End of the Year greetings

Here's to a great New Year in 2019. I hope 2018 treated you nice. I am happy that you guys have stuck around during my hiatus, which ended up almost four years long due to work and other commitments. What were your favorite blogs from the past few months, and what would you like to see more of in 2019? Any video requests for YouTube Friday? My favorite blogs to write about were the stories of Northern Calloway and Curtis Jones. Their stories really made me think about what mental illness can do to people, and what can go on when any particular condition goes untreated. It also made me consider ways to help others.

Earth to (Facebook) Portal

When I was getting my Christmas shopping done a few days ago, I ran across the Facebook Portal device at Best Buy. I stopped and took a look at this new device. The Facebook Portal is modeled like Amazon and Alexa and the Google Home system, and it connects to your Facebook account so you can connect with family and friends, go shopping and do what you need. Sometimes, I worry about technology getting a little too intimate into your personal affairs, especially seeing all these data breaches out here nowadays and people getting a little too close to others and their personal affairs. At times, we can't stop progress, but we can control how we choose to participate in it.

YouTube FridayBoz Scaggs - Georgia (HQ)

For the last YouTube Friday of 2018, I have selected this video from Terry Gordy's YouTube channel. This song has been on my mind for a bit lately, mostly showing up while cruising YouTube. From what I hear, this album, Silk Degrees, was pretty popular back in the days.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from The World as Seen by Lauren! Here's hoping you have a great holiday. Here is a video from YouTube that is usually played on radio stations this time of year. Here's hoping that the season is a great one for you.

YouTube Friday-Holiday Edition: Joy to the World by Mannheim Steamroller

Today's holiday installment of YouTube Friday is from the channel of Mannheim Steamroller. This is a really peppy and fun arrangement of the classic Christmas carol Joy to the World. I first heard this on  the limited edition Mannheim Steamroller channel on Satellite radio. This, as well as their version of Deck the Halls, is one of my favorite songs by them.

Playing and learning

Yesterday was the first day that the National Letter of Intent could be signed for those who wish to play football on the college level. I have been seeing this for years in various sports, especially with high profile players who wish to get a scholarship to continue their education and play football, as well. The National Letter of Intent program was started in 1964, with only a few schools participating. One of the requirements of the program is that the student athletes have to stay on campus and enrolled in classes for one school year, or if an athlete decides to attend a Junior/Community College, they have to graduate in two years. If they decide to transfer schools, they must sit out one year to regain eligibility. This is where you hear the term "Redshirt", as in "Redshirt Sophomore," or "Redshirt Senior" if a fifth year is needed to finish the college degree. If you are/were a student athlete, what was your experience like with the NLI? For all those thinking about signing, what are you most looking forward to?

With the Angels

Looking through the archives of the past, and the tragedy of the Our Lady of the Angels Fire of December 1958 came to mind. This was one of the deadliest fires in Chicago History, behind the Iroquois theatre fire of 1903.At the time of the fire, the school, built around 1910 in the Humboldt Park section of Chicago,  housed students from Kindergarten through the eighth grade.  According to the remembrance site OLA Fire, the fire occurred near the end of the school day on December 1, 1958, when a fire was spotted at the bottom of a staircase. The fire spread upstairs to the second level of classrooms, where fourth-eighth graders were located. The fire alarm was sounded too late and many of the students on the upper floors were first told to pray by the nuns, and when the conditions became unbearable, the students went to the windows of their classrooms and began jumping out of windows, where many died or suffered broken bones. When the firefighters and medical personnel arrived, they evidenced many of the students near windows waiting for help. The victims were taken to various hospitals on the west side of Chicago, with a separate facility being used as a makeshift morgue so parents could locate their children. After the last victim died in August 1959, there were 95 souls taken, 92 students and three nuns. A week after the fire, funerals and Interment services were held at the Illinois National Guard armory in Chicago and Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois, where many of the fire victims rest today. A new school was built and opened in 1960, nearly two years after the fire. As I read the book To Sleep with the Angels, I find out that the case has never officially been solved. A young man that attended the school at te time had confessed to setting the fire, but later recanted his confession, because he feared punishment from his parents. The Chicago Tribune recently posted some pictures of the event on the 60th anniversary.

Changing Corktown

As I am reading the Detroit Free Press, I run across an article about the changing face of the Corktown neighborhood in Detroit. With Ford's purchase of the former Michigan Central Station in 2018, and many people, restaurants, and businesses moving into the neighborhood, making it somewhat gentrified in the process, many longtime residents wonder what would become of the neighborhood they knew. Many people wondered if their taxes and utility bills would rise over time, forcing them to move out in the future. There are many homeless and transient people in the area, and one article mentions the soup kitchen at the Episcopal church, which many of the newer residents in the neighborhood wanted shut down to avoid seeing people without homes near them. I feel that the city can at least help people already living in Corktown before all the progress began to work something out so they can stay in their homes, and work on a program for the homeless and transient population, so that they may be able to get food, shelter  and assistance when they need it. Also, the newer residents can also can learn more about their new neighborhood by speaking with their new neighbors  who have been living there a while.

