In her Dec. 8 article “The real inconvenient truth,” published in Canada’s Financial Post newspaper, author Diane Francis declares that “a planetary law, such as China’s one-child policy, is the only way to reverse the disastrous global birthrate.” Also crediting much of the population increase to lower infant mortality and higher life expectancy, Francis goes on to explain that “humankind has not yet recalibrated its behavior to account for the fact that the world can only accommodate so many people.”

Even among the most insistent of modern “save civilization” urgings, this one stands out to me. It stands out not just because it is an oversimplified answer to what some consider a burgeoning problem or even for what still others consider its bordering on absurdity. It stands out to me because its implementation would completely change the family dynamic we have come to know and thought we always would.

A staunch adherence to a global one-child policy would place us one generation away from the complete extinction of the roles of brother and sister and two generations away from the extinction of the roles of aunt, uncle, niece, nephew and cousin. Entire layers of the way we now relate to one another as human beings would oddly be stripped away. Would we really ever be willing to give that up?

In addition to losing part of our physical humanity, we would be at risk of losing a decent-sized chunk of our emotional humanity as well. China is facing an unprecedented gender imbalance due to its favoring of males. Countless Chinese girls have already lost their chance at life simply by carrying an extra X chromosome in a country where many parents are only given one shot at offspring and girls are not at the top of the wish list. Such a situation has led to the consistent thinning of the female population through abortion, abandonment and infanticide, paving the way for a male-heavy populace.

China does make some exceptions to its one-child policy. Included in the reasons for possibly being allowed a second child is the physical or mental disability of a first child. Essentially, this exception to the rule seems to imply that such a child doesn’t quite count. After years of gaining appreciation for the unique qualities of special needs children and pushing for their greater acceptance and integration into our society, the thought of such a step backwards in this country would be an unspeakable tragedy.

Additionally, although a strict one-child policy would mathematically result in a desired negative population growth, such a swift decline in the young, productive population would force a disproportionately large elderly population to eventually fend for themselves. Our social standard of caring for our elderly when they are no longer able would quickly become completely infeasible. So few would just have no way of supporting so many.

It is no doubt frightening to imagine a world where people literally outnumber the amount of resources necessary to sustain life. Most of us want what is best for the future of our planet and our fellow human beings. Yet, would we be willing to give up who we once were and how we once interrelated in order to save ourselves altogether? Is there any other way?

When covering this very topic in a college geography class more than a decade ago, I distinctly remember seeing video of a professor named Julian Simon, who took an interesting stance on the possibility of overpopulation, insisting that such a problem was actually not a problem at all. In stark contrast to opposing views, Simon found such merit in the human ability that he saw human population growth as a constant asset rather than a liability.

At the time, Simon’s glass-half-full optimism when it came to population numbers seemed far-fetched and even somewhat ridiculous. However, after learning our long history of failed end-of-the-world predictions and 34 years of seeing so many fizzle out first hand, I’m starting to think there may have been a method to Simon’s seeming madness.

Having three children and not being able to imagine life without any one of them , along with the fear of losing our sense of humanity in the name of humanity, I’m definitely willing to keep an open mind.

Shannon and her husband Michael are raising three children in Sylvania. Follow her blog online at http://www.WhatsWithWomen.com/ and e-mail her at letters@toledofreepress.com.

