'It's a Wonderful Life' in Jimmy Stewart's hometown (USA Today)

Through USA Today:

INDIANA, Pa. (AP) — If you're a fan of the classic Christmas movie It's a Wonderful Life, consider a visit to the hometown of Jimmy Stewart, who starred in the film as George Bailey.

Indiana, Pa., 55 miles east of Pittsburgh, has a Jimmy Stewart Boulevard, a Jimmy Stewart Museum, a Jimmy Stewart statue outside the courthouse and even a local airport named for him.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2009-12-07-jimmy-stewart-hometown_N.htm

NY Times' Stu Hackel on Canadiens 100th Birthday (NY Times)

"...If you didn’t see the Canadiens’ 100th-anniversary celebration on Friday night, you missed something special. It started with their former legendary equipment manager Eddie Palchack dumping a couple of buckets of pucks on the ice…

…and many of the greatest in Habs history skating out for a short pregame warm-up. Even Ken Dryden, who hadn’t put on goalie pads since his last game in 1979, when Montreal beat the Rangers for the Stanley Cup, took shots. The hourlong ceremony, with words from Serge Savard, Patrick Roy, Guy Lafleur, Gordie Howe and Jean Beliveau, is worth seeing and it is on CBC’s Web site (video). Plus, there are some great interviews from former Canadiens on Habs Inside/Out (the Dryden interviews on CBC and Habs Inside/Out are especially illuminating, of course).

In a night full of surprises, the Habs retired the numbers of their oldest alumni, Emile “Butch” Bouchard, a defenseman and captain in the post-World War II era and his teammate, another former captain, Elmer Lach, the center of the famous Punch Line with Rocket Richard and Toe Blake:

When he retired in 1954, Lach was the leading scorer in N.H.L. history, and that should have been reason enough for the Habs to celebrate his career long ago. Even the team that leads the world in ceremonies somehow missed that one until now.

While critics may have felt the Canadiens overdid the whole anniversary thing for the last 15 months, there’s no denying that every ceremony was exceptionally well planned and executed and this one ranks with the closing of the Forum in 1996 as the best. And it inspired the home team to play one of their better games of the season.
..."

http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/the-morning-skate-philly-follies-detroit-pride-and-montreal-memories/

Montreal Canadiens Turn 100

It was december 4, 1909 that the Montreal Canadiens played their first game.

A century later the team is marking the occasion tonight as they play their Centenray game at home against the Boston Bruins.

Canadiens are not much to write home about these days - seemingly in a perpetual rebuilding mode. It's been over 16 years since their last Stanley Cup.

But at least for afew minutes tonight that will all be forgotten as the past meets the present at the Bell Centre.

The excellent Dave Stubbs called this video to our attention: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt9Gj4JGZk4

There's more, cortesy of Mr. Stubbs, at: http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/25215- especially this look form Dick Irvin: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2008/12/18/canadiens-hundreth-topfive.html#socialcomments

Passing: Tommy Henrich, Yankee Great

By RICHARD GOLDSTEIN
Published: December 1, 2009

Tommy Henrich, the right fielder known as Old Reliable who helped propel the Yankees to seven World Series championships, died on Tuesday December 1 in Dayton, Ohio. He was 96.

Playing with the Yankees for 11 seasons, Henrich proved a timely hitter, an outstanding defensive player and a leader who epitomized the image of the classy Yankee who was nearly always a winner.

He was part of a celebrated outfield, teaming up with Joe DiMaggio in center and Charlie Keller in left. Making his debut under Manager Joe McCarthy and concluding his career with Casey Stengel’s powerful postwar clubs, he played on Yankee teams that won eight pennants.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/obituaries/02henrich.html?hpw

On Being Thankful at Thanksgiving

In a strange way, the continuing economic crisis (yes they tell us that their recession is over - whoever the "they" are - we are still smarting!) has made one even more sensitive to the ways that we are blessed. Somehow, you dig in and dig down. We'll make it through. In the meantime, we gather and express our gratitude for the good things - family, health, the opportunity to make things better.