Crane-ing around

I was going through my pictures from this past summer, and I ran across this picture of a Sandhill Crane. This was my first time seeing these majestic birds. I didn't know what they were until someone nearby mentioned these. The Sandhill Cranes pictured here were very docile creatures, as long as you are standing at a distance. These are not native to Michigan, but from what I have read, they are pretty common in the Nebraska area of the country, and migrate north to breed in the summer. These birds are huge, about maybe 3-4 feet in height, and the wingspan shown here. They are best known by the red patch on their heads.

Fire Boating

I was just thinking of the Detroit fireboat Curtis Randolph, seen here giving a salute in June 2014, which battles fires on the Detroit River. It was most recently in service when the Boblo Boat Sainte Claire was destroyed by fire in July 2018. The boat is named for Curtis Randolph, the first black firefighter killed in the line of duty. Randolph, a member of the class of 1972 from Martin Luther King High School in Detroit, was a probationary firefighter for the Detroit Fire Fighter. He was killed at the age of 22 while fighting a fire on the east side of Detroit in October 1977. His funeral was held a few days later, and he was buried with full honors at Elmwood Cemetery in the firefighters plot. The fire boat bearing his name was put into commission in 1979. 

Kresge Headquarters

While attending the Veterans Day festival in Cass Park in Detroit last month, I ventured over to this building, which held the Metropolitan Center for High Technology and now holds startup companies. . It was built in 1962 for Sebastian Spering (SS) Kresge and his chain of Kresge's department stores/Five and Dime stores, which later became K-Mart. These were their main offices. It became the home of the Metropolitan Center for High Technology, and as of 2018, the building is owned by Wayne State University. Check out this blog entry from Detroit D'Votion, who took a tour of the building in 2012, and looks at the fantastic interior.

YouTube Friday:Toni Tennille and her three sisters sing "Little Saint Nick" 1976

Since the holiday season is here, here is a song that I enjoy, courtesy of Caroline St. Clair's YouTube Channel. These are the Tennille Sisters, Toni (of Captain and Tennille fame) and her three sisters. I hope you enjoy this version as much as I do.

News of the past

Washington Boulevard trolleys '80 Thu, Mar 13, 1980 – Page 3 · Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States of America) · Newspapers.comAs I look at some of the articles I have clipped  on Newspapers.com, I run across a few I would like to share with you. This first article is about the old Washington Boulevard trolleys that ran between Grand Circus Park and the Renaissance Center  in downtown Detroit from the 1970s-2003. The Detroit Department of Transportation ran these trolleys way back when. There is a group on Facebook called Detroit Transit History Memories that has some info on the trolleys.   I clearly remember the "Watch for Trolley" signs in front of Cobo Hall.. The Trolley Plaza apartments on Washington Boulevard were named for these trolleys. 

Cold out here '84. I was a couple of weeks old when this occurred Sun, Jan 22, 1984 – Page 1 · Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States of America) · Newspapers.comCold out here '84 pt 2 Sun, Jan 22, 1984 – Page 2 · Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States of America) · Newspapers.comThis article was about the coldest day since 1872 in Detroit, January 20-21, 1984. I think this got beat by a cold snap 10 years later in the winter of 1994, and possibly again within the past 10 years. I was a few weeks old when this happened. 




July tornadoes '97. The sky turned green this day Thu, Jul 3, 1997 – Page 1 · Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States of America) · Newspapers.comThese tornadoes, I still remember.I was 13 years old, on summer vacation between the 7th and 8th grades The sky turned a yellowish-green and tornadoes tore through Hamtramck and the Grosse Pointes, enclave and suburbs of Detroit. Thank goodness my parents house or my grandmother's house didn't see as much as a power outage. Many people lost most of their possessions in this storm, and were cleaning up for a while after this. 

Fultz Quads at Bethune Cookman Homecoming Parade '65 Sat, Nov 6, 1965 – Page 6 · The Pittsburgh Courier (Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania) · Newspapers.comThis picture is a first for me. These ladies are the Fultz Quadruplets, who I wrote a blog about in 2014. These young ladies were at Bethune Cokman college at this time, and were participating in the homecoming parade The last of the Fultz Quadruplets, Mary Catherine, died in October 2018.

Learning about Maurice Stokes

In my travels on the internet recently, I ran across a mention of Maurice Stokes on The Charms, Inc. website, where the club made a donation to a foundation bearing his name. I decided to do some research on him. He was born in 1933 in Pennsylvania to a steelworker and a domestic. After attending High School at Westinghouse High School, Maurice went to St Francis University in Loretto, PA , where he won the NIT in 1955. He was drafted to the NBA in 1955 by the former Rochester Royals. While there, he was named 1956 NBA Rookie of the Year, and led the league in rebounds and assists. He was an all star for the three seasons he was in the league. In March 1958, he was knocked unconscious after falling and hitting his head on the court, and after a game against the Detroit Pistons, he had a seizure and was paralyzed, only able to move his eyes. His teammate, Jack Twyman, was there with him, and became his legal guardian, since his parents, brother and sister were in Pennsylvania, and could not be with him. He handled  Maurice's medical expenses and his daily care, all while taking care of his own family. There were Benefit Games held to raise money for his medical bills and other expenses incurred. He died of a heart attack in April of 1970, and is buried at the Franciscan Friar Cemetery on St. Francis University's Campus. He was inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame with the class of 2004. Learning of this story, I learned about the meaning of friendship, perseverance and keeping a positive outlook on life in general, especially when things are not going as planned.

