Update 1-21-03


Hi,

News, wide-ranging and social:

From Lynn Nudelman Villagran:  Thought I'd fill you in on the goings on in San Francisco.  My husband and I joined tens of thousands of others to march from the Embarcadero to the Civic Center in protest against a war on Iraq.  While I realize, according to polls in the media, that we seem to be in the minority against this proposed war, it was great to be out with so many others in a peaceful demonstration for a peaceful solution.  There were old people walking with the aid of canes, people in wheelchairs, of course many of our generation, and lots of young people, too.  Even Republicans Against War.  Joan Baez sang beautifully, Martin Sheen spoke eloquently, as did the Reverend Cecil Williams, several of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and many others.  I wonder if other Class of '65 members made it to the Washington, DC march?

(According to The New York Times:  On Saturday, a great throng stretched from the grounds of the U.S. Capitol and along the National Mall back to the Smithsonian Institution for a rally in bitter cold.  U.S. Park Police no longer gives estimates of rally attendance.  In the past, crowds taking up similar space were thought to be 70,000 strong or higher, but any parallels with other events were highly inexact. A much smaller group from the rally, but still numbering over 30,000 by police estimates, marched to the Washington Navy Yard.)

From Linda Cohen Greenseid:  My brother, Steve, '64, and Vince Tampio had lunch in New York recently.  Steve said it was great catching up, and he really enjoyed seeing Vince again.

(I just spoke with Vince, the former drama teacher from South whose retirement from CBS two years ago accidentally spurred our 37th class reunion.  Vince just came back from a thirteen-day cruise from New York through the Panama Canal to Los Angeles.  "Very hot, Panama," Vince reported, adding that, otherwise, the trip was fun.  And he mentioned that Steve Cohen is retired, and busying himself with archaeological digs around the world -- last year in the Gobi Desert -- when not volunteering at the New York Museum of Natural History.)

From Robin Feit Baker:  While I was at work recently, a customer came in to pick up a ring we'd designed for him.  As I studied his face, I had this overwhelming feeling of familiarity, so I asked where he was from.  He'd lived in Long Beach since he was eighteen, but was formerly from Valley Stream.  At that moment, I knew for certain he was in our class, and his name is... Richie Viscecchia!
      We had fun talking about the "kids" from school and the 37th reunion.  He also mentioned that he recently moved and doesn't have his old e-mail address anymore.  But he's getting a new computer soon and will then be back on the Internet.  I told him about the gathering on February 2nd at Lily Flanagan's, and he said he'll try and be there.

From Barbara Blitfield Pech:  Found in the travel section of the Sunday Miami Herald:  March 8 -- April 6, Kearney, Nebraska Crane Festival.  An Audubon expert guides bird lovers to the best areas to see cranes dance.
      Now, mind you, this event is nothing short of BIG in Kearney, as I was informed by our Nebraska delegate, the good Mr. Bittman -- who, by the way, celebrates his birthday on the last day of the event.  Jerry also assures me that he is excited, as the cranes are HUGE, and mentions that his favorite crane is Frasier.  Once again, he urges us to consider this location for the upcoming 40th.
      Also, I've just had the warmest of lunches with Barbara Endy and Linda Vicinanza.  Nothing like cutting work for an extended lunch to re-live cutting classes -- not that any of us ever did that!  And while I moan about Florida, I can't complain about our steady visitors here:  I will be seeing Carol Ewig Duran next weekend.
From Paul DeMartino:  After the next Lily Flanagan's gathering, on February 2nd at 1:00 PM, we are trying to set up an April gathering to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the 37th Reunion.  Barbara Blitfield Pech and Gayle Ulrich are coming up from Florida, and there is a possibility that Pete Rosen may show up with Jerry Bittman.  Maybe I can get Marc Jonas to drive over from Philadelphia as well.  The date is not firm, but I suspect it will be around the holidays.
      If other people are interested, there are some enticing airfares on the net (try Expedia, Skyauction, Cheaptickets, Lowestfare, and Orbitz, among others.  Also, Jetblue should be checked.)  Anyone interested in details of the gathering, as usual, please contact me at PINA_1@msn.com.

Finally, this nearly useless information from the 2003 Farmer's Almanac (yeah, yeah, I was visiting my mother-in-law in Tucson):  In September 1952, TV dinners were introduced by Swanson, largely because that company -- previously the largest turkey raiser in the world -- had an overabundance of these birds.  There were 160 million Americans, 15 million TV sets, the dinners sold for about a buck, and, in 1953, Americans bought over 10 million of 'em.

The home page:   http://hometown.aol.com/falcons1965a


Rich