When one thinks of the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team today, it is hard to remember a time before the sellout crowds, championship banners swaying in the rafters, and Geno Auriemma was the coach.
In “Geno: In Pursuit of Perfection” (Grand Central Publishing, $16.99), the coach and his co-authors tell humorous stories of practice and facility constraints, player issues, and recruiting struggles. We see the successful coach today and think it must be easy recruiting players to one of the elite programs, but we forget about the struggle he and his staff went through to get to the top.
The book illustrates why landing marquee players like Kerry Bascom and Rebecca Lobo helped give the UCONN program the validity that it needed to accumulate the All-American roster it has today.
The book starts with a foreword written by a former player that any coach in America would be thrilled to have written about them, especially after learning that Coach Auriemma is toughest on his best players. Throughout the book, the underlying measure of Auriemma is the respect and gratitude his players have for him. Yes, he is a very successful coach, but I was equally impressed with how he has positively touched the lives of the players in his program on and off the court. They are extremely loyal to their coach and for good reason.
The book starts out with a history lesson on Auriemma’s roots that helps readers understand why he is so driven. It is interesting to learn that not only did he come to the USA as a poor Italian immigrant, but he didn’t know much English when he arrived. He didn’t use his lack of language skills and poor upbringing as a crutch; instead he found ways to outwork others to accomplish his goals.
Most people envision him as a successful, stubborn and arrogant coach, but it was interesting to learn just how much he questions himself on decisions and worries about the future. Throughout the book his humility shines through and his attention to detail, whether it is a player’s focus or a particular drill in practice being ran perfectly, shows why his teams rarely become complacent.
Auriemma’s unique knack of reading each player and knowing what chords to strike in order to get their best out of their ability is a trait to be revered by all coaches of any sport. His masterful timing (sometimes at the aid of his staff), choice of words, and ability to know each player’s psyche is clearly illustrated no matter the player or role on the team.
There are numerous lessons taught throughout the book that will be helpful to any coach attempting to build a championship program.
It is interesting to learn the key figures who have inspired Auriemma on his climb to success and who continues to inspire him today. Anyone who has read, “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell can easily see the connection between it and Auriemma ‘s story when they learn how fortunate he was to be connected with people like Jim Foster and Phil Martelli when they were just starting out in the high school ranks.
Obviously his work ethic and desire fueled him beyond what he learned from these key individuals, but he is quick to point out his appreciation for them as well as Debbie Ryan from Virginia.
The story of Auriemma ‘s pursuit of perfection is a great lesson plan for every coach to study. I laughed at his stories and appreciated his candor on tough subjects like his relationship with Pat Summit and mistakes he has admittedly made with the media as well as with players.
There’s no doubt why he is such a legendary coach, he isn’t afraid to push himself or his players outside their comfort zone. 

Tricia Cullop is coach of the University Toledo Women’s basketball team.