YouTube Friday: "Mr. Rogers Gets a Tonsillectomy", directed by GEORGE A. ROMERO

Here's a pretty neat video for YouTube Friday, courtesy of Bloody Disgusting's YouTube channel. This is a video of Mr. Rogers from the 1970s, talking about getting his tonsils removed. Growing up, my favorite show behind Sesame Street was Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. I always liked how Mr. Rogers explained things so people would not be frightened.

For All who served

Happy (Belated) Veterans Day! It is Veterans Day here in the United States, and people across the nation honored veterans in their area, as well as commemorate the centennial of the Armistice that ended World War ! in 1918. On November 11, I attended Detroit's Veteran's Day Parade. The video I post today is of motorcyclists riding down Cass Avenue in Detroit in honor and memory of Veterans. A Veterans Festival was held in nearby Cass Park, with music, food trucks and information about resources for veterans.

YouTube Friday: The Four Seasons Harmony Perfect Harmony 1976

Sorry I have been quiet here lately, I have had some family issues to attend to that has kept me busy. Bear with me if I don't write for a time. Here is today's YouTube Friday, brought to you by the YouTube channel of wordsofloveforyou. I heard this song on the Four Season's album "Who Loves You". I enjoy hearing many of the songs on this album, considered the group's comeback.

YouTube Friday: Nigel Olsson - Dancin Shoes (1979)

Here's a song that I have really been feeling recently, courtesy of the YouTube channel of PilotOfTheAirwaves1. First heard this song on the Canadian radio station across the river from Detroit in Windsor, Ontario. This is a great song. If you are feeling down and out, don't despair, put your dancing shoes on and keep going.

Nursing School Grads

While at Providence Hospital in Southfield recently, I ran across a display of pictures of the former Providence Hospital Nursing School, which was in operation from 1910 to 1975, whose class picture is seen here. The school moved with the hospital from Detroit to Southfield in the 1960s. I posted the picture of the class of 1954, whose picture I also post here, to a Facebook group I belong to, called I Went to Catholic School in Metro Detroit, and quite a few people who had relatives (Mom, grandmother, aunt, etc) who were in nursing school at Providence, or they themselves were student nurses here during the school's existence. One of the members of the group that graduated from Providence Nursing school in the 1960s wrote that the first male nurses graduated from Providence in the  late '60s. The only other nursing school affiliated with a hospital that I am aware of in the metro area from days gone by are the Henry Ford Hospital School of Nursing and Hygiene and Harper Hospital's Nursing School, whose Helen Newberry Nurses Home still stands today. 

YouTube Friday: Lady Flash - "Street Singin'" (1976)

Singing for YouTube Friday today is Lady Flash, courtesy of The Retro Bunch's YouTube channel. These ladies were backup singers for Barry Manilow back in the day, and had a few hits on their own as well, this one being one of them. I chose this song because it was on my mind here recently.

Incinerating thoughts

While going through my late grandmother's house recently, I noticed this Warm Morning In House Incinerator in the basement. In house incinerators were fairly common in houses built before the mid to late 1960s. Trash, and from what I hear, cloth diapers, training pants and feminine hygiene products ( the days before these products were disposable) were put in here to be burned. The 1970s and 1980s put an end to these incinerators due to environmental issues and other concerns, and many people had these removed. I had an incinerator in the house I grew up in, and I remember asking my mother what they were for. She had mentioned at some time about feminine hygiene products being burned back in the days.

YouTube Friday: "Do It In Detroit," 1984 Grand Prix, and Montreux-Detroit Jazz Fest Comm...

Here is a little nostalgia for today's installment of YouTube Friday. This video is from the Detroit Historical Society's YouTube Channel, which serves as its video archive of Detroit's history. This video features the Four Tops singing Detroit's praises, circa 1984. Seeing some of the old things in this nearly 35 year old video makes me hope that they'd bring back events such as the Ethnic Festivals and ice skating (hopefully as an auxiliary rink to Campus Martius Park)  to Hart Plaza, so it won't sit empty in the winter months.

About Beverly Hills

These past couple of days, the story of the Beverly Hills Supper Club Fire in Kentucky. Beverly Hills Supper Club was, as I have heard it called "The Showplace of the Nation". The club had been in business since the 1930s, and the ownership of the club at the time of the fire had been in place since at least the late '60s, and had been remodeled numerous times. On May 28, 1977, the club was hosting singer John Davidson and other entertainment for Memorial Day weekend. The fire claimed over 160 lives, and injured many more people. Many people who were in the fire filed Lawsuits against the club owners and other entities. In 2017, forty years after the fire, many still remember where they were and what they were doing. Currently, a memorial stands at the site of the club and people come to visit each year.

