Do you know this woman?

She inspired two of rock’s all-time great story songs.

Her name is Clare MacIntyre. She was working as a counsellor for the Fresh Air Fund camp during the summer of 1960. A fellow camp counsellor was a young lad named Harry Chapin.

A summer romance blossomed between the two. That in turn developed into a serious two-year relationship.

Clare’s father was the head of Eastern Airlines and Harry was just some kid from the wrong side of the tracks. Malcolm MacIntyre did not approve of Harry and the relationship eventually ran its course.

Fast forward to a Friday in 1969. Harry is out of work and applies for a hack license so he can drive a taxi (you can see where this story is leading). Now, from their relationship, Harry knows that Clare never took the subways. Her father insisted that she always take a cab. So, all that weekend in 1969, Harry is wondering, “What happens if Clare gets in my taxi? What would I say?” Come Monday, Harry is so bothered by that possibility that he never reports to his job at the cab company.

Instead, Harry writes a song about the situation he has imagined. He changes the locale from Manhattan to San Francisco and changes Clare’s name to “Sue.”

And that’s how Harry Chapin’s “Taxi” came to be written.

Years later, Chapin wrote a second great song about the couple, aptly titled “Sequel.”

How much of the second song is based on fact? You’ll have to decide for yourself as Harry never commented on it.

With all of the CSI-style forensic cop shows on TV, it may be hard to remember that network television was once ruled by cowboys and two-fisted private eyes.

One of the first of the shamuses was Richard Diamond, Private Detective.

The show was one of the first on TV because it had been a long-running, successful radio series. The radio show was created by Blake Edwards, who was later to create TV detective Peter Gunn as well as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau of Pink Panther film fame.

 Diamond had been played on radio by Dick Powell, but when it made the jump to CBS television, Powell stepped behind the camera as Executive Producer. In his place a young David Janssen was cast, beginning what was a very long career as a television star (The Fugitive, O’Hara, U.S. Treasury, Harry O, etc.).

Wishing you a safe and Bewitching Thanksgiving!

The feasting season is here! From Thanksgiving to New Year’s, there will be ample opportunity to become, well, more ample in the weight department!

This year, making smart choices at holiday parties and dinners may help you avoid the yearly weight loss resolutions on New Year’s Day. Here are the foods you should be looking for…

Veggies – Everyone knows that our green and yellow buddies in the vegetable kingdom can fill us up without filling us out
Shrimp Cocktail – High in protein and low in fat
Pork Tenderloin, Turkey or Ham – For the meat-lovers, nutritionists say these are your best choices for maintaining balance in your diet
Swedish Meatballs - Another protein-rich option

Of course, none of these foods gives you a license to over-eat. They just give you a fighting chance to make it through the holidays without packing on the pounds

Just a reminder that yu can register your smart phone as well as your land line (if you still have a land line) on the National Do Not Call registry.

There are 2 ways to do this:

1.) Visit donotcall.gov

2/) Call 888-382-1222

Keep in mind that it takes 31 days from the day you register for your registration to become effective and that charities and political groups are still legally allowed to contact you.