FRIDAY DEC 21ST 2012

I am still here and you are still there...I guess the Mayan calendar was Dated afterall. No end of the world but it seems to be the end of the green world here in Orr Lake with a fair bit of snow coming down.(enough to cover the ground at this point. This date equates to huge storms in 1979 and 1980 in our area so lets hope that doesn't. happen today. In 2012, the earliest winter since 1896 arrived with the solstice at 6:12 A.M. this morning...and it seems to be living up to that billing,although some reports put it on the 20th as well. The last time Winter Solstice was on the 20th was 2008. confusing yes? But not as confusing as the Mayan calendar. 1913: The first crossword puzzle was published, in the New York World..and its had an "up and down" career ever sense.1955: Singer Laverne Baker recorded "Jim Dandy:" in New York City. On the subject of music. Today marks the death of Captain Merton Plunkett of Orillia, founder of the DUMBELLS, a vaudeville group which brought laughter and good cheer to troops on the front line in World War 1. After the war they went on tour and became the first Canadian show and musical review to appear on Broadway 1993: TV Guide reported that early "Gilligan's Island" press releases gave Gilligan's first name as "Willy." The name never was used on the TV show. in our birthday dept actress Jane Fonda is 75 today and Jack Bauer better know as Kiefer Sutherland is 46. Today would have been Jane Fonda and Ted Turner's wedding anniversary, but things didn't work out. Reportedly, the marriage fell apart when Jane suggested he leave all those old movies alone and colourize his hair. On this day in 1891 the first basketball game was played, and it lasted only a couple of minutes because players hadn't taken off they snowboots and ended up dribbling all over the wooden floor. CHEERS