“‘I CAN’T WAIT TO GET OUT OF THESE WET CLOTHES AND INTO A DRY MARTINI "

And the SPORTS quote . . .

NOT ONLY IS THIS GUY THE GREATEST SWIMMER OF ALL TIME, AND THE GREATEST OLYMPIAN OF ALL TIME, HE’S MAYBE THE GREATEST ATHLETE OF ALL TIME. HE’S THE GREATEST RACER WHO EVER WALKED THE PLANET.”

(Mark Spitz on Michael Phelps)

When the Yankees played their final game of the 1930 season, against the Red Sox, who pitched for the Yankees, on 9 years rest?

Scroll down to find the answer . . .

BABE RUTH (LouGehrig replaced Ruth in Left Field.) The Yankees won & Ruth went the distance. He repeated this feat 3 years later.

(Ken Schlager, N.Y. Times.) Great article on Ruth in the Sunday Times, Aug. 17. 2008.

People who follow local sports, and everyone who knew him, mourned the passing May 31 of Gerald "Doc" Doherty.

Doc and I were first cousins and when both of us were very young, we enjoyed some great baseball in his Aunt's back yard in my home town, Lansford, Pa. Even then, Doc gave it all he had - and no reporters covered those games. The yard was right next to an abandoned office building and a fly ball through a window in that building was an automatic double. His two brothers, Phil and Billy were also part of those exciting games.

Doc was 87; probably the most outstanding athlete produced by the Holmes-Doherty clan.

GOOGLE, A WORD THAT DEFIED SPELL CHECK

Where did search engine Google get its name?

My first thought (probably because I’m 86):“Barney Google”, the comic strip? No way! Larry Page & Sergey Brin, the founders probably never heard of Barney Google, which later became a hit song in the 20’s or 30’s. “Barney Google, With The Goo-Goo-Googly Eyes”

Now you’re probably thinking that I solved this quandary by going to that popular search engine. No, I’m old fashioned, I went to the library and found a wonderful book titled “The Google Story”by David Vise, with Mark Malseed..

Now, about that name: One of the young entrepreneurs suggested a word describing a number, a very high number, 1 - followed by a hundred zeros. The word for that number is googol. Unfortunately, or maybe I should say “fortunately” they didn’t know how to spell it, and went with google. They wouldn’t have been able to use googol, anyway, someone had already laid claim to that.. So GOOGLE it became. Talk about lucky!.

If you spend 90% of your day on the computer, as I do, , you will love this book

. It must be wonderful to become an employee at Google – if you have the smarts. They even have their own chefs – but I would never qualify. Math was never my strong suit. I was pretty good at Gym, though. Hey, I could work in their fitness center. (Wiping down the equipment?)

Now, the story behind the hit “Barney Google, With The Goo-Goo-Googly Eyes?

Many years ago, in a galaxy far away, there was a big time promoter named Billy Rose. He yearned to write a hit song and because there was no internet, he went to the library and analyzed every song that made it big over a span of about 50 years. The first thing he noticed: most of these songs had words with double vowels – like moon spoon, croon…., and then I guess he had a eureka moment…how about GOOGLE, as in that comic strip BARNEY GOODLE?

The rest, as they say, is geography, ER history.

Now, as Paul Harvey would say - "the rest of the story"

Edward Krasner,the man who coined the word "googol" was a professor at Columbia University in the late 30's. He was asked to give a name to a very large number. He turned to his 9 year old nephew for a suggestion. The young man was Milton Sirotta, who suggested GOOGLE, which was a very popular comic strip at the time. And, guess what.... and this really floors me, Krasna spelled it wrong, gooGOL! And that's how it's spelled in all the dictionaries.

Sirotta died in 1981.

Interesting e-mail received from a fellow student at A.L.L. . . .

The Academy of Lifelong Learning reopened today for the Spring semester. My Current Events Speakers class was a winner with two Secret Service agents talking about their duties. They started with a video of their training activities for new recruits at Beltsville, MD.