Perking at work

At many workplaces, perks are an essential part of keeping employees happy and on task at work. There are many perks out there that are pretty nifty. There is a site called Great Work Perks that can help your company with it's perks system. There are some pretty cool perks listed, such as skipping the long ticket lines at Disney. doing an escape room, and much more. I think that many companies can use perks to keep their employees engaged in their work and in their personal lives.

YouTube Friday: Sesame Street: Write it Down

 Some encouragement today for YouTube Friday comes from the official Sesame Street YouTube channel. Since it is what some of the kids call "Flashback Friday" here is a flashback from the mid 1980s, with Luis, Maria and David telling us to write things down. Nowadays, it is still useful to write things down, so we can remember things. Oftentimes, it doesn't have to be on our phones, it can be the old style, as evidenced here. Seeing Northern Calloway as David in the print shirt is pretty cool. This is how I remember David on Sesame Street, Maria and Luis, as well.

Traveling Rest

A site I discovered a while back through one of my Social Media accounts is OnRoute, which are rest stops services the 400 and 401 routes that run through the province of Ontario in Canada. These rest stops are much like rest stops in the United States, with needed essentials for travelers, such as gas, food, and other goodies. These remind me of the Ohio Turnpike and the Iowa 80 Truck stop, to a point. (I am sure that there are many fine truck stops north of the border).  If I happen to go to Toronto to see my Tigers on foreign soil or to, as they say, "see the world," I will make sure to stop at one.

Postseason Excitement

It's that time of year again, time for Major League Baseball's postseason. There are many twists and turns this time of year, with the usual favorites and underdogs. Last night was a 13 inning thriller between the Chicago Cubs and the Colorado Rockies, with the Rockies moving on to play the Milwaukee Brewers. Whenever the postseason comes around, I think of when the Tigers were in the Postseason in 2006, which really revived baseball in the metro area. It seems like whenever a Tiger showed up anywhere to sign autographs or take pictures, lines would be out the door of the location. What I have heard (can anyone confirm or deny this?) is that wherever a Tiger went anywhere with family, fans would come up and shake their hand, or in a rare case, pay for his and his family's dinner or purchase, thanking them for what they were doing for baseball in the metro area. I also think of the four consecutive division titles from 2011-2014, with the team going to the World Series in 2012. Make sure you enjoy the ride through the postseason.

New Ways to Get Around Detroit

I have noticed over the past few years, especially this past summer, that the Detroit Department of Transportation has done a complete overhaul of their logo, buses, one of them shown here, and routes, which includes the implementation of a program called ConnectTen, which are 10 of the busiest routes running 24 hours a day throughout the city. . This bus, traveling the new Gratiot ConnectTen route in downtown Detroit, is an example of the new buses,logo, and route number (Gratiot was route 34 before the change). If you are interested in DDOT/Detroit Department of Street Railways history, check out the Detroit Transit History Memories group on Facebook and the Detroit Transit History website, lots of useful information.

Living a Malled existence

There's an article in the Detroit Free Press about the issue of empty stores in shopping malls and what that means for mall owners in the age of people buying items online. . Many retailers, such as Wal-Mart and Target will let you buy your items online and pick them up at the store, even Kroger has a program to let you get your groceries online for pickup at the store. I think that some of the online retailers can have store front space where they can have your items ready if you are away from home, and don't want your items sitting on the front porch where thieves can get your products, especially if you bought a big-ticket item. Many people may not feel comfortable with online shopping, and might feel better going into a store to browse. Someone in the article above wondered  about the senior citizens and the mall walkers, who frequent malls on a near-daily basis to do their shopping and get their exercise. Seeing some of these empty stores reminds me of the last days of Northland Mall in Southfield, Michigan, which I documented in pictures in 2015. What do you all think? What could be done to stem the tide of empty storefronts at malls?

Art Club

After paying a visit to the Detroit Institute of Arts recently, I passed by The Scarab Club. This club is dedicated to art, and regularly hosts various artists and exhibitions. Founded in 1907, their present home, located on Farnsworth street, across John R from the DIA, was built in 1928 and is still open and active to this day. They host a themed ball as well as musical events and art critiques. If you are into art or design, check out their website and join them for an event if you are in the Detroit area.

Centennial of car building

I read in the Detroit News the other day about the centennial of the Ford Rouge Factory, and thought I should read up about it's history over the years. Henry Ford wanted to have a totally self-sufficient factory, so he had his own fleet of freighters and rubber was brought in from a Ford-owned plantation in Brazil. Designed by architect Albert Kahn, who designed many other buildings in Detroit and the metro area, Construction took place in the late 1910s through 1928, and the factory first started building boats. Over the years, cars and tanks (built during World War II) were manufactured here, and currently, the Ford F150 is built here. One of the more unique features of the Rouge complex is the "Living Roof," which helps make the plant energy efficient. In 1937, the Battle of the Overpass occurred, which was pivotal in the histories of both Ford, who was the last of the Big Three automakers to unionize, and the United Auto Workers union. There was a Trade School on site for young men to learn a trade and get to work. The Henry Ford Trade School Alumni Association is still active today. A part of my family history is here at Rouge, as my maternal great-grandfather worked here as a machinist from the 1920s-1950s, and my father worked in the foundry here in the early 1960s for a time.

