Bob Richards

I got to thinking about the Song "The 12 Days of Christmas" and wondered what I'd do with all those gifts. Here's my best thoughts on what I'd do getting all those  crazy things! In the Christmas Carol "The 12 Days Of Christmas" I'd say it's pretty excessive exactly how many gifts the one received! I suspect the giver needed to give their head a shake and get some perspective. Some who have taken the time to count them up, for remember the number is compounded each day...if you received 7 swans a swimming on Day 7 and next day another 7...well you get the picture. It comes in total to 364 gifts! Why not have added 1 more to make it 365 one for each day?? Oh well.  Maybe I can throw in one more partridge in a pear tree. As for myself receiving some of those gifts I'd consider exchanging them for something else. The 12 Partridges I'd probably kill and put in the freezer for food...perhaps eat one for each month of the year. The 22 T...

I wasn't going to put up with it! It was time to get back at the bully and that I did!  I'd like to share the story how at nine years of age I took actions to get back at the playground bully. He was about 3 years my senior and delighted to push us younger ones around. I recall one particular incident I said to myself that enough was enough! My parents usually gave me a nickel [5 cents] or a dime once a day. In the early 1960's that'd buy you a chocolate bar or a can of soda...and so I did. Tommy  the bully came around...grabbed the chocolate bar  from my hand and laughed while consuming it away. The only thing I could think was to get him in trouble and if I was going to do it I wanted to make it BIG TIME trouble. I watched his house to see when his parents got home and upon seeing them drive in the driveway I knew the time had come. I waited a few moments to let them get settled.  My friends asked, "Are you really going to do it?"https://upload...

Nov 1, 1800 John Adams becomes the first US president to live in White House Nov 2nd, 1783 - General George Washington, later 1st American President, bids farewell to his army after the American Revolutionary War Nov 3rd,   1900 1st US automobile show opens at Madison Square Garden (NYC) Nov 4th, 1841 - 1st wagon train arrives in California Nov 5th, 1895 - 1st US patent granted for auto (George B Selden) for gasoline driven car Nov 6th, 1572 - Supernova is observed in constellation known as Cassiopeia Nov 7th, 1872 - Cargo ship Mary Celeste sails from NY to Genoa; mysteriously found abandoned 4 weeks later Nov 8th, 1966 - Movie actor Ronald Reagan elected Governor of California Nov 9th, 1904 1st airplane flight to last more than 5 minutes Nov 10th, 1951 - 1st long distance telephone call without operator assistance Nov 11th 1911 - Many cities in the U.S. Midwest broke their record highs and lows on the same day as a strong cold front rolls...

Oct 1, 1903 - 1st baseball World Series, Pittsburgh Pirates vs Boston Pilgrims (Red Sox) Oct 2, 1895  - 1st cartoon comic strip is printed in a newspaper Oct 3, 1978   - Gold hits record $223.50 an ounce in London Oct 4, 1922 - For 1st time, entire World Series broadcast over radio (WJZ & WGY) Oct 5, 1954 - Hurricane Hazel hits Eastern US Oct 6, 1889 - Thomas Edison shows his 1st motion picture Oct 7, 1931 - 1st infra-red photograph, Rochester, NY Oct 8th, 1964 1964 - Ringo Starr  passes his driving test. You're curious if he had to drive down Abbey Rd?? Oct 9th, 1965 - Beatles' "Yesterday" single goes #1 & stays #1 for 4 weeks Oct 10th, 1780 - Great Hurricane of 1780 kills 20,000 to 30,000 in Caribbean Oct 11th, 1984 - 1st space walk by US woman (Dr Kathryn D Sullivan) Oct 12th, 1609 - Children's rhyme "Three Blind Mice" published in London Oct 13th,  1792 - "Old Farmer's Almanac" is 1...

Sept 1st---> 1859 - A solar superstorm affects electrical telegraph service. They say not good if it happened today. :) Sept 2nd-->1902 - "A Trip To The Moon," the 1st science fiction film released. Seems like the 1st place to go for Sci-Fi. :) Sept 3rd--> 1951 - TV soap opera "Search for Tomorrow" debuts on CBS. All they had to wait for 24 hours. :) Sept 4th-->1833 - 1st newsboy hired! That should have been the headline that day! Sept 5th-->1882  - 10,000 workers march in 1st Labor Day parade in NYC. Maybe the 1st Occupier movement generations before? Sept 6th--> 1716   1st lighthouse built in north America. The saving of sailors lives begins. :) Sept 7th--> 1991 - Die Laughing wins Messenger Stakes. One might think that was the last race he was in.  :) Sept 8th-->1858  Lincoln makes the statement about when you can fool people! I'm not fooling! That was the date! :) Sept 9th-->1867  1st succ...

Have you ever noticed when you're in constant motion, without stop or delay how much easier it is to keep on going? You stop to break--and that's it...you've lost your momentum. Driving home from work it came to my mind a number of items I needed at the store---one of which---bathroom tissue. Into the store I go...Bagels? Sounds good! Yogurt, cereal and milk? Splendid! Only problem though after arriving at home I found to my dismay I failed to pick up the very thing I meant to get! Toilet paper! "Later" said I. 'Have a rest and a sleep first!' And so I did! Upon waking I cut the grass, watered the plants and a little bit of this and that, then said to my wife, "I'm on a roll! I'm in continual motion! Now I'm going to the store to pick up the elusive toilet paper!" She responds, "You're on a ROLL and you're going to get some ROLLS--of the toilet paper kind!" To the store I go once again adding a few extra items ...

Should a bus driver be fired who ran a red light? This was the question asked in my nearby city of Toronto on Sunday, August 2, 2014. Apparently through the week a driver for the Toronto Transit Commission did that very thing...but with somebody who just happened to be filming the incident with an I phone turned their direction. The citizen turned in the video to TTC headquarters and the driver, a female and mother of two children who hadn't served her probationary six months period on the job was fired. When the one taking the video discovered the driver was actually terminated he felt great remorse. His thinking was the driver might get a slap on the hand or suspension...but fired? It upset him considerably that he sent it in and now wishes he hadn't. TTC bosses are now claiming they're inundated with calls asking the driver to be re-instated with a less of a penalty for her actions. Others claim they did the right thing in having her dismissed . My take on the ...