You only have to stand alongside I-75 for a few moments and count the endless stream of passing cars, SUVs, motor homes, trucks and motorcycles to know that tens of millions of people use this north/south super highway each year.
It was certainly this vast audience potential — plus an inquiring mind, an infectious enthusiasm, a flair for details and a love of travel with family — that prompted Canadian Christine Marks to take on the prodigious task of compiling a mile-by-mile comprehensive driving guide and travel planner for the 1,700 mile trip between Ontario and the Florida Keys.
“I-75 and the 401: A Traveler’s Guide between Toronto and Miami” (Boston Mills Press, $12.95) — now in its fourth edition — is the latest iteration of a 13 year labor of love that has taken Christine and her two daughters to every tourist nook and cranny along the route.
This 256-page, spiral bound paperback has at its core, map pages that show the route in 20 mile segments, mile marker by mile maker, exit by exit, systematically listing every single eatery, motel, service station and tourist site. As a bonus you get 300 coupons for food, lodging, gas and attractions.
Add large sections of historical data, back stories on all relevant states and towns mixed  in with trivia, “did-you-knows,” and descriptions of every accessible tourist attraction, here’s one travel guide that could easily earn its keep in a single trip!
When the first edition of “I-75” came out, Marks reports that her younger daughter was just 1 year old. Now, Emily and Lizzie are an integral part of the publishing team, helping their mother organize material, check facts, take photographs and ultimately ensure that the book always remains family-friendly.
We think it does so. The writing is readable and upbeat.
There are personal anecdotes, and even a day-by-day trip diary written by each member of the family. Enough stuff to while away many hours.
Vital in a project like this, however, is assistance from visitors and convention bureaus along the route…and obviously some have been more helpful than others.
Toledo rates three whole pages of history and attractions with come-on headlines like “More Than A Stopover” and “A Kid Friendly Place.” Bowling Green and Findlay, on the other hand, appear only as exits with listings of fast-food restaurants, lodgings and gas stations.
It’s also clear that on this vast highway of information all the material can never be completely up-to-date or accurate. Businesses open and close. Web sites change. Opening hours alter. Phones disconnect. In the Toledo text, for example,  “COSI” is still included whereas it’s now the “Imagination Station.”  And at one point Greenfield Village is referred to as “Greenwich Village.”
But these are just minor caveats, easily correctable in the next edition. At $24.95 — and with all its bonus coupons — “I-75 and the 401” would make a fine gift for the traveler in your life.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Toledo is working to meet the needs of 280 individuals and families who are seeking assistance through Project Bethlehem, 80 more than past years.
“If you just follow the unemployment rate, which is high, that’s a great indicator,” executive director Bill Sanford said. “You’re dealing with a lot of people who have never been in the system before.”
Individuals or families participating in a Catholic Charities program like financial counseling or housing assistance can seek Christmas gifts provided by sponsors. These sponsors, either individuals or entities, such as parishes or businesses, then provide gifts, often in the form of household necessities.
During the holiday season, Sanford said people are more inclined to help when they see a disparity between what they have and what others do not have.
“I think because of the whole atmosphere about Christmas, it’s an opportunity to educate people of where need is,” Sanford said. “Can we treat Christmas like it’s Christmas more year-round?”
He said Catholic Charities is working to organize volunteers better through collaboration with area parishes to address community needs more effectively.
“I think people want to help, but they may not be able to help by writing a check,” Sanford said. “So, you might say, ‘Can I volunteer at a soup kitchen? Can I volunteer at an outreach center? Can I be in a food pantry?’  I’d like to see us work more at coordinating all that.”
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Toledo has been serving Northwest Ohio since 1914, but according to Sanford, charity work long outdates this organization.
“The Catholic charity movement has been in this country since the 1700s,” he said.
As Christmas approaches, this centuries-old commitment takes on additional importance. According to Sanford, the role of Catholic Charities is to identify need and address it in the best manner possible.
“People are in need,” he said. “People are in trouble. How can we help? What can we do? The organization serves a broader community than its name may suggest. As a part of the Diocese of Toledo, Catholic Charities provides services to 19 counties in Northwest Ohio and has five satellite offices throughout the region.
Sanford named offices in Mansfield and Norwalk as the two that provide the most assistance programs. A six-month supply of food in 2008 lasted a mere two months at the Mansfield food pantry, he said.
Catholic Charities also operates La Posada Emergency Shelter in Toledo and Miriam House Transitional Housing in Norwalk.
“It’s just this ‘somebody’s in trouble, we need to help’ kind of mentality,” he said.
Sanford said Catholic Charities provides services, such as Project Bethlehem, to Catholics and non-Catholics.
“We do not serve people because they are Catholic; we serve people because we are Catholic,” he said, citing Catholic Charities USA.
For more information, contact Catholic Charities at (419) 244-6711.

“Dylan, 100 Songs and Pictures” (Omnibus Press, $49.95) is a book that falls well short of living up to the legacy of the book’s namesake, Bob Dylan.
Recently, I was fortunate to be able to watch Dylan and his band perform in concert at the majestic Fox Theatre in Detroit. This was anywhere from the 30th to the 50th time I have seen him perform live, and the Fox was probably one of his more distinguished stops on his “Never Ending Tour” and my never-ending following of the “Never Ending Tour.”
I lost track of my Dylan concert count somewhere in the early part of this decade, around the time I saw him play a steamy outdoor matinee at a Harley Davidson festival hosted by the Preakness Race Track in Baltimore. Dylan was nearly shirtless by the end of that set and his guitarist, Charlie Sexton, at one point vomited stage left, probably due to the 100-degree temperatures engulfing the band and the thousands of leather-wearing patrons.