YouTube Friday: England Dan & John Ford Coley - Soldier in the Rain

Today's installment of YouTube Friday comes to us from TrixxyKatt's YouTube account. This song by England Dan and John Ford Coley, was released in 1977, shortly after the end of the Vietnam war. It tells the story of a soldier coming home from war and finding things vastly different from when he left. This can be told of veterans of past wars and current conflicts, as well as of anyone making a change or at a crossroads in life at the moment. I enjoy this song, and I hope you do, as well.

Manual Online Searching

We all know how it gets sometimes, we buy something, and we don't keep the user manual for the product. When it comes time to have it fixed, or it breaks somehow, we search all over for the manual, but find out that we tossed it in the trash or someone else has it. Fear not! There's a website called Manuals Online, they have manuals for most any product out there. Check it out, I hope you find it useful.

Archival Information

Within the past year or so, I have been interested in historic artifacts and media items, such as the archives on Google Books from Life Magazine as well as Ebony and Jet Magazine, as well as Newspapers.com and the Newspaper Archive among others. I took a particular interest to artifacts from the Wayne State University Virtual Motor City Collection and the Detroit Historical Museum's vast collections. It's always important to learn from the past so you can take these lessons into the future with you. I enjoy seeing the information on how life was in the past, and I can learn how to avoid the mistakes of the past today and in the future. I have also found some genealogic info to use on my family tree, which is useful, as well.

Hello, how may I help you?

While out and around in my travels, I ran across this innovative guide from Bell Labs, about Teletraining. Published in 1962, this teacher's guide, and probably a few student manuals, were made available by the Bell System of Telephone companies (known back then as "Ma Bell" and the "Baby Bells"), to schools across the country, for English and speech classes, and probably some clubs such as a school radio station, play by play at a sporting event or or if morning announcements were made by students over the public address system. In brief, this teacher's guide goes over ways to help students learn how to appropriately speak on the phone, discern how someone is feeling while they are talking to you, how to temper your emotions and other pertinent information. They even have the Pay Phone (which was common back in the early 1960s, extinct to a point in 2018) . In today's era of texting and other ways of communicating, it is wise to know how to productively and appropriately speak and conduct yourself/handle business on the telephone if you need to make a phone call. It is especially helpful if you work at a job where you are on the phone or if you speak with people face-to-face on a daily basis.

Need Help downtown

I have seen these trucks in downtown Detroit recently. They are for the Downtown Detroit Ambassadors, who are friendly people who help clean up the downtown area, as well as give information and help visitors with what they need. You can find these trucks around the general downtown area, especially during concerts and sporting events at Comerica Park, Ford Field and Little Caesars Arena This is a later version of the Clean Downtown trucks from Next Detroit, shown in the Warrendale Detroit Blog from 2006. Clean Downtown was launched around the time of Super Bowl XL, which was held in Detroit in 2006, and was super useful for World Series traffic when the Tigers made an appearance the same year.  These new trucks pictured here were seen near Ford Field when the Lions played the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. 

Nightlife on the bus

This is one of the most innovative ideas I have seen. It's called Tony Nightlife. The creators of this used an old school bus to create a mobile nightclub.The open roof of this bus is what I enjoy the most. I first saw this on the streets of Downtown Detroit after a concert in August. Besides being a nifty ride to and from the clubs, they are available for bachelor/bachelorette parties, concerts, and other events. If you are in the metro Detroit area, give them a call and follow them on Social Media. 

Let's Buy a car, ladies

Here's an informative website for us ladies who want to buy a car. It's called Ask Patty. This site is very helpful, in the sense that sometimes, ladies may not get a fair shake when it comes to buying a car. It gives common sense advice and tips on handling business when going to the dealer, even some informative interviews with women in the auto industry.

YouTube Friday: Tina Turner-Private Dancer

I am dancing into YouTube Friday with Tina Turner, courtesy of emimusic on YouTube. This video is a classic. There would be a nightclub/VIP room feel to the dance halls of the past if a remake of this video were to happen. Last I heard of Tina Turner, she was a Swiss citizen.  One of the dresses Tina Turner is wearing in this video is currently in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

Come to your defenses

Here is an interesting Blast from the Past. The Michigan Civil Defense Museum.This site documents Michigan's role in the Cold War Civil Defense movement.  During the 1950s and 1960s, the United States was constantly on guard for the risk of a nuclear attack. To be prepared, Fallout shelters were prepared in schools, police stations, hospitals, and other locations, and people were trained to help others in case of emergency. There was even a radio communication system, named Conelrad, that got emergency radio information to the public in an emergency. Some of the old Civil Defense signs are still posted on many old buildings. There are videos on YouTube from this era that train the general public and people in training for Fallout Shelter wardens.

