Happy Friday!  Congratulations of making it through another week of social distancing!  These are indeed unusual times for all of us.  Why not kick off your weekend with a laugh?  Below are some interesting newspaper corrections that I dug up.

Enjoy!  Best Wishes for Easter and Passover!!

“In a Sunday Image article about hyaluronic acid, a skin-care ingredient and injectable filler, Dr. Nowell Solish was quoted as saying that if people change their minds after receiving an injection, there is an anecdote. It should have quoted him as saying there is an antidote.”

“There was an error printed in a story titled ‘Pigs float down the Dawson’ on Page 11 of yesterday’s Bully. The story, by reporter Daniel Burdon, said ‘more than 30,000 pigs were floating down the Dawson River’. What Baralaba piggery owner Sid Everingham actually said was ’30 sows and pigs’, not ’30,000 pigs’. The Morning Bulletin would like to apologise for this error, which was also reprinted in today’s Rural Weekly CQ before the mistake was known.”

“The candidate likes to spend his free time reading Tolstoy, and not watching Toy Story, as originally reported”

“In a recipe for salsa published recently, one of the ingredients was misstated, due to an error.  The correct ingredient is ‘2 tsp. of cilantro’ istead of ‘2 tsp. of cement.”

“A headline on an item in the Feb. 5 edition of the Enquirer Bulletin incorrectly stated ‘Stolen groceries.’ It should have read ‘Homicide.’

“An April 5 story stated that Mary Fraijo did not return a reporter’s calls seeking comment. Fraijo died last December.”

“There was an error in the Dear Abby column that was published on Monday.  In the fifth paragraph. the second sentence stated that Charlie’s hiccups were cured temporarily through the use of carbon monoxide. It should have read carbon dioxide.”

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another. \” ~ James Matthew Barrie

http://WWW.QUOTEGARDEN.COM

We are probably all getting a bit stir-crazy, a bit fatigued and a bit concerned about what is going on in the world.  The world is in flux and there is a lot of uncertainly.  Yet in the midst of all of this, let me suggest something that is contagious and worth sharing – a smile.  While we are all practicing social distancing we can still acknowledge one another.  A wave, a nod, a smile will cost you nothing and will help brighten the world just a little bit.

I started running a couple of decades ago.  Running tends to be a rather solitary experience, thus I spend a nice chunk of time outside by myself.  I think this is pretty typical for runners.  Runners tend to welcome the momentary distraction of a wave, a smile and a “hello” as we pass on the road.  I seldom find that I get ignored by another runner, if I am ignored it tends to be a younger, really serious runner who is so focused on the run that he or she is trying to block out all distractions and “find the zone.” 

However, I am a bit amazed by how often I am ignored when I am out running.  I will look up, nod and wave to anyone I see, but this is not always returned.  I live in a residential area, and there is never a crowd of people out.  So, I find it interesting that some folks simply ignore my existence or pull up the phone to look at it the moment we pass.  I like dogs but I am a little perturbed by the folks that have to talk to their dog the moment we pass so that they can ignore me.

These days it seems that there are more people out walking in my neighborhood. So as I run or walk I will look up at anyone I pass and smile and say “hello” I hope you will do the same and maybe in spite of all else that is going on, we can be a little more friendly to each other.  Share a smile and pass it on.

We are smack dab in the middle of the hype for the Big Game (like Valdemort only the fearless dare write the words “Super Bowl”).  I have  seen stories on the national network news  about who will sing the National Anthem; I have heard commercials for the morning shows talking about what the commercials will be during the game;  I have seen ads for how to make your Big Game party the best Big Game party ever.  It seems like everywhere you turn there is a Big Game Challenge.  Well here is my big game challenge – just say no – don’t watch it.

Call me crazy, but let’s be ultra radical, counter cultural rebels this year and just ignore the whole thing.  Let me say that I was ahead of my time on this one.  It has nothing to do with politics, I stopped watching the Super Bowl years ago.  Why?  Because this whole thing has gotten completely out of control.  This is a football game, albeit a very big championship game, but it is still a football game.  And why do people gather to watch this particular football game? Apparently  they spend a lot of money on food and invite people over to watch commercials and a half-time show that would make Milli Vanilli look good!  People spend time, effort and money to host a party to watch commercials?  And you think I’m the crazy one here??

A number of years ago, I awoke on the Sunday of the Big Game, turned on the TV BEFORE going to church and the pregame show had already started.  The game would not be starting for more than twelve hours.  That day, a little light went on for me and I decided I would never watch another Super Bowl.  I will flip to the station a time or two or check the score on the internet, but I refuse to watch the game.  (I will make an exception if the Bengals ever make it back, but hey what are the odds of that ever happening?)

Think about it, this week we will hear all the questions about the Big Game, some might even make sense; however someone will probably come up with a gem like the one that was asked Dallas running back Emmitt Smith prior to Super Bowl XXVII.  A brilliant journalist asked him, “What are you going to wear in the game Sunday?”

Admittedly many people watch the game for the commercials.  This Sunday advertisers will pay over $5 million for a thirty-second commercial.  For Super Bowl I, that same amount of money would have bought most of the time that the game aired. If any of the commercials are good, I can always watch them on You Tube.

Some people watch it for the half-time show which is supposedly one of the most watched events in the country.  Early on, the halftime featured college and high school marching bands.  Over the years the halftime show has featured Al Hirt three times, Carol Channing twice, Up With People a record four times, Michael Jackson and wardrobe malfunction sister Janet, Diana Ross, Blues Brothers and who could forget 1989 when halftime featured, Elvis Presto an Elvis impersonator AND a magician!  In 2012 three million more people watched the halftime show than watched the game!  Maybe this is not a championship football game with a halftime show; maybe it is a fifteen minute show with half a football game before and after it?  

Just for fun – here is the Up With People halftime show from Super Bowl XVI which the Bengals actually played in.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxK3qTsj_eE

Come be a rebel and join me in my quixotic quest, we can change the world one television set at a time.