The Harley show was a far more raucous affair than the first time I saw Dylan play in 1994 in the poultry capital of America — Gainesville, Georgia. As it was my first taste of live Dylan, I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for processed chicken and “Tangled up in Blue,” the first song I heard Dylan perform as I walked in to the show at the quaint Georgia Mountains Center.
Along the way, I’ve seen him and his band play run-down minor league baseball stadiums, massive summer music festivals, the beautiful amphitheater of the Toledo Zoo, and a small, decrepit former Catholic church. Perhaps the only constant at these shows is the crowd reaction. There are people who leave the concerts bewildered, thrilled, disappointed, inspired, haunted, too wasted to care, and pretty much everything in between.
One of the intangible qualities that has always drawn me to Dylan as an artist is his mercurial independence.
No matter what one thinks of his voice, his guitar playing, writing or politics (or lack thereof), one has to acknowledge that Dylan pretty much does what is in his heart, follows his instincts, holds no grudges and lets the rest take care of itself.
Not only is this a good lesson for some of my colleagues in local government, but his would be a good lesson for Omnibus Press. The publishers of “Dylan, 100 Songs and Pictures” produced a rather tedious and mundane collection of sheet music, pictures and assorted brief commentary on Dylan that takes no chances, has no soul and delivers no results.
The coffee-table sized tome, measuring in at 495 over-sized pages, adds nothing new to even a casual Dylan fan’s understanding of his work.
As far as my Dylan-trained eye can tell, very few of the pictures (all in black and white) are particularly rare, and often times the date of the picture doesn’t correlate to the date or even decade of the song that it is placed next to in the text. As far as the commentary interspersed throughout, it rarely is controversial, insightful or unexpected — the exact opposite of the artist it seeks to define.
And while the rather odd choice of adding hundreds of pages of Dylan’s sheet music to the mix does literally add some weight to the work, one would be better off just buying a book of sheet music for a quarter of the price, and avoid the clutter that is “Dylan, 100 Songs and Pictures.”
Speaking of price, according to Amazon this book retails for $49.95. Dear Toledoans, even if you disagree with every vote I have ever cast as a commissioner, please invest your hard-earned Dylan holiday funds elsewhere.

For example, for the same price as this book, you could buy the landmark Dylan albums “The Times They are a Changin’,” “Highway 61 Revisited,” “Blood on the Track,” and “Love and Theft.” These would give you the breadth and depth, despair and hope, and insight and humor that “100 Songs and Pictures” sorely lacks. Plus, you would actually get to hear Dylan himself ask, “How does it feeeeeeeeel?”
Or best yet, $49.95 could buy you a pretty good seat at Dylan’s next Midwestern tour stop (maybe at our new Lucas County Arena, God willing). Perhaps you will go, complain that you can’t understand anything Dylan is singing, and leave midway through the show like the folks who sat to my left at Dylan’s recent Fox Theatre gig.
Or perhaps you will literally end up in tears during Dylan’s encore rendition of “Like a Rolling Stone” just like the baby boomer couple that sat in front of me at the Fox. Or maybe you will walk out of the show, like me, a little perplexed, a tad frustrated, but a lot alive, knowing that you just witnessed a genius, in his element, creating something that will be remembered for centuries.

Ben Konop is a Lucas County Commissioner.

As expected, the market has been relatively slow over the past week. Oil, which we had said was overextended, has since corrected; while the dollar, which we claimed to be oversold, has rallied over the same period. Earlier this week the stock market attempted to break out of its recent consolidation pattern, only to pull back into that trading range once again.

Meanwhile, ten- and thirty-year Treasury rates have been creeping up ahead of this week’s Federal Open Market Committee announcement. This would seem to suggest that, regardless of what the FOMC says, the market believes that the Fed should be raising rates in order to price risk appropriately. This recent action could also be hinting at a growing belief in the market that inflation could be on the way.