Passport Program for Baseball

Here is an innovative program for the baseball fans around the country. It's called the MLB Ballpark Passport. It works in a way like a regular passport, but you stamp in to MLB ballparks, usually at the team gift shop, guest relations or at another location. There are also books for Minor League Baseball stadiums and Spring training stadiums in Florida and Arizona. If you have a book already, join the official Facebook page for those with books, the Ballpark Stampeders. I found out about this program a few years ago, but didn't decide to get a book until earlier this year. I only have two stamps so far, Comerica Park in Detroit and Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, but I look forward to seeing more ballparks in the future, and stamping in the future.  

Take Stock of Shoes and goodies

Recently, I have been hearing about the site StockX, which is like a safer version of Craigslist an eBay for shoes and designer goods. It runs like the stock market, you set up a portfolio and buy and sell items, and all items are in new or like-new condition Besides shoes, you can buy clothes, watches and purses, as well. There is even a list of Portfolios for you to browse. I think that this is a nifty way to sell and buy designer items without shady characters trying to scam you with fake transactions. As always, just make sure to  yourself whenever you go shopping online.

Chicago Sights and Sounds

Over Labor Day weekend, I took a great trip to Chicago to see my Detroit Tigers on the road, as well as get some sightseeing in, as well. Here are a few of  my favorite pictures from the weekend 

 Here is the world famous Chicago Theatre. This was once a movie house, and currently hosts stage shows and concerts

Here I am at Wrigley Field. This picture was taken at one of the many mobile gift shops in the area. The W is the flag used when the Cubs win a game. 

The world famous Bean in Millenium Park. The Bean, officially titled Cloud Gate, was placed here in the last 15 years. This is always a popular tourist attraction.

Wrigley Square is located in Millennium Park. This is one of my favorite areas of the park, with its Greek columns and fountain. 

 

I hadn't been to Shedd Aquarium in 25 years, so it was a great time for me to re-visit. I enjoyed seeing all the sea life and creatures residing in the deep.

Polk Brothers' park near Navy Pier. This fountain was a great place to cool off, as evidenced here. It reminded me of the fountains at Detroit's River Walk, which is always a draw to visitors and locals alike

This sight is at the Addison Street station for the CTA Red Line.Noticed is a rare sight nowadays, a Pay Phone! I noticed the picture nearest to me is of Ernie Banks on the "El" train heading to the Cubs game. I had no idea that Ernie Banks was a member of the CTA Board way back when. 

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This video was taken on Michigan Avenue of a few street performers doing their thing. I always enjoy seeing the street performers draw a crowd by displaying their talents. 

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This is the sign for Marshall Field's in Chicago, which is now a Macy's location. Marshall Field in Chicago was like Hudson's flagship store in Detroit or Macy's flagship in New York City. 

The old Comiskey Park shower, which is a lifesaver to many a fan on a hot day. It was installed at old Comiskey Park in the 1970s and retrieved and brought to Guaranteed Rate Field after the Comiskey Park closed. 

A view from my seat in section 533. Even though my Tigers did not win the game, I still had a fantastic time. Met many Tigers fans who traveled to see the team on the road. I would like to travel more, but I hear that little voice telling me to get back to work and earn my keep, pay my bills and the like. 

Ann's Amazing Archery

An interesting person I have been reading up on here within the past few years is Ann Marston, whose talents lay in Archery. Born in England in August 1938, she competed in Archery at a young age, as evidenced here with her father in 1948.. She won numerous junior and senior level competitions throughout her life. She and her she and her parents moved to the United States in 1949, residing in suburban Wyandotte, Michigan where she competed in archery and beauty contests. She won Miss Michigan in 1959, as well as the talent contest of the Miss America Pageant in 1960 with her Archery talents. She appeared on numerous television shows, even meeting the Beatles at one time.  Ann was a musical promoter later in life, managing a young MC5 and running a teen nightclub in the downriver Detroit area. She was also affiliated with the Gail and Rice talent agency. She suffered from diabetes since she was a child, becoming blind due to Diabetic Retinopathy at the age of 30. She died in March 1971 at the age of 32. She entered the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1977.

Retiring Wing

News broke yesterday that Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg would be retiring due to back issues. He has been with the Red Wings since 2002 (drafted in 1999), Captain since 2013. He medaled in the Olympics and in international competition with the Swedish national team.  He is pictured here at the 2008 Stanley Cup Victory parade with the Conn Smythe trophy. Many on Twitter  have expressed their thanks, admiration and their thoughts on Zetterberg's career. Henrik, along with Pavel Datsyuk, were my favorite Red Wings. He will be missed at Little Caesars Arena, and I hope that he will be involved with Hockey in some shape or form, maybe in the front office in some respects.

