Thoughts

The first time I ever took my wife out on a date was almost 50 years ago. The movie was the James Bond classic "Goldfinger", starring Sean Connery. We viewed the movie at the Majestic Theater on Broad Street in Tamaqua, and later went for a late-night bite to eat at the Palma Maria restaurant, also on Broad Street.

Fifty years later there's no more Majestic Theater (It's now a seniors living place). There's no more Palma Maria in Tamaqua (too bad, because the place really had good food), but there's still James Bond movies. So I guess one out of three is the best we can hope for.

I'm glad the people who do the voting for the Baseball Hall of Fame, sent out the correct message this year. That message is: Steroid users won't be rewarded.

The names of players linked to the Steroid scandal, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and Mark MacGwire all received much lower than the 75 percent of the votes needed to be enshrined. And that's the way it should be.

My first paycheck of 2013 was significantly lighter than the last paycheck I received in 2012. To that I have only four words to say. Thank you Mr. President.

If you like a lot of scoring, then last weekend's NFL playoff games were just what you ordered. All four games featured a lot of offensie and a lot of long scoring plays. The only negative thing to come out of those games is that we'll have to put up with the gyrations, taunts and screaming of Ray Lewis of the Ravens for another week. After predicting only one game out of four correctly last weekend, I'll go out on a limb again and wager that New England and San Francisco will advance to the Super Bowl after this week's games.

A quote worth remembering: "Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the Government take care of him; better take a closer look at the American Indian."........Henry Ford

Is it me, or have the Eagles interviewed more candidates for their vacant head coaching job than anyone in the history of the NFL? Everday, they seemed to be calling someone else in for a talk before Chip Kelly decided this week to come aboard for a lot of chips.

A longer school year, as is being proposed in some circles, won't help students learn more. The summer and winter breaks are necessary to help students recharge their batteries. The same goes for teachers.

Pennsylvania's drunk driving law, which many feel encourages drunk drivers to flee accident scenes, needs to be tightened.

I didn't realize until early this week that the Miss America Pageant is no longer held in Atlantic City. It's now held in Las Vegas. When did that come about? Shows how much I've been paying attention.

In case you haven't been following the comics, Nancy's Aunt Fritzi, at long last, has found herself a boyfriend.

The movie, "Les Miserables" was named best musical at hte annual Golden Globes Award. But I have no desire to see it.

Spring must not be too far off. I've already seen television promotions for the Master's Golf Tournament in April. The green grass, azaleas and the yellow jasmine sure look inviting.

Lance Armstrong confessed to Oprah Winfrey that he doped up when he was winning all those bicycle races. Tell us something we don't know, Lance.

It's the Pennsylvania Lottery. So why are we hiring a British firm to run it? Aren't there any Pennsylvanians competent enough?

It's an interesting coincidence that the second inauguration of our first black president should take place on Martin Luther King Day. That's fitting.

Peter King is Sports Illustrated Magazine's resident NFL expert. Hardly anything that goes on in the NFL that he isn't aware of. But even an expert like King can have his human moments. In last week's edition he picked his favorites to go to the Super Bowl - Green Bay and Denver, with Green Bay taking home the Lombardi trophy. As we all know, Green Bay and Denver players will be watching the game in their living rooms thanks to the heroics of San Francisco and Baltimore.