For the month of November, retail sales have been up slightly year-over-year, so while this holiday season hasn’t been great, it’s provided the economy with at least respectable numbers. However, the Empire State Manufacturers’ Index has been surprisingly weak, especially given retail sales.

This anomaly most likely indicates that holiday sales have thus far been working through pre-existing inventory. This, in turn, tell us that presently the economy is, for lack of a better word, “spotty,” meaning that while things aren’t getting worse, they really improving either.

With respect to housing, data remains mixed, partially because the market isn’t being given a full picture of current circumstances. As we mentioned last week, housing inventory numbers released by the government don’t include homes that have been foreclosed but are not being put on the market by lenders.

Over the last two weeks, gold has fallen more than $100 from its high near $1210. Weekly readers will remember that we have recently been bearish on gold, as it has undergone a substantial rally that we believe unjustified by current fundamentals. Utilities, where we’ve been positioned for some time, have been gathering momentum over the same period. Utilities as a sector have been gaining popularity among investors seeking higher yield than can be found in most fixed-income investments.

We have stressed repeatedly, and feel the need to remind readers that this market is not conducive to a hands-off approach. Unlike the last few years, today’s economic environment requires constant study, and investors trying to manage their own portfolios need to understand the amount of time required to sift through information, determine what’s relevant, and have the background to interpret information and apply it to the markets.

Those investors who lack the time or ability to commit to their investments need to at least put in the time to find an advisor who is willing and able do the job for them. Even more importantly, advisors need to be sufficiently knowledgeable to use pertinent information to make sound investment decisions on behalf of clients.

All too often the investment world is plagued by fads, either in the form of burgeoning sectors or money managers with so-called “hot hands.” It is absolutely necessary for investors to ensure that they are picking an advisor with the knowledge to add value to client portfolios over the long term. In the short term, get-rich-quick schemes come and go, and flavors of the week all eventually turn sour.

Dock David Treece is a stockbroker licensed with FINRA. He works for Treece Financial Services Corp., www.TreeceInvestments.com. The above information is the express opinion of Dock David Treece and should not be used without outside verification.

As the man who delivers the soaring saxophone solo on “Jungleland,” you’d assume Clarence “Big Man” Clemons could, with the help of an accomplished writer, pen a half-way decent book about his life and times with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
Yet “Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales” (Grand Central Publishing, $26.99) is a disjointed and disappointing read. A dizzy collection of rambling stories and fictional accounts of celebrity encounters, it makes Clemons sound like a self-centered rock star who’s the center of the party, and attention, every where he goes.

That’s right: “Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales” features composite stories of several encounters and made up stories about what a meeting between, say Norman Mailer and the Big Man would have been like. Or a story that Clemons leads into with, “This story is based on actual conservations I’ve had with Redd (Foxx) over a period of time. I’ve just rolled them into one story.”
Clemons is Springsteen’s right-hand man, but “Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales” fails to shed any light on the inner-circle of the Springsteen camp. Springsteen has always kept the curtain closed pretty tight, and this book fails to tell us much more than names, ranks and serial numbers.
The book jumps from the early 1970s to 2008 with no warning or reason. I guess the reimagining (his word, not mine) of the time Clemons, Fidel Castro and Hunter S. Thompson played pool was more important to include.
Co-author Don Reo isn’t much help, as he’s basically a professional name dropper. Chris Rock, Phil Spector, Cher, Dion, Dennis Miller, Brian Williams and on and on get slid into the text for no apparent reason other than to remind the reader that Reo is a big shot. He touts seeing the band for nearly 40 years, stating, “I’ve seen then perform a lot. I saw them as an opening act, and I saw them do a four-hour-plus set in a tiny club. I have seen them in arenas ands stadiums all over the world. I know these men and women personally.” Yet five pages prior to that passage, he tells of a chance encounter with Springsteen manager Jon Landau backstage during the Magic Tour where Landau confronts him and through “body language, tone and volume” and inquires, “And who the #$&! are you?” So long, credibility.
“Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales” contains a few nuggets, but at 363 pages, it’s too much of an investment to mine. During several recent concerts, Springsteen has stated “His new book is better than the Bible.”
C’mon Bruce, you know thou shalt not lie.
Until Springsteen pens his recently rumored autobiography, “Born to Run” by Dave Marsh remains the best read about the life and times inside the E Street Band.