The younger one gave most of the presentation. He had just supervised the protection for Sen. Obama's appearance in Rodney Square yesterday. He made the interesting point that Pres. Lincoln signed the authorization for the agency the same day he was killed. It was a unit of the Treasury Dept. until shortly after 9/11/01 when it was transferred to the newly created Dept. of Homeland Security.

The older man (57) joined the younger one (35) in handling Q&A afterward. When an elderly woman nervously suggested that someone could have gone to the roof of the Dupont Building with a rifle yesterday during Obama's rally, the older guy drew a big laugh when he quietly said "We took that into account, ma'am."

FOR WEEKS NOW I'VE HEARD PEOPLE COMPLAIN THEY CAN'T FIND THINGS NOW THAT WALGREEN'S HAS TAKEN OVER HAPPY HARRYS.

WELL I VISITED WALGREENS NEW YEARS DAY AND COULD NOT FIND THE XEROX MACHINE. I WAS TOLD IT WAS REMOVED.

"REMOVED," I SAID, "YOU CAN'T DO THAT. THAT WAS MY OFFICE!

FOLLOWING THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNERS;

One man's opinion after Republican candidates debated US economic policies;

"It revealed a party that is not effectively speaking to people who handle the bags, and make the beds and serve the food - and who live so close to the edge that one shock can leave them in bankruptcy and ruin."

(Michael Gerson, Washington Post)

Fact checker Michael Dobbs, at the same paper, has a unique way of rating the candidates - using a small sketch of Pinocchio.

He gives One Pinocchio to a candidate who does some shading of the facts.

Two Pinocchios for significant omissions or exaggerations.

Three Pinocchios for significant factual errors

Four Pinocchios for whoppers.

For their significant claims, Dobbs gave Mitt Romney two Pinocchios, Giuliani got 3. Giulani lost by a nose. But it was a pretty big nose.

If Mark Twain were alive, he would probably say: Never vote for a candidate whose biggest asset is his lie-ability."

PAVAROTTI

When I sat down at my computer to write something about Pavarotti, I started with “today the nation said good-bye to…….and then I realized the world had said good-bye - to one of the greatest tenors of all time.

The airways and TV channels were filled with snippets of some of his great recordings as news anchors recounted his many triumphs. But I didn’t want to hear snippets; I wanted to hear him do some complete arias, so I got out my two CD set of “Puccini – La Boheme” ( London ) D 205615 and listened to him sing the part of Rodolfo.

Incidentally, I was never big on his concert appearances where he seemed to be “showing off” his talent – though God knows he had the voice and the talent to show off. The Pavarotti that I truly enjoyed was the Pavarotti who played Rudolfo, the poet who fell in love with Mimi in LaBoheme. As one reviewer put it – he was the poet, and Mimi was poetry.

So I sat there in my back yard, with my portable CD player and heard him once again.

And as I listened, I found myself recalling how I was introduced to La Boheme over 60 years ago.

It was while I was serving in the US Army overseas. I had a buddy – his name was Eugene Prandato, ( Brooklyn ) and he adored classical music, especially Richard Wagner. I guess he thought I was a little rough around the edges when it came to music, (Crosby, Sinatra, Como , etc.) so at the rec hall one day, he insisted that I listen to an LP of La Boheme.

He wanted me to especially hear the aria Michiamano Mimi- which he thought I would like. He was right. I couldn’t understand the words – but the music was magnificent. Got to love it.

Then he introduced me to the tenor aria – Che Gelida Manina. This really got to me. Like Michiamano, this is pure Puccini, great melody – gut-wrenching expressions of love, passion personified. But when the two of them do the duet, expressing their love for each other– this still blows me away today. I can see why some people who attend operas go wild when it’s done right.

Well, the King of High C’s has left the building – but long live the King, on CD’s, DVD’s and even old LP’s.

Thinking about Pavarotti, I’m reminded of one of my favorite stories. I believe comedian Myron Cohen used to tell it.

Apparently at the famous LaScala Opera House, when someone does an aria and the audience, by their applause, shows they like it, the singer feels obligated to repeat it. On this occasion, the featured tenor does his big number, gets luke-warm response – but he thinks it’s enough to warrant a repeat – so he sings it again.

