny, deal with issues, and provide great entertainment.

My favorite character on Boston Legal is Allen Shore, played by James Spader.  Spader has brought a character to life that is thoughtful, callous, caring, cold, and one great lawyer.  For three seasons he has only lost one court case and that was against his protege’ Jerry Espenson.  They will break character and show their humor as well.  They let you peek behind the curtain just enough to make it funny, and still keep you entertained. My favorite example of this was in season three when Jerry was trying to convince Shirley to let him come back to Crane, Poole and Schmidt.  “It makes me so happy that I hear a song in my head.”  Shirley convinces him that she wants to hear what that sounds like, and he blurts out the theme song along with the beginning of the show.  Maybe I was not really paying attention but I was surprised and it made me laugh out loud when I watched it!  There are not many things that make me do that so I know that this was exceedingly well done.  (watch below)

We’re Flamingos!

The Friendship between Denny Crane and Allen Shore is the glue that holds the show together.  They are two polar opposites politically, and at different points of their life, but the writers of BL do a great job of making this friendship believable and human.  One of the most enjoyable parts of the show.  They have deep talks, share their feelings, have sleep overs, where they make smores.  It is all pretty funny, and if you are older then you understand that friendship doesn’t come around all of the time.  I think everyone in their 40’s or older could use a confidant to share their “stuff” with.  It’s enjoyable  to watch.  If you doubt their dedication to each other, they would tell you that they are flamingos, from the first season when they dressed up as two flamingos for Halloween. Priceless.  

We Got Issues

The creators and writers of Boston Legal have rarely wasted time letting their feelings be known about a whole host of social issues that face our country I have put together a short list of the ones that I remember from the first three seasons. Again I just finished season three last night so season four and five are coming up.  The list of issues:

Racism in a production of Annie, sexual harassment, rich stealing for no reason, slumlords, transvestite Santa Clause, drug companies, matricide, creationism, FDA Drug approval, same sex relationships, anti red meat, of course Mad Cow disease, police brutality, censorship, the death penalty, murder, antisemitism, anti-war in Iraq, anti-war in Afghanistan, anti-war in Vietnam, basically anti-war, anti-gun, pro- gun, conservatism, liberalism,  Halloween, night terrors, plastic surgery, word salad, vigilantism, credit card debt, taxation, cancer treatments, Asperger’s, privacy rights, topless protests, smiling, emergency birth control, euthanasia, smoking, erotica, elder abuse, video game addiction, candy companies, racism, guns, Global Gag Rule, the paparazzi, prescription drug parties,  buying body parts, intimacy problems, online dating, cross dressing, dwarfism, cannibalism, Scientology, freedom of religion, white supremacists, Hurricane Katrina, no fly lists, animal testing, homosexuality, memory drugs, smuggling fat, U.F.O’s, Israeli Politics, The Secret,  pornographic dolls sold to children, HIV, Guantanamo Bay, illegal immigration and patricide. Whew that is the short list, and I am sure you could come up with a few more.