Sunfield Area SPY's Report---9/17/09

The Area’s Top Notch News Source

* The Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth would like to acknowledge some recent
contributions to the Scholarship Fund. They came in from the following fine folks---

+ John & Sandra Fisher donated in memory of Kathryn Guy.

+ LeRoy Jackson & Elaine Merryfield gave in memory of Wendell Clinton and Kathryn Guy.

+ We had an Anonymous contribution to the Danny Rumfield Memorial Fund.

+ Oren & Rosie Best gave in memory of Brenda Cheal.

+ Flo Sayer made donations in memory of Ila Cheal; Brenda Cheal; Katheryn Guy; and Irene Plunkett.

We thank you all for using this means to help us help kids!

* Trivia Question-Of-The-Week: Who was the original host of American Bandstand?
(Answer later in this column).

* Scott McWhorter, chairman of the SPY's Adopt-A-Highway project, would like to formally
acknowledge the small but utterly fantastic crew of helpers that turned out last Saturday to
pick up trash along M-43 from Shaytown Road on the East side of town, to Round Lake Road
on the West side. A BIG thank you goes out to Jim Peabody; Larry Terpstra; and John &
Sandy Fisher. The crew was small, but mighty. Your efforts to keep the local area spiffed up
are indeed appreciated.

* Thought #1: Only two things are necessary to keep one’s wife happy. One is to let her think she is having her own way; the other---to let her have it.

* The SPY’s fabulous 50’s / 60’s Dance returns on Saturday, October 10th for it’s 33rd. BIG year! Tickets are available now and are still only $10 per person in advance, or $15 at the door. You can lay in your supply of tickets from any of the following:

Juaise Peabody (566-8547)
Janet Keefer (649-8878)
Denny & Luanne Shoemaker (566-8391)
John & Sandy Fisher (566-8278)
Craig & Jackie Mulholland (566-8859)
Joel & Deb McDowell (616-374-7705)



* Andy Woodman’s Sports Trivia Question-Of-The-Week: When the Professional Baseball Hall-Of-Fame was first established in 1936, who were the first five players to be inducted?
 (Answer later in this column)

* “Honest Roy’s” Quote-Of-The-Week: “When you think about it. God has to be the best inventor of all time. He took a rib from Adam and made a loudspeaker.”

* The “Sports Trivia Just For Ward ‘Smarty-Pants’ Mac Cready Question-Of-The-Week: Back in the decade of 1920 to 1930, a member of the New York Yankees won the home run championship each of those years except one. Babe Ruth had eight of the ten titles and his teammate Bob Meusel had one. Who was the only player that broke the Yankee stranglehold on the home run championship during that period? (Answer later in this column).

* Swede’s Groaner Corner: Editing is a rewording activity.

* NOTICE: The SPY’s next Texas Hold ‘Em event at Tripper’s in Lansing will be coming up Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, October 12th. thru 14th. Sam Coan has taken over as chairman of these events for us. He will be looking for volunteers to do a shift or two. We will be doing the same type of work that we did before, (ie: selling chips and doing table rakes). We only need 2 people per shift to run things. Why not give Sam a call at 566-7182 and let him know you’d like to help.

* Louie “Trouble-Shooter” Trowbridge’s Tip-Of-The-Week: Here’s a batch of quickies for you this week. These are all great helpful hints---

+ To clean a thermos bottle---Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).

+ Another way to unclog a drain---Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes,
and then run the hot water.

+ Here’s something else you can do with Alka Seltzer--- Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous china

+ Did you know that if you spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains.

* Thought #2: Why is it...if you cross the North Korean border illegally you get 12 years hard labor. But if you cross the U.S. border illegally you get a drivers license, social security card, and free health care? (We really are stupid!)


* The next time you happen to see Larry “The Club Carter” Terpstra, ask him how many trips it takes to the golf course to deliver his wife Katie’s clubs.

* The Calendars are in! The Calendars are in! The 40th. annual edition of the Sunfield Area
SPY's "Community Celebration Calendar" is in! If you placed an order for one, it will be
coming your way soon, if it hasn't been delivered already. If you didn't get your order in but
would like to get one of these great community building / kid's programs supporting items,
just contact project chairman Rosie Best at 566-8858, or you can pick one up at the Sunfield
IGA. The cost is still just $4.

* Trivia Question-Of-The-Week Answer: Bob Horn was a radio and television personality in Philadelphia best known for being the original host of Bandstand, which later became American Bandstand, on WFIL-TV which first aired on October 7, 1952. On July 9, 1956, Horn, fired after a drunk driving conviction, was replaced by Dick Clark. The show was picked up by ABC (becoming American Bandstand) on August 5, 1957 and went on to great success with Dick Clark as host.

* Andy Woodman’s Sports Trivia Question-Of-The-Week Answer: They were Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson

* The “Sports Trivia Question Just For ‘Smarty-Pants’ Mac Cready Question-Of-The-Week Answer: It was Kenneth Roy Williams was an American outfielder who played Major League Baseball for 14 seasons. His best season came in 1922 with the St. Louis Browns, when he led the American League with 39 home runs and 155 RBIs. More significantly, he became the first player in history to have 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season. This would not be achieved again until Willie Mays did it in 1956 with the New York Giants.

* To find out more about the SPY’s organization, download forms or applications, or catch-up on past issues of the “Dirt Sheet”, go to the SPY’s website at www.sunfieldspys.org.

* Final Thought: (This comes in from Rob Baykian, who has been reporting the goings-on at the State Capitol since 1981). You know with all of the hub-bub lately about trying to get a budget (again) established in Lansing, and more interest in creating new taxes rather than cutting pork that we can no longer afford, here is an interesting concept.

“Again this year, one of the very few growth “industries” in the state is the political contribution industry. While funding and spending are up, auto sales and tourism (and indeed most of the economy) are down. But still you get dead silence when it is suggested that Michigan, or the United States in general for that matter, start imposing an income tax on all political contributions (as well as the movement of that money once it enters the political fund stream). It baffles me why a family that, for example, wants to give a son or daughter more than $13,000 to help them with a first home purchase must worry about causing tax implications (via the gift tax), but when a big contributor wants to “influence” public policy, (by the way, what’s the difference between a bribe and political contribution anyway), there’s no income-type tax on it. Obviously, why would makers of law want to impose a tax on the life-blood of politics? But they should anyway. It just goes to show that no matter how dire things get economically, that the politicians will always work the hardest to protect their sacred cows.

* MDXXXXVIII