After his encore, there is very little applause – except for a little old guy way up in the balcony – he’s clapping like mad. The tenor does the aria again. And, the little guy in the balcony is applauding again. Finally the tenor goes to the footlights and says to the man clapping in the balcony, “I’m sorry sir, but my voice is tiring, I can not do the aria again.” The little guy has an answer for him:

You gonna sing it till you learn it.”

La Scala, it’s not for beginners.

Ready for Fall? It's a sure bet Super Fresh in Branmar Plaza was. Check out their colorful spread. Did someone there KNOW it wasn't going to rain?

They recently celebrated their 25th Anniversary with free cake for all their customers. Great bunch of people.

Now if they'd only reduce the price of their Starbucks Frappuccino.

The friendly witch (I think her name is hazel) and her crew.

The Lamplighters and I entertain residents of Luther Towers II with our show "Golden Days of Radio"<

Met this lovely lady while entertaining at Luther Towers II - Mary Wilson - who was celebrating her 99th Brithday. She was given a beautiful bouqet to mark the occasion

A lot of residents attended the evening's entertainment - just about filling the dining hall.

The Delaware Advantage

Living near Longwood Gardens

After leaving the atrium, the first tree to catch your eye at Longwood is this glorious Elm. Red signifies strength and at one time the Elm was the strongest tree. Then Dutch Elm disease just about wiped out all of these beauties.
I've heard they're now cross-breeding our Elms with the Chinese Elm - it'll be a Hybrid Elm - able to run on oxygen, water and sunshine.

Longwood is a photographer's paradise.

Comments on the Campaigners

And the latest Presidential Candidate to announce?

FRED THOMPSON

Actor and former United States Senator

Aides say he will use the "same campaigning style that got him elected to the Senate: He'll make the rounds in a red pick-up truck, underscoring an image of down home charm"

This may present a problem, because according to Michael Shear (Washington Post) his campaign advisors know he was mocked recently for wearing Gucci loafers at the Iowa State Fair.

*************************

Appearing recently on the Tonight Show, John McCain displayed a good sense of humor when he told Jay Leno "We're doing so poorly I thought maybe I would announce on this show that I'm running for president."

But my favorite McCain line was reported by Amy Lorentzen, Associated Press: She said:

"Even John McCain, who used to be skeptical about Ethanol, joked during his visit to Iowa that he "enjoys a drink of it every morning."

*****************************

But the candidate who came up with a real surprise - at least to me, is Mike Huckabee. What the country really needs, he said, is "music and arts education."

He told WP reporter Alec MacGillis that it's not just a cure-all for what ails America's schools, but also a key to keeping the country competitive.

Huckabee thinks music and the arts is the answer to those millions of kids who sleep through the day, with their heads down on the desk, taking the most expensive nap in America.. It's not because they're dumb, says Huckabee, it's because they're bored.

Now, if you donbt what Huckabee says, read the article titled MUSIC MAN BINDS BAND TOGETHER. (News Journal, September 2, 2007)

It's about PAUL PARETS, a man who inspires 300 students in the A.I. Dupont band to "global-hopping trips and winning performances" according to reporter Edward L. Kenney.

Even more important, listen to what another band director, Brian Cox (Salesianum) says about the A.I. band:

"They have a great feeder program, so they get a lot of kids in elementary and middle schools to draw from and THEY have the A.I. band to look forward to, so that's great motivation."

Like Huckabee says, Music can be a great motivator. .

We have Bill Clinton, who said he wanted to be known as FIRST LADDIE.

-MAUREEN DOWD, N.Y. Times

On the YOU TUBE debate, Barack Obama fielded this question:

"Do you think you're black enough?"

Obama's answer: Well, when I'm catching a cab in Manhattan, I think I've given my credentials."

And, a quip from the House of David:

"Here's exciting news for New York City: Pope Benedict will be visiting N.Y. in the Spring. And, the good news is, he's bringing his wife, Posh Benedict."

(David Letterman)

Notes on the Campaigners

On the PBS News Hour, hosted by Judy Woodruff - David Brooks and Mark Shields were discussing recent Democratic debates and how candidates seem to be pandering to special interest groups - and that list keeps growing. Said Shields:

Pretty soon I expect to hear "I'm for the Irish-Jewish Home for the Chronically Short."

