Update 3-15-05

Hey,

Business math: You have three deadlines. The first is for $750 in October. The second is for $1000 in February. The third is for $7250 in mid-June. You have 24 reservations, each for $100. It's March. How many more reservations will you need to make the June 15th deadline?
   No immediate need to answer. No prizes given for the fastest reply. And I know that people need to get closer to August to finalize their plans. But soon after Easter, Dennis Shapiro will start sending me the list of people planning to attend the reunion, so we'll start some kind of formal countdown. Meanwhile, you've got Dennis perched on a swing over a vat of boiling water. It all depends how long you want to keep him there.

Speaking of money: as I said last year, I'm holding a bit more of other people's money for the Booker Gibson/Vince Tampio scholarships than I'm comfortable with. The scholarship in Vince's name is mainly supported by people who've promised to donate annually. The one in Booker's name is mainly supported by cumulative contributions. But I'm holding $600 in Tampio scholarship money and $1000 in Gibson scholarship money, and I'm going to use that toward this year's scholarships rather than hit people for more. So if you were planning to add to the donations this year, or to fulfill your annual pledge, please hold off. I'll let you know next year when more is needed. Thanks.

Other news:

From Ray Staley: Just want to let you know that I became a grandpa for the first time! What an awesome feeling! My oldest daughter Christina had her first child on Monday, February 28th at 4:53 AM -- Danielle Arlene, 5 pounds 15 ounces, 18 inches long. Mom and baby and grandpa are doing fine!

[Congratulations, of course. From us all.]

From Jay Berliner: All is going great. I'm expecting my second grandchild at about the same time as the class reunion.

[Ditto -- a term that no one under 35 understands anymore.]

And you run a list, and then you get corrections:

From Amy Lieberman: Thanks for listing me as a guest on the South contact List. But, actually, I'm Lieberman, not Leiberman (you know -- I before E except after C), and I'm the class of '69, not '68 (although I know you'd like me to be older!), and I'd much rather you use my work e-mail address which is: alieberman@ctgla.org Is it too late for all of this now?

[Rich -- as I wrote Amy: But other than getting your name, your class, and your e-mail address wrong, I got everything right, huh?]

From Stu Borman: I just wanted to point out that in your weekly message the "s" was left off the beginning of my e-mail address. The address should be: sborman@gmail.com Thanks.

From Denise Frango Baxter: I check my e-mail at the address listed below. It should be dpowellsh@msn.com. You left off the D.

From Carol Ewig Duran: It seems the only time I check my AOL e-mail is for the weekly updates, so it must be time to ask you to please change my contact information to: cduran@rubloff.com Thanks.

From Eric Hilton: I don't always get my mail at Yahoo. Would you be kind enough to change my e-mail address to: thephotomaker@comcast.net Thanks.

From Henry Gabbay: Please change my contact information from "PHONE" to: hgabbay235@hotmail.com Thanks

[Rich -- And, from deep in my memory: Steve Cahn was in the class of '70, not '71.
   Also, I haven't updated the online contact information yet because I'm contemplating the logistics of rebuilding the home page so that each person's contact information, bio, and current photo occupy a single page. Of course, I can contemplate this for several years.]

Still other news:

From Ryki Zuckerman: Pete Blumenthal, class of '66 -- I believe he is a successful
dentist in Florida now. Also, I attended grade school, and then South, with Gene Barkin. He played guitar and sang quite well. I wonder where he is now.

From Judy Hartstone: Peter Blumenthal was in the class of '66, I think. His younger brother Rick lives on Bainbridge and is a great guy. I can check with him on the exact class if Steve Cahn wants to know. Rick may have been '70 or '71.

From Jay Berliner: I have the phone numbers of Fred and Andy Cagan. I would be happy to pass along a name and phone number to them. By the way, their mother Liz passed away a couple of weeks ago.
   I also might be able to contact Valerie Nelson if needed.

[Rich -- Please pass on our sympathy to the Cagans. And, yes, it would be nice to reach Valerie Nelson.]

Selected works by Mary Sipp-Green are at the Springfield Museum Of Fine Arts in Springfield, Massachusetts under the title "Landscapes." The paintings are all in private collections and were done between 1990 and 2004. The exhibit opened on January 26th and will only run through April 2nd. Some comments from Heather R. Haskell, the museum director: "Several years ago, I was introduced to the luminous landscape paintings of Mary Sipp-Green, an artist living and working in the Berkshire Hills. Wanting to share her work with my colleagues, I projected the slides of her paintings on a screen. Gasps, followed by 'wow' and 'beautiful' echoed through the room. There was then silence as everyone contemplated the scenes before participating in an enthusiastic discussion on how the landscapes masterfully evoked emotion as well as a sense of familiarity."

From Robert Fiveson: A new review of my old film The Clonus Horror has appeared. An excerpt: Though it has suffered the ignominy of being lampooned on Mystery Science Theatre 3000 Clonus really isn't that bad, benefiting from a strong central idea that has become more rather than less relevant thanks to advances in genetics and cloning over the past quarter century and the ethical, philosophical and legal debates they give rise to. Admittedly, the story is ridden with inconsistencies... but, equally, it is no more so than the norm for low-budget science fiction... or, for that matter, many a mainstream Hollywood entry... Overall... while no classic, [the film] contains the germ of a good idea later to be exploited by the likes of the overrated The Truman Show. Mondo Macabro's Region 0 NTSC disc looks and sounds good for a film of Clonus's vintage and low budget -- $270,000 for a 35mm feature -- origins... The extras package is where things really shine, however. The centerpiece is an honest and entertaining commentary from director Robert Fiveson and Mondo Macabro's Pete Tombs that gives a lot of insight into the process of making a film of this sort -- scouting locations; stealing shots; getting things for free or cheap, dealing with actors and problem scenes etc. -- as does the interview featurette with Fiveson, which also goes into more detail on his background and how he got into the film business. The full review is at: http://www.kinocite.co.uk/17/1788.php

Finally, yes, indeed, the 45th anniversary of some of our bar- and bat mitzvahs is passing. Not the 50th yet, but still a very long time since I had even the least idea as to what I was saying in Hebrew. So, congratulations to others who might still be more aware.
The repeating reunion information:
When: August 5th, 6th, 7th (Friday night through Sunday noon)
Where: Hilton Long Island/Huntington, 598 Broadhollow Road, Melville, New York, 11747
Cost: $100 per person
Phone Number: 631-845-1000, during daytime business hours. Ask for the Reservations Desk and mention our class reunion discount. Hotel rooms should be $129/night.
Reunion Package Includes:
Friday night cocktail party with snacks and cash bar (7:00 PM -- Midnight)
Saturday night buffet with open bar & DJ (7:00 PM -- Midnight; Dinner at 8:00)
Lobby area with cash bar available both nights to continue parties
Teachers comped for both parties
SEND: Checks to Dennis Shapiro. 495 Wateredge Avenue, Baldwin, New York, 11510. Please make them out to: VSS 40th Reunion.
Also: Since there are a limited number of Friday night hotel rooms being held, please e-mail Dennis Shapiro when you've made your reservations so he can lobby for more. His e-mail address is: dshapiro@optonline.net
The home page: http://hometown.aol.com/vssouth65

Rich