Big Chuck
- Big Chuck
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- Monday, May 10, 2010
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I Was Just Thinking: Conversations with a local history-maker
Every day, history is made in Bloomville, New York. No, really. History is made there! George Haynes Jr. is the owner of Catskill Castings. I stopped by for a visit with George last week, and all the while we chatted, we were literally surrounded by history. George’s company is the sole maker of New York state historical markers _ you know, the blue and yellow signs ubiquitous on country roads and city parkways.
- Monday, April 26, 2010
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I Was Just Thinking: Memories of my old friend Kate Smith
Saturday will be a very big day for a very big lady with a very big voice. Kate Smith, she of the great girth and the legendary voice, will finally receive the most singular honor any American can achieve. "The Great Kate" is getting her own postage stamp.
- Monday, March 29, 2010
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I Was Just Thinking: Rogues' gallery of lieutenant governors past
The funhouse carnival that is Albany these days is, in my opinion, about ready to present us with another gift. Another unelected governor!
- Monday, March 15, 2010
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I Was Just Thinking: I'm more than a little Irish
They say everybody is a "little bit Irish" on St. Patrick's Day. Because my last name has two capital letters, an apostrophe and ends in a vowel, everybody assumes that I am a paesano through and through. Well, I am always looking for a meatball with my name on it, but on St. Paddy's Day, I have a lot more in common with an Irish jig than I do with an Italian tarantella.
- Sunday, February 28, 2010
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I Was Just Thinking: Sock hop brings back memories of dancing days
Recently, my radio station, WDOS, was one of the hosts of a giant 1950s sock hop at the Oneonta Moose Club. It was a charity event, and it sold out immediately. It was great fun.
- Monday, February 15, 2010
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I Was Just Thinking: Smoking wasn't always taboo
Recently I had a chance to visit with the "younger set" for a while. A set, unfortunately, that is getting much, much younger, or I am getting much, much older. A funny thing came up: TV cigarette advertising.
- Monday, February 1, 2010
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I Was Just Thinking: Near or far, tragedy is tough to take
It has been a rough couple of weeks since we last communicated. We said goodbye to two young people who really made a difference. Marine Cpl. Nick Uzenski, 26, died in combat in Bar Now Zad, Afghanistan, on Jan. 10. He died in a place about as far away from his home in Franklin as you can get on a map.
- Monday, January 18, 2010
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I Was Just Thinking: 'Final exits' of other celebrities also of note
While the headlines last year certainly belonged to the marquee obituaries of Ted Kennedy, Michael Jackson, Patrick Swayze, Walter Cronkite and others, I'd like to give a final month-by-month tip of the hat to a dozen who left the national scene in 2009, but maybe, somehow, we missed their final exits.
- Monday, January 4, 2010
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I Was Just Thinking: 'Big Chuck' brings experiences, ideas from behind mic to new column gig
“HELLO, THERE!” Hey, wait a minute. I’m a radio guy! When I first received an invitation to join The Daily Star as a columnist, I had to stop and think about it.