Want to see some beautiful flowers? Drive over to this Good Hearing Center, at 7th and Clayton Streets, even if you don't have an appointment

A young lady who works at the center, has planted, and cares for, these beautiful plants, across from St. Francis Hospital.

Even the walkway into the center gets its share of beautiful blooms.

Even the attached parking lot got some attention.

Some of the individual flowers are enough to give an atheist second thoughts.

The parking lot also has this unusual treet. Well, it's really a telephone pole that wants to be a tree. Don't try pruning this baby. Could be shocking.

The Flower Show can be viewed daily, across from the entrance to St. Francis Hospital.

What a disappointment - when the News Journal decided to drop FAMILY CIRCUS from its comic page. I was amazed at how consistently funny it was - 365 days a year - year after year. The paper recently published a phone number to call if you objected to the decision - and you can bet I made the call, and I hope others did, too.

Bill Keane, the artist of FAMILY CIRCUS is a brother of Tom Keane, who for many years did a column on cars (KEANE ON WHEELS) for the News Journal.

Many years ago, Tom called me when I was working at WILM and said his brother was looking for old radio shows, Fibber Magee and Molly, Jack Benny, etc., and asked me to send him a few, if I had any. I put together a bunch of them, mailed them off, and Bill acknowledged the tapes with this beautiful "Thank You."

Quite a guy.

Kathy Fraczkowski, a teacher for 25 years, has been named Teacher of the Year at the Etta J. Wilson School in the Christina School District where she teaches 1st and 2nd Grade students.
Boyd Holmes, a teacher for 33 years was the winner of the Jesse Ball DuPont Music ducator of The Year Award given by the Delaware Symphony Orchestra. He teaches at the John G. Leach School for the handicapped in the Colonial District. Boyd and Kathy's husband David are cousins.

The cake sys it all: Congratulations Boyd and Kathy!

The Honorees, getting ready to slice the cake and share it with a proud family gathering.

June is the month for graduates, and even I got a diploma. Well, a certificate -showing that I completed 12 rigorous weeks of Cardiac Rehabilitation at St. Francis Hospital, where I underwent Open Heart surgery January 29th.

This lady, with the million dollar smile, made the time go by quickly. She is "Mia" Cirks, RN, Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse. I think "Mia" is the main reason why St. Francis Cardiac Re-hab patients recover faster than other patients nationwide. She makes sure that all the patients know each other on a first-name basis. There's George, the guy in the baseball hat, he can answer any question you have on computers; Mary, another patient, always impeccably dressed, seems to enjoy the time she spends there, and there's Joe, he 's retired from the construction business - but still goes to Union meetings - and he's a former barber shop singer. Manny's another regular - he and his wife Rose make the scene regularly. Rose makes it a point to record Manny's vital signs for review by his cardiologist. It's a wonderful group - all working on one goal: A healthy heart.

Wilmington's Best Kept Secret

Cardiac Re-Hab at St. Francis Hospital

If you have a Karaoke version of Strangers in The Night try out my new lyric

New words by Dick Holmes for Strangers In The Night

Dedicated to Mia Cirks, RN, who checks the vital signs of all of us, before, during, and after we exercise at St. Francis Hospital.

STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT Cardiac Re-Hab

EXCHANGING GLANCES I’m exercising

WONDERING IN THE NIGHT Taking off the flab

WHAT WERE THE CHANCES It’s agonizing

WE’D BE SHARING LOVE Hoping that my heart

BEFORE THE NIGHT WAS Gets better day by day

THROUGH

SOMETHING IN YOUR EYES Putting in my time

WAS SO EXCITING With Mia watching

SOMETHING IN YOUR EYES Isn’t it a crime?

