"Beatlemania" claims another victim!

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.

We can say for certain, as each individual’s life follows a different path, but we can generalize based on the latest statistics from the government.

If you are a 65-year old woman, count on an average of 20.6 more years. If you are a 65-year old man, the average is 18 more years.

If you are Keith Richards, all bets are off!

Farrah Fawcett sold a lot of posters in the 1970’s, but did you know she also inspired a multi-million dollar song?

It’s true! Her offhand comment inspired composer Jim Weatherly to write “Midnight Train to Georgia.”
But Farrah never said anything about a plane or Georgia.

The year was 1970 and Farrah was the girlfriend of TV’s Six Million-Dollar Man, Lee Major. She was at Majors’ home one afternoon when the phone rang. Lee was busy, so Fawcett answered the call. It was Majors’ friend, songwriter Jim Weatherly. As the two chatted, Farrah remarked that she was leaving that night to take the midnight plane to Houston.

After they hung up, the phrase haunted Weatherly. In less than an hour, Weatherly had his song. He recorded it for his very first solo album, but “Midnight Plane to Houston” received very little attention.

Shortly thereafter, another record producer called asking if he could use the song for an album he was working on with R&B singer Cissy Houston. When Weatherly said okay, the producer asked if he could make a slight change in the song’s title. He wanted to change to location of the song to Georgia to avoid singer Houston’s name also appearing in the song’s title. He also wanted to change the plane to a train, thinking that mode of transportation would resonated better with the R&B audience.

The changes were made, but Cissy’s version also garnered little airplay.

Finally, in 1973, Gladys Knights & the Pips decided to record an entire album of Weatherly’s songs. One of the tunes they picked was “Midnight Train to Georgia.” It roared to the top of both the pop and the R&B charts and became one of Knight’s signature songs.

We all remember To Tell the Truth. It ran once a week on CBS’s prime-time schedule from 1956 to 1967. A 5-day-a-week daytime version was added in 1962 and ran until 1968.

Each episode started with the camera panning across three figures who were shrouded in darkness. The announcer would ask each “What is your name, please.” The lights would come up on each one in turn as they all gave the exact same name.

Then host Bud Collyer would read “a signed affidavit” that explained the unusual story of that round’s central character.

Following that, a celebrity panel of four (usually Tom Poston, Peggy Cass, Orson Bean and Kitty Carlisle) would ask questions, trying to figure out who really gave their true name and which two were imposters.

Finally, Bud would intone, “Would the real [person’s name], please stand up!”
There was some faking out with the contestants until finally, the real person in question would rise to their feet.

But “to tell the truth,” there are some things most of us have forgotten or simply never knew about this beloved game show classic.

1. The Show Was Almost Named Nothing But the Truth

The key phrase comes from the oath witnesses take in court “to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” When Goodson & Todman produced the pilot, they called it Nothing But the Truth. When CBS bought the pilot, the title was changed to To Tell the Truth.

2. Bud Collyer Was Not the Original Host

Mike Wallace hosted the pilot, but the network decided to go with Collyer, who was already hosting Beat the Clock when the show debuted in December of 1956.

3. Mark Goodson and Bill Todman Did Not Create the Show

It was created by one of their employees, a guy named Bob Stewart. While with Goodson-Todman, Stewart also created The Price Is Right and Password. Eventually, Stewart formed his own production company that created many network game shows, the most successful being The $10,000 Pyramid.

4. The Show Offered Very Little Cash to Contestants

On the daytime version, stumping the panelists paid $100 for every incorrect vote for a possible maximum of just $400, which had to be divided 3 ways (who got the extra penny, we don’t know). Should they not stump the panel at all, they got to split a measly $75.

On the prime-time version, the maximum payout was a little better: $1,000 with a $150 consolation prize if no one was fooled.

5. The Show Spawned 12 International Versions

Local versions of To Tell the Truth were also produced in the UK, Australia, Thailand, the Ukraine and 8 other countries.

6. The Show Is One of Only 2 Game Shows to Be Broadcast for 7 Consecutive Decades

After To Tell the Truth ended its initial run on CBS, it has been revived in syndication and on NBC and ABC. It has aired at least one new episode in every decade from the 1950s to the present. In fact, ABC has announced the show will be returning to that network in the spring of this year! The other 7-decade run is Bob Stewart’s The Price Is Right.

And that’s the truth, we swear it!

Today’s cyber-scammers are using your own good traits against you!

The latest email threats will involve using your good habits to get you to lower your guard and click on links that can hack your computer or smartphone and/or deliver malware!

• Hard Worker Email scammers now launch most of their phishy emails early in the day when you are likely to be hard at work and distracted as you try to keep your inbox updated. Experts say, slow down and don’t fall for subject lines like: “Final Reminder,” “Immediate Action Required” or “Open Immediately.”
• Inquisitive Your quest for more knowledge or self-Improvement can be used against you. Beware of emails promising you free iPhones, trips, etc. for “taking a short survey.”
• Good-Natured Perhaps the most insidious of all scams, these thieves monitor your social media accounts and then send you emails specifically targeted to subjects in which you have shown an interest. Be careful what personal information you share via social media and don’t accept invitations from strangers to become online friends.

It varies for each person and their financial situation.

But here are some general guidelines:

• You can start collecting at age 62
• Your benefits go up an average of 76% if you wait until age 70
• After age 66, there is no penalty on additional income you may be earning

When those city-slickers talk about being "a good sport," goodness will have nothing to do with it!