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how our lives have evolved ... our thoughts on the World we live in today ... 
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Guess you have probably seen the news about the shooting in Binghamton, NY....yes, it's close to me. We could be there in less than 15 minutes....the cities of Binghamton, Johnson city, Endicott, Vestal (where I live) and others all butt up against each other, so you hardly know when you leave one and enter the next. This is one of those places where nothing like this ever happens....nor would you want it to. Yes, we have the same problems most cities face with drugs and crime, but usually it's domestic stuff, or teens, or something like that. There's very little "gang" type stuff, etc......We have Binghamton University, Broome Community College, public schools that get high ratings, and several private church affiliated schools, and a Boces..... This is known as the Carousel Capital of the World....there are probably 10 old carousels around that are maintained, open to the public and never any charge to ride. Most are from the '20's and 30's......Museums, yes; old mansions, yes. ....We have the Binghamton Mets double A baseball team with a gorgeous stadium....The Binghamton Senators hockey team, and a NY Jets football farm team. The Tri-cities opera and the Forum Theatre (broadway shows occasionally), Cider Mill Playhouse, Binghamton Symphony, Strawberry Festivals and Maple Festivals, ethnic festivals of various kinds...snow skiing.... etc... etc... Yet, you can literally be out of town in 5 minutes....big enough to have lots of things to do, and small enough to not overwhelm you. Economy has been relatively stable for years with industry and retail doing quite well....not that there haven't been a number of changes over the years. This is the birth place of IBM and Endicott-Johnson shoes, although both of those industries have deminished greatly, others have come up. Rod Serling (Twilight Zone) and Johnny Hart (B.C. and Wizard of ID comic strips) are from this area. We have deer everywhere, geese, turkey, pheasant, fishing....and yes, more bears than I would like....three major hospitals, so plenty of health care....shopping...oh, boy, plenty of that....well you get the picture...great place to raise a family. Only thing I don't like is the length of the winters and taxes...hehe. Guess you can't have everything.......I've included a link to the town I work in...about 20 miles away...that was recently in the "Coolest small town in America" contest.....don't know if they won yet, the voting just ended. Some folks may find it amusing. Owego, NY .....Richard Jones |
Binghamton, NY Submitted by Richard Jones ....|
Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846. John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946. Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860. John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960. Both were particularly concerned with civil rights. Both wives lost their children while living in the White House. Both Presidents were shot on a Friday. Both Presidents were shot in the head. Lincoln 's secretary was named Kennedy. Kennedy's Secretary was named Lincoln. Both were assassinated by Southerners. Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson. Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808. Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908. John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839. Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939. Both assassins were known by their three names. Both names are composed of fifteen letters. Lincoln was shot at the theater named 'Ford'. Kennedy was shot in a car called 'Lincoln' made by 'Ford'. Lincoln was shot in a theater and his assassin ran and hid in a warehouse. Kennedy was shot from a warehouse and his assassin ran and hid in a theater. Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials. A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland. A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn Monroe. |