WAS SO INVITING And so exhausting

SOMETHING IN MY HEART Wondering when they’ll say

TOLD ME I MUST HAVE YOU We think you’re doing fine

STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT , Meeting every week

TWO LONEY PEOPLE, WE We get to know each other

STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT Taking time to speak

UP TILL THAT MOMENT We started friendships

WHEN WE SAID OUR 1ST HELLO When we said our first Hello

LITTLE DID WE KNOW Little did we know

LOVE WAS JUST A GLANCE AWAY Health was just a step away

A WARM INVITING DANCE AWAY A grunting, groaning step away

EVER SINCE THAT NIGHT We will all survive

WE’VE BEEN TOGETHER And we’ll get stronger

LOVERS AT FIRST SIGHT If we stay alive

IN LOVE FOREVER A little longer

IT WORKED OUT SO RIGHT And our hearts will strive

FOR STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT To help us thru the night.

The kind of song I would record in a heartbeat .

For a new perspective on the price of gas, check out

"On The Road"

My friend Al Cartwright auditions an American Idol, Kermit the Frog.

Parrots and Pirates are big these days. I bought this from a Used Furniture and Antique Shop on Branywine Blvd. in Bellefonte. Paid 5 bucks for it. Hasn't spoken a word

This is where I bought the parrot, A charming place called "Blueberry Hill" on Brandywine Boulevard. I took stroll through the 4 or 5 rooms, filled with collectibles that will take you back to when you were a kid. I found myself wondering how long it would take to do an inventory, liisting the entire kitsch and kaboodle.

Here's a place to cool off. Longwood Gardens

McGhie has also penned a tune about The Robinson House, a Claymont landmark.

Another honoree was Charmaine Imburgia, a member of the Center's Board of Directors, who helped put together a video for the CCC - and supervised the Autumn Dinner.

At the end of every semester at the Academy of Lifelong Learning, our Circle Singers group do a Lobby Sing Along at Arsht Hall. Here I am trying to get the audience to join us.

The leader of our group, Ellie Munson, providing a little snare drum background for one of our songs - Battle Hymn of the Republic.

     Saw an interesting note on how Julia Ward Howe came to write the words to that song. Legend has it that she was visiting a Northern Army camp near Washington, D.C. during the Civil War and heard some soldiers singing "John Brown's Body" She thought it would be a great marching song - so she stayed up most of the night witing the new lyric She didn't want to go to sleep because she knew that if she did she would not remember her ideas for the new lyric They say she had an old stub of a pencil to work with, but she got it all down. Amazing. So, it started as a southern song, got some words from a northerner, and soon became a song for all people.

                 In the beauty of the lillies, Christ was born across the sea.

                 With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me.

                 As he strived to make men holy, let us live to make men free;

                 While God is marching on.

And, we have a harmonica player, Lee Rush.

Our son, Boyd Holmes, a teacher in the Colonial School District, made news this month, when he was named the Delaware Symphony Orchestra's Jessie Ball duPont Award Recipient for 2007. The award is given to an educator who has made a significant impact in the field of music education. The award was presented Saturday, March 31, 2007 at the Grand Opera House in Wilmington, Delaware, during the Delaware Symphony's Educators Night, a Classical Series concert that honors the members of the teaching profession. Here he is with President of the Colonial Board of Education Kathleen H. Wilbur and Colonial District Superintendent Dr. George H. Meney

The Lamplighters last week entertained the residents of Maris Grove. This week, another Academy of Lifelong Learning group, The CIRCLE SINGERS, sang a lot of old favorites for an audience at Eden Rock, a retirement home in Arden. Had a wonderful time. Why is it called Eden Rock? Because the place is BUILT on a rock. That must be the Mother of all rocks.

Buffy, the resident dog at Eden Rock, begs for some of the free refreshments.
Then he left, even before we sang. Don't you hate music critics?

These lovely ladies laughed at all my corny jokes.

More scenes from a recent walk through Village of Fox Point: A bed of tulips nodding in the breeze. What a life, doing nodding all day.

I never saw tulips open quite so full, but I guess the sun can make it happen

A favaorite of mine. It's beautiful every year at about this time.

I see this this one on the way back, the Holmes-stretch

A lot of tree trunk formations, to me, are unsigned works of art.

I don't know who they've employed to do the landscaping and ground maintenance at The Village of Fox Point but they certainly know how to give their condos eye appeal.

Every home, neat as a pin.

And, after a twenty minute walk through the neighborhood, it's always nice to get back to our house.

The Lamplighters