Update 1-23-07

Hi,

A range of things:

First, from Booker Gibson, about Barbara Blitfield Pech's birthday memory last week:  I'm sorry, but I have to correct your memory of my son's birthday.  First, I don't even have a son named Chris.  My oldest, Joshua, was born 12/26/58.  My middle son, Paul was born 12/20/61.  And my youngest, Brock, was born 5/04/74.  That took two marriages to accomplish.  The second one has gone thirty-five wonderful years.
        Also, you might want to double-check on the Nudelman sisters' birthday.  Or do you have another set of triplets in your class? 
        As for the Martin Luther King holiday:  Every year, my wife and I go to a big celebration in honor of Martin Luther King.  It's held at Anton's in Queens.  One of the featured guests is Senator Charles Schumer.  He reminds us that he comes whether it's an election year or not.  Hillary Clinton always visits a celebration over in Harlem.
   
    More about Barbara's birthday list, from Jerry Bittman:  I did notice a couple of mistakes regarding birthdays.  Mine is 4/6 and the triplets were born on 4/11.
   
    From Roz Minsky, not about birthdays:  You guys are getting out of hand.  "Depend"-ing on the flow of it all.  At any rate, Happy 2007 to everyone.
        I am recuperating once again from a very bad bronchitis and pneumonia.  This time I checked myself into the local Hebrew Home.  Now THIS is an experience.....
         I have a new granddaughter -- Luna, baby sister to four-year-old Esperanza.  And my daughter Rachel and her husband David (of West Hempstead fame) are expecting their first baby in May.  Life can be good.  Very good,,,
        And my divorce was final in late 2006. HOORAY!  Again, best to all.
   
    [Rich -- and I'm sure we all hope you're well, Roz.]
   
    Marc Jonas continues to write about childhood TV:  This answers that troubling question:  It was "Winky Dink and You."  Further information at:  http://www.tvparty.com/requested2.html
   
    [Rich -- I also wrote Marc that instead of the invisible screen that you were supposed to use to protect your TV set when you helped Winky Dink escape his enemies, my sister and I used china marking pencils my dad brought home from the radar scopes at LaGuardia Airport.  Marc complimented us on our artwork, though I added that my mother was less pleased with the marking pencils.  Once my sister and I had them, we used them on a lot of shows.  Ed Sullivan, particularly, would stand woodenly still enough, in those old fixed-camera days, to be given beards, hats, and mustaches.  Fortunately, there was Windex.]
   
    A note from Amy Miller '62 to Stefanie Kramer '64, which contains some information that might interest the rest of us.  As preface, Amy writes that "Stefanie lived next door to me on Darewood Lane, and she's the sister of Ronni Kramer."  The note:
       Emily Kleinman (from Green Acres), cre8em@aol.com, is president of the South High Alumni Association.  She can email you the form for membership.  There is a wonderful memory book that was printed for the 50th anniversary of South, and Emily seems to be giving them to people when they join the Alumni Association.  There's also a DVD made about South High history.  The book has contributions of people from different classes, me included, and is quite wonderful.
        I think a few of your classmates from '64 -- Ken Ulric, Laura Waxman, Eileen Howell, Karen Grimm, and Edie Mandel -- are attending the alumni association meetings.  I've been in touch with mostly people from my class -- Julie Adler, Billy Zuckerman, Karen Hart, and Norrie Sverdlik from '62 and Bob Jesselson from Darewood Lane and '67.  I've seen his mom Ilse a few times as well as Marcia Goldsmith.
        The class of '65 does a weekly e-mail newsletter, but people from other classes often send things in things as well.  That address is:  reunionclass65@aol.com.  The man who edits it is based in L.A.
         Also, I've just started to crochet after a few decades, and I am making granny squares.  It's a great winter sport!  And I've taken up drumming in the past few months.  When you get a moment please visit my web site of quilts:  http://www.amcquilts.com/
   
    [Rich -- drumming?  Please explain.]
   
    A confirmation from Emily Kleinman-Schreiber, about the Alumni Association Memory Books:  I have many more Memory Journals.  We had a second printing done in the fall.  And I will happily send Association membership applications to anyone who asks.
   
    [Rich -- Also, as mentioned occasionally over the last five years, even though we were all raised together and have a lot in common, there's probably nothing as divisive as discussing politics.  So it's pretty well been suggested that we don't, at least here.  There was an interesting article in The New York Times last week about Boomers and Politics that I was thinking about including.  But if you want to read that, it's online on The Times website.  And Les Glasser just sent a petition about Social Security legislation.  But if you want to know more about that, please write Les.  And Jerry Bittman forwarded a piece questioning Jane Fonda's contributions to America.  But if you want that in full, please write Jerry.]
   