Happy Thanksgiving, and may you similraly be guided by an authentic sense of thanks (and enjoy the turkey and football).

Here are some of our favorite Thanksgiving features that always manage to put us in the right mood for the day:

* Bob Edwards' Thanksgiving Fantasy Feast (NPR)
Getting ready for Thanksgiving and don't know what to make ?For every Thanksgiving from 1993 until he left NPR a couple of years back, through the miracle of audio editing, Morning Edition host Bob Edwards would create an annual tradition that brought together the creme de la creme of cookery for a fantasy holiday feast. Here is celebrity chef potluck sampling from 2003 featuring Julia Child, Maida Heatter, Paul Prudhomme and Wolfgang Puck -- and one would-be party crasher.This link includes a pair of recipes from the invited gourmet guests -- and a link to the party crasher's recipe.http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=857578



* Charles Kuralt on Thanksgiving In Prairie, Mississippi (You Tube/CBS News)
From You Tube - Originally from CBS News:Charles Kuralt tells the story of the homecoming of 9 children of Alex and Mary Chandler for parents' 50th wedding anniversary and Thanksgiving in 1978. The family remembers the old sharecropper's cabin and lifestyle. From humble beginnings, now all 9 children are college grads.Watch it and be thankful.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adsc6kW1Spk



*Susan Stamberg's Cranberry Relish Tradition (NPR)
From NPR News:Here's another Thanksgiving tradition, courtesy of NPR.Every year since 1971, NPR's Susan Stamberg has managed to sneak on the air her mother-in-law's recipe for cranberry relish. She's sprinkled it into dialogue from movies, tricked celebrities into reading it and even had it put to music. The Thanksgiving tradition continues.http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4175681Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish Recipe:http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4176014

In a Spirit of Gratitude & Thanks...

Simple Gifts from Appalachian Spring
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiLTwtuBi-o

Bing Crosby - "Counting Your Blessings"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DARnIsN2bc

A Thanksgiving Reflection

This came to us via our friend Sylvia Allen (http://allenconsulting.com). We wanted to share it with you.

More Than A Day

As Thanksgiving Day rolls around,
It brings up some facts, quite profound.
We may think that we're poor,
Feel like bums, insecure,
But in truth, our riches astound.

We have friends and family we love;
We have guidance from heaven above.
We have so much more
Than they sell in a store,
We're wealthy, when push comes to shove.

So add up your blessings, I say;
Make Thanksgiving last more than a day.
Enjoy what you've got;
Realize it's a lot,
And you'll make all your cares go away.

By Karl Fuchs

Happy Thanksgiving !

Beacons to light sky above seven New Jersey Revolutionary War signal fires sites (NJNewsroom)

BY TOM HESTER SR.
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Now here's a really cool event for Thanksgiving Eve.

Celebrate "Evacuation Day" with the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area and history community activists on Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at seven sites in New Jersey where xenon light displays will reach into the sky to provide a modern day reenactment of the signal fires that burned 226 years ago to celebrate the evacuation of New York City by the defeated British army.

The beacon sites, which will actually stretch 108 miles from Princeton to Beacon, N.Y., closely replicate signal locations used by the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.

http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/movies/beacons-to-light-sky-above-seven-new-jersey-revolutionary-war-signal-fires-site

NPR's Carl Kasell Leaving Newscasts (NPR)

From National Public Radio:

By Mark Memmott
November 23, 2009

Carl Kasell, who has been on the air with NPR since 1975 and has brought listeners the news of joyous events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and tragedies such as the 9/11 attacks in 2001, is planning to give his final newscast on Dec. 30 at 11 a.m. ET.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2009/11/nprs_carl_kasell_leaving_newsc.html

Manhattan Pickle Emporium Still Has Juice (NPR)

From NPR News:

by Sarah Reynolds


"What good is a steak or a hot dog without pickles? Everybody has their own taste. I like half sours, my mother loves sours" - Len Zurling, customer

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113763154