Chris Kozak is Community Relations Manager for Columbia Gas of Ohio.

Children do not like receiving socks for Christmas, but millions of children will wake up Christmas morning to find neatly wrapped pairs of socks waiting for them under the Christmas tree this year, next year, and for many years to come. They open up their gift and force a crooked, confused smile.

As these children grow up, develop careers, and discover how difficult it is to wake up before the rest of the family and find a pair of matching black socks in the dark of the morning, they develop a desire for socks.

Santa Claus’ nemesis is the sock swiper, and for the other 364 days of the year, our socks are silently stolen somewhere between the laundry basket and the sock drawer. For this reason, I am asking Santa Claus to bring me more black socks this Christmas.

Why is it that children do not want socks for Christmas, but adults engaged in a battle against the sock swiper love to receive socks for Christmas? Simple. People desire different things.

Desire is easy to understand if you’re thinking about your own desires, but desire can be tricky when you’re trying to understand how it impacts your business.

See, desire cannot be manufactured; it must exist already. As business professionals, we understand what we sell, we understand how our products and solutions can help our customers, and we understand all of the reasons why our customers should want our stuff. However, if there is no existing desire in the hearts and minds of those who can buy our stuff, then there is nothing we can do to create this desire.

We do not take aspirin because we have a relationship with our pharmacist; we take an aspirin because we have a headache and we believe it will relieve our pain.

As you give and receive gifts this Christmas, watch people’s faces as they open their gifts and listen to the words spoken after they receive their gift. Yes, you can learn about desire this year as you watch people interact with their gifts, and you can apply what you learn to your business as you roll into the new year.

When you are watching people open gifts, watch both the receiver and the giver. Which person is more excited about the gift? Does the giver of the gift immediately try and explain the gift to its recipient? Are they trying to explain what it does, how it improves their life, and why they really will enjoy the gift?

This “explaining the gift” exercise can be seen everyday in business. Business professionals, with genuine enthusiasm and passion, try and explain how powerful their products and solutions are, how much money can be saved, and how much productivity could be gained. However, unless the desire was already inside of the customer’s head, these passionate explanations fall upon deaf ears.

So, what do you do if you have a product that you know people want? You need to be able to find those people – the people with an existing desire.

People with an existing desire can be reached; you have the ability to connect with them. All business transactions occur when a connection is made – a connection between an existing desire and its corresponding solution.

You, as a business professional, have that corresponding solution; this is the gift that you give your customers. Sure, you can amplify their desires as you passionately explain your solutions, but your efforts will prove futile if you’re efforts are spent trying to create new behaviors and solving problems that people do not understand that they have.

Stop focusing on who should want to buy your stuff, and you’ll stop giving children socks for Christmas. Yes, there are people out there that are hoping to receive black socks for Christmas, and they are waiting for you with their checkbooks at-the-ready. You just need to find them.

For a list of the ten desires that exist in every business go to www.boltfromtheblue.com and enter the word SOCKS in the blueprint box.

“The Beatles were a Sixties band.”
That’s how Barry Miles begins his big, bold, Beatles book, “The Beatles: A Diary” (Omnibus Press, $24.95) It’s like saying that Picasso painted or that the Empire State Building is an office building. The Beatles were so much more than “just” a ’60s band, they were the band that defined the ’60s.