YouTube Friday: Let It Go (Part One)

Today's installment of YouTube Friday is a funky one, from the KC and the Sunshine Band's topic page on YouTube. This would be a great song for Majorettes or a pep club/spirit squad to perform to, or for a pom-pon squad to perform to. Lots of energy and, as they say, "Is fun to dance to"

YouTube Friday: Kilgore College Rangerettes Halftime Performance (Texans vs Browns 10.15...

Today's installment of YouTube Friday comes from the Houston Texans' YouTube Channel. These young ladies are the Kilgore College Rangerettes, from Kilgore Texas. They have been going strong since 1940, and have been nearly everywhere in North America. When I first saw this video, I thought to myself, "These are the Rockettes of the South!" These young ladies are really talented.

View of Northern Calloway

Here is another post about someone whose story I have taken an interest in here recently. The story of Northern Calloway is an intriguing and very interesting one. Born in January 1948 in New York City, he attended the High School of Fine and Performing Arts (now LaGuardia High) , graduating in 1966. He got a job in the theatre shortly after graduating from High School, performing in the play The Me Nobody Knows in the early '70s. He debuted on Sesame Street in 1971, playing the character David until 1989. He was also a Singer and composer, writing and performing songs in kids shows called "My Name is David", in which he performed Sesame Street songs and songs he wrote and composed, and at times, read from books he helped to write(side note, Alan Menken-later of Disney fame-was his accompanist for these shows when Menken was up and coming). During his time on Sesame Street, signs of Bipolar disorder (known then as Manic Depression) began to surface, with it getting so bad that He went on a rampage after he did a show in Nashville, Tennessee in September 1980, beating a lady he was staying with so severely, she was in the hospital for quite a while, and he wreaked havoc in the Green Hills section of Nashville wearing nothing but a T-shirt. He went to Court in 1981-1982 and was found innocent after pleading insanity. He tried to write a screenplay for a movie called "The Skyrider" in the mid 1980s, but filed a Lawsuit against Marvel Comics for copyright and stealing ideas.  He was let go from Sesame Street in 1989, and died on January 9, 1990 from Excited Delirium (there was a rumor that stomach cancer was the culprit, but that is false), leaving behind a fiancee, his mother, his brother and sister. I remember him as David in his later years, but never knew he was that talented. What are your memories of Northern Calloway?

YouTubed Friday: Motown Special

Today's Installment of YouTube Friday is "Motown Special" from the Osmonds' topic page on YouTube. I first heard this song after getting this album at the used record store a year or so ago. I always say that if I have a radio show, this would be the song I sign on with, and the song "City to City" by Gerry Rafferty would be the song I signed off with. I follow Alan and Marie Osmond on Instagram, and I am sure I follow Donny, as well.

YouTube Friday: AT&T Archives: Design Line Fashions

For Today's installment of YouTube Friday, Here are some phones from the late '70s, courtesy of the AT&T Tech Channel's YouTube Channel. I enjoy seeing all of these phones from back then, my favorites are the candlestick phone and the Snoopy and Woodstock phones. A friend of mine had a Mickey Mouse phone when we were kids. My late mother used to work for the phone company, and had an old pamphlet/workbook where you could promote the Design Line phones as prizes in a drawing at your class reunion. Which phones are your favorites?

Java Service

Took a walk this morning, and ran across this Absopure truck at Comerica Park, delivering water to the front offices. Absopure is a water company from Michigan. They even have a Coffee Service, delivering coffee, tea and hot chocolate to offices, in traditional form and in Keurig K-Cup formats. Absopure, as well as Nestle and other companies deliver refreshments to offices and other institutions. Do you have coffee or other beverages delivered to your home or workplace? what is your favorite? I only drink coffee, tea and water, for the most part, don't drink alcohol or soda/pop/cola, even in diet form (staying away from artificial sweeteners), and I add Stevia to my coffee and tea. 

Ride Locators are Surging

A site that I have been enamored with here recently is Uber Estimate. This site will let you see where people are requesting an Uber around the world. Little pins point out the location of the ride request, and if you click on the pin, you can see the destination of the trip, as well as where Surge Pricing is in effect. Speaking of surge pricing, There is a site called Surge-O-Meter that will tell you if the price for an Uber or Lyft are a bit high due to demand in any Zip/postal code in the world (Rush hour, Concerts, tourist areas, etcetera).There's even an app for Lyft Primetime Pricing and Uber Surge Pricing, so drivers can get to certain areas to pick up fares.

YouTube Friday: Aretha Franklin - You Are All I Need To Get By

Today's installment of YouTube Friday is In memory of the late Aretha Franklin.  I decided to share with you one of my favorite songs by her, by way of Sergio valle riestra Caceres' Youtube Channel. I enjoy hearing this song while listening to AM 580 CKWW in Windsor, Ontario.Since news broke of Aretha Franklin's passing, the Detroit area radio stations (across the river in Canada, as well) have been playing her music. Her Funeral arrangements were announced today, as well as arrangements for a viewing and a memorial concert, as well.