    Jerry also sent something less divisive, prefacing it with, "Make mine with mushrooms and spinach.  I'm ready."
        The Pizza and Pipes Belly Buster challenge was a success.  A few men set out to make history.  Two became boys while one became a legend.  What exactly is the Belly Buster challenge?  Simple, it’s a 20” pizza that must be consumed in one hour or less by one individual.  To date many have tried, but none have been victorious.  The Hall of Shame is filled with Polaroids of individuals who’ve attempted to conquer the Belly Buster while the Hall of Fame lays bare.
    • Cost to enter is 50% of the price of the pizza.
    • Entrants must be 18 and fully complete an entry form
    • One person must eat one Belly Buster pizza made with cheese and two toppings in one hour or less.
    • The entire pizza must be eaten including the crust.
    • You may consume water or any other beverage.
    • We will supply water.  You pay for any other drinks
    • No dipping the pizza in the beverage.
    • You must keep the pizza down until all the pizza is consumed.
    • Management is the sole judge of completion of the challenge.
    • If you can’t keep it down, you clean it up.
    • You may not win more than once.
    • Winners and cheaters may not re-enter.
    Belly Buster winners get the following:
    • Refund of entry fee.
    • One free XL pizza per month for the next twelve months
    • Your picture with date and time on the Wall of Fame.
    • Free T-shirt and Belly Buster certificate.
        On Saturday, December 2, 2006 at 7:00 PM three friends, Adam, Bear, and Cooper decided to give it a shot.  Who are these competitors?
    Adam Alessandrini
    Age: 24
    Height: 5’-10”
    Weight: 215 pounds
    Favorite Pizza: Pepperoni
    Plan of Attack: Slow and steady but unstoppable
    Eating Style: The Bulldozer
    Belly Buster Pizza: Pepperoni and mushrooms
    Bear Silber
    Age: 24
    Height: 6’-0”
    Weight: 170 pounds
    Favorite Pizza: Garlic chicken
    Plan of Attack: Non-stop munching
    Eating Style: Total Domination
    Belly Buster Pizza: One quarter pepperoni and olive, one quarter Canadian bacon and pineapple, one quarter pesto and tomato, and one quarter sausage and mushroom
    Cooper Falk
    Age: 22
    Height: 5’-7”
    Weight: 135 pounds
    Favorite Pizza: Mozzarella, onion, pepperoni, basil and tomato
    Plan of Attack: Eat as much before puking
    Eating Style: Slow and steady
    Belly Buster Pizza: Pepperoni and mushrooms
        Owner Randy Blair personally prepared the three pizzas.  He allowed the contestants to go behind the counter and see how it’s done.  He takes two large pizza crusts and rolls them together.  Using the old-style technique, he then tosses the pizza dough.  He punches small holes in it to prevent bubbling of the crust.  Next, he ladles on the sauce from a five gallon bucket.  Moving over to the topping station, he carefully weighs out one pound of cheese and spreads it evenly across the dough.  Next, comes the 100 pepperonis and the mushrooms.  Bear’s pizza was more time consuming and took the skill of a seasoned pizza cook, but Randy is a true artisan of his craft and produced a work of art.
        After 15 minutes or so in the oven, we had three beautiful pies.  Waiting a short distance away were three starving men.  In a glorious procession, the pizzas were delivered to the tables.  The timer was set and at exactly 7:00 PM Pacific time, the challenge was on.
        The first couple of minutes, the pace was pretty even.  All three contestants ate at a slightly fast clip.  At around minute six, Cooper and Adam slowed their pace a bit with Bear continuing on.  At minute seventeen, Bear reached the halfway point while Cooper went outside to have a smoke break.  He was escorted by a Pizza and Pipes staff member to ensure there was no “reversal.”  Adam kept on with a steady pace and steady unflinching face.
        The four previous challengers all had a similar fate:  they started off strong and all looked like they might make it by minute twenty, but not much was consumed in the next forty minutes.  The inevitable “wall” seems to come around the twenty minute mark.  One challenger gave up at forty-five minutes, one left ten pieces, one eight, and the last ran out of time with just four pieces left.
        Back from his cigarette, Cooper sat down with new vigor.  He quickly caught back up to Adam, nearing the half pizza mark.  Bear was now down to single digits, with nine pieces remaining.  This now put him in third place for all-time.
        At the thirty-one minute mark, with just about half the pizza remaining, Adam called it quits.  He had eaten pizza to his stomach's content but would not go on.  He was staring at two worthy adversaries and didn’t feel it was worth the expected discomfort.  Cooper kept on with a steady pace but also decided to call it quits at minute thirty-three, seeing that Bear was now down to just four pieces.  Randy promptly brought the Polaroid over to capture the defeated duo and posted their pictures on the Wall of Shame.
        Bear was down to just three pieces and was the furthest along for all-time.  The crowd got rowdy and started chanting “Bear… Bear… Bear!”  And with thirty-seven minutes elapsed, Bear triumphantly finished the last piece while simultaneously becoming a pizza legend.
    Stats:
    Regular Cost: $34.61
    Feeds: 6-8 Adults
    Square Inches: 314
    Pounds of Dough: 3
    Pounds of Cheese: 1
    Pepperonis: 100
    Total Weight: Over 5 pounds