More than any other band in any decade, The Beatles were the soundtrack for a generation of teens during 1960-1969. Luckily for Beatles fans, Miles doesn’t stop there. In this exhaustively researched 300-plus page book, the author looks into everything that made The Beatles not just a band, but also arguably the most influential band of the 20th century.
Whether you’re a fan of “Penny Lane” (like myself), “Revolution,” “Yesterday” or any of the 186 Lennon-McCartney-penned songs the Beatles recorded, there is something in “The Beatles: A Diary,” for you.
Miles follows the day-to-day life of the members of the Fab Four, from the first meeting of John and Paul (June 23, 1955) to the final days of the end of the band. The pages are filled with photographs to savor and tidbits of Beatles trivia over which to pour. The first thing you’ll want to do, if you’re like me, is to find your birthday for each year. On the day I turned 9 years old, the Beatles, then The Silver Beetles, played at a coffee bar in Liverpool. Three years later while I was busy trying to figure what a 12-year-old boy does about his changing voice, the Beatles were the opening act on a UK tour of Roy Orbison. I still hadn’t heard of them yet.
For those who grew up in the ’60s, especially those who hit their teen years in the early ’60s, the Beatles always seemed to have been there. When I first started listening to a tiny AM radio it was CKLW out of Canada. The airwaves were filled with songs my mom and dad were more than happy to listen to also.
However, things began to change with the first of the many Beatles’ U.S. releases, especially their first No. 1 single, “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” Miles takes the reader through The Beatles’ invasion of the American record market, from the first charting single to the historic day the band dominated the chart’s top five spots in April of 1964. That’s a feat that has never been achieved by any other group or single artist in the history of the Billboard Top 100.
Before you start to think John, Paul, George and Ringo were overnight successes, check out the early years that Miles has researched so thoroughly. Miles painstakingly delves into the daily grind of becoming the world’s greatest band. Check almost any date during 1962-63 and you’ll find The Beatles either playing in Hamburg, Germany or at home in the Cavern Club, sometimes two shows a day.
It’s the little tidbits about the Fab Four that make this a book you’ll want to pick up. For example, did you know that at one point in the early years The Beatles played for Coca-Cola and beans on toast? Neither did I until I looked up my birthday for 1960. Just a year removed from that gig the band was playing in at the Top Ten Club in Hamburg for seven-hour sessions, five days a week. Is it any wonder that shortly after hitting it big they decided to give up the grind of playing live? When was that last live performance? To find out you’ll have to grab a copy of “The Beatles: A Diary.”
Don’t expect to sit down and read this detail-filled love letter to The Beatles in one day, or even a week of eight days. Like the group itself, the book grows on you and keeps you coming back to enjoy the full-page photos, anecdotes and the day-to-day details that Miles has included. I found myself reliving the days when The Beatles consumed my teenage life. Having read the book I realized, finally, that John and the boys were all older than me. While I was listening to them they seemed to be the same age as me and my friends. They sang about the things we were experiencing and influenced everything we did from hairstyles to the clothes we wore.
You won’t regret picking up Miles’ “The Beatles: A Diary,” either for yourself or as a Christmas gift for that Beatles-loving friend of yours. My guess is you’ll get a big, “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.”

Fred LeFebvre hosts the “Morning News” on WSPD 1370 AM.

The 25th Annual Big Band New Year’s Eve Party with The Johnny Knorr Orchestra will take place in the Stranahan Theater Great Hall on Dec. 31.
“Those in attendance can enjoy hors d’oeurves, Champagne and dance throughout the night to big band music,” said Jerry Knorr, musical director of the orchestra and Johnny’s son.
The orchestra has continued to ring in the new year the past 25 years because of public demand, Knorr said.
The evening runs from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. and features music from The Johnny Knorr Orchestra and vocalist Gay Hobbs. There will be a champagne toast to the new year and a buffet breakfast from chef Robert Rosencrantz after midnight. Hats and noisemakers will be provided as part of the admission price. A cash bar and free parking is also available.
Tickets cost $45 a person in advance and $50 at the door. Reservations are available for tables of eight. Tickets can be purchased at johnnyknorr.com or by calling (419) 697-7612. Knorr said the evening could feature a few surprise guests, but plans are still in the works.