In Memory of Aretha Franklin (1942-2018)

Sending my Condolences to the family and friends of Aretha Franklin, who died today at the age of 76. She was from Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up here in Detroit. Her father, Rev. CL Franklin, pastored New Bethel Baptist CHurch, where she got her start. She was involved with the civil rights movement, and performed all over the world. In 2016, she had part of Madison Avenue here in Detroit named in her honor during Detroit Music Weekend.The sign is shown here, taken this past Tuesday.  One of my favorite songs that she covered was You're All I Need To Get By. Rest in Peace. You will be missed by all. 

YouTube Friday: Maynard Ferguson - Birdland

Here is my latest YouTube Friday entry direct from the account of malawolf85. I enjoy this version of Birdland by Maynard Ferguson. I first heard this song in 7th grade, and last heard it a few years ago at a concert at Campus Martius Park in Downtown Detroit by the Navy Band Great Lakes.It is a peppy song, fun, as well.I certainly hope you enjoy it, as well,.

Number Retirement Weekends

This month, namely August 12 and 26,  will be a special one for many fans of the 1984 Detroit Tigers, as well as Tiger Fans everywhere. On August 12, number 47, worn by Jack Morris will be retired, and on August 26, number 3, worn by Alan Trammell, will be retired. The last number to be retired by the Tigers was number 11, for the late Sparky Anderson in 2011. Alan Trammell and Jack Morris were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 29, 2018. There are quite a few people around the country that enjoyed seeing them play at Michigan and Trumbull.  There are still tickets available for both number retirements at Comerica Park. These pictures were taken July 27 and 28 at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan headquarters in downtown Detroit. They usually have light displays for different holidays and special events. 

Vote your Conscience

Today is primary Election Day in most of the United States. This means that in many states, people will be voting for Governor, Congress representatives, senators, and other offices, as well as proposals for transit, schools, public safety, and other issues. Here is some history on Voting from USA.gov  For my American readers, hope you all got to vote today, I did. For all future elections, make sure to go to Vote 411 for all election related topics and issues, and to bring up a sample ballot for your particular area. If you are turning 18 in the coming year, go and register after your 18th Birthday. For all around you,  It is very important that you have a say in what goes on in the world around you. It might seem a bit confusing for some, but vote your conscience, whether you lean left, right, or center, Republican, Democratic or a third party, or vote for issues you feel strongly about, go to the polls and voice these views.

New Bird in Town

I have seen these little scooters around the downtown-Midtown Detroit area here recently. They are called Bird scooters. They are the newest form of efficient transportation in the area, besides the MoGo Bikes. I have seen these in action, they are very fast and efficient. It is an app-based ride, something like Uber and Lyft, but you go to the scooter instead of your ride coming to you. You unlock it, and ride along, using bike lanes and racks whenever possible. I hope to see more of these in my adventures around town. 

Ode to Curtis Jones

Since 2015, I have been learning about the story of Curtis Jones, one of the top basketball players in the city of Detroit. He was called "The Magician" for his skill and overall talent on the basketball court at Northwestern High School, St. Cecilia's Gym and other locations around town. From what I have read, he had, as it would be called nowadays, a Playground style of playing basketball. He made the winning shot of the first televised High School basketball game in the city against Pershing High School. Many people of a certain age remember him fondly. His story is intriguing, because it was revealed that he was illiterate, he couldn't read and write. He was passed through school, even Special Education at that time did not help. After graduating from Northwestern, he was shipped off to North Idaho Junior College for a year and a half. (Here is the 1969 Driftwood yearbook from NIJC. He is featured with the basketball team, Freshman class, Boys' dorm and a few candids). In early 1970, after a few separate incidences, some people on campus found out he was illiterate, and many on campus made light of his situation, so much that he had a nervous breakdown and returned home to Detroit, where he lived with his mother while receiving treatment at Northville Psychiatric Hospital for Schizophrenia. In the Early 1980s (two separate links here), he filed a $15 Million dollar lawsuit against Detroit Public Schools, North Idaho Junior College and the University of Michigan for failure to educate and other charges. He lost the lawsuit a few years later. He would walk around town, showing his basketball skills to young people he encountered on basketball courts and playgrounds around the city. He died from Pneumonia in Detroit in March 1999. One of the articles that I found interesting from his life was from September 1990, Labor Day weekend: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. A documentary was produced on his life in 2015, and released in 2016. I had never heard of his story until it was announced in March 2015 that the documentary would be made. It is fascinating to hear about what happened. I know that there are laws in place nowadays here in Michigan and across the country that say that if a child cannot read by the time they are in at least third grade, they are to be held back until they can, or receive extra help in reading. There was a program in Detroit, "Reading Corps" that helped kids read, but I am not sure if that is still running or not. What are some programs near you that help kids and adults learn to read and write?

Long time, no write...

Wow! Long time since my last post. I have been doing well, for the most part. Five seasons at my Job in Guest Relations (since 2014), and I didn't think I'd last that long. Job responsibilities have grown as I have. Lots of changes in my life, gained some new family members, lost one, and am getting back on my feet after some meds nearly took me out a couple of years ago. I'll try to blog when I get a chance and as time permits.