Update 10-14-08

Hi,

Unfortunately, parts of Los Angeles are on fire again.  Paradoxically, it gives the air a very pleasant smell.  I tutor in some of the areas involved, and they seem so homily suburban, you wouldn't think they could ever be at risk.  But the other day, I was looking at an old black-and-white Western photo hanging in a kitchen, wondering why it was there, when I glanced out the window and realized it was the same view.  The community had been built on what was once the isolated prairie of the Gunsmoke and Rawhide sets.
   
    On more ordinary matters, a few letters detailing some cyber confusion, and then an explanation of what's not going away.
   
    First, from Jerry Bittman:  I am truly sorry to read about the demise of the newsletter.  I, and I'm sure everybody else, want to thank you for your contributions, hard work, and expertise.  I have my doubts whether anybody else could have kept this going for as long as you did.  In recognition of your accomplishment, I would like you to receive my first, only, and last award for journalism.  Named after the Pulitzer Prize and honoring Jay Berliner and Ira Mitzner, you are the winner of the 2008 Berlitzner Prize.
        This will probably be the last piece that I will submit to the reunion page.  I'm positive it will be swamped with many thank you's, not just from the class of '65 but also from other alumni from South High School.
        On another subject -- and I would regret not adding this -- this is the most serious era in the history of the United States since we were born.  I loathe nothing more than the partisanship that engulfs our political system.  It is for this reason that unless the same party controls Congress and The White House, nothing gets accomplished for the good of the American citizen.
        I personally have voted for Republicans and Democrats in presidential elections.  In Bill Clinton's special situation, it was for Presidential erection. Cousin Buddy would have liked that one.  Eight years ago, I would have voted for McCain.  I really do a lot of research -- I read the Anchorage Daily News (adn.com) every day and many other city and political newspapers.  After getting the facts, I choose who I believe would be the best person to lead our country.  That is why 2000 was the only election I've skipped.  I didn't think either candidate was a good leader.
        Whoever you support, you must go out and vote.  And please don't vote solely on looks.  If looks counted, Linda Iaquinto would have been the president of our country for 30 or 40 years.
        The McPain campaigners have stated this past weekend that they will begin to use dirty tactics since they can't win by talking about the issues.  Their new favorite phrase is "Who is Barack Obama?"  To which I reply, "Who is Joe Vogler?"  Vogler, in 1984, started the Alaskan Independence Party.  He wants to secede from the United States.  On the party's web site, it reads, "I'm an Alaskan, not an American.  I've got no use for America and her damned institution."  He also requested that he not be buried beneath an American flag.  Why is this important?  Because in 1995 and 2000, Todd Palin registered as a member of the AIP.  Several members say Sarah Palin was also a member though she denies it.  However, there are videos -- one on the web site -- that show her addressing the party.  Her selection by McCain just shows his poor judgement.  There are at least ten female members in the GOP who are  better qualified than she is.  I am now on Tina Fey's shitlist.  Tina is great.  We love you, Tina.
        By the way, we don't say in the lower 48, "Drill, baby, drill."  Well, I can think of one ex-president and one South alum who does preach that, but Chuck Drimal has an excuse because he's in the oil drilling business.  Instead, we say, "Vote, baby, vote!"
        Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention that the reunion newsletter was instrumental in bringing back several old high school friendships.  So I have a debt of gratitude to the newsletter for rekindling those friendships.
   
    Next, poetically, from Joanne Shapiro Polner:
        Oh, no, don't go!
        What will the alumni do then?
        How will we read
        About ideas and deed?
        To lose all would be such a sin!
   
        Isn't there another way?  Yahoogroups.com is used by our sorority sisters.  A message goes to all on the list.  We don't have all the other stuff -- like the class and contact lists -- but can yahoo groups at least work for the newsletter.  For you?  For us?
   
    Third, from Barbara Blitfeld Pech:  Um, not trying to sound any more stuck in the last century than is obvious, but now that the reunion page will be in a blog, will it still be sent to us, or do we have to go after it?  And please only publish this if the question is viable, and if anyone else asks.  Or just explain it and leave me out of the lead-in.  "I haven't figured earth out yet.  Please do not expect me to explain cyber space"

    [Rich -- as I wrote Jerry, Joanne, and Barbara:  the newsletter's not going away though I obviously need to explain that more clearly.  The newsletter will keep arriving weekly, without anyone searching through cyberspace for it, as long as people keep writing in and I can keep typing.  It's the home page of old photos that's going away on the AOL site.  But the most important information on that page will quickly be transferred to a Google blog.  So keep writing in.  People like hearing from and about each other.]
   
    To which Jerry replied:  Glad you cleared that up for me.  You are still the winner of the Berlitzner Prize.  And the pressure is on you so that next year, you'll be the winner again.
   
    Joanne replied:  Thank you for your kind note.  On a related subject, my husband, Alex -- South '58 -- and I are going to Homecoming at South on Saturday, October 18th.  Barely a dozen of Alex's classmates showed up for South's birthday party on March 11, 2006, so I wonder how many will come to Homecoming.  And some members of '58 are married to people from '59.     
        Plans for a class of '59 reunion are being talked about, but it's been difficult to find our alums. The fewer than thirty whom I found before the birthday party are mostly men, because in my day, a woman took her husband's name, so she's harder to trace after fifty years.  I don't know if Terry Gunderson Kaiser, the '59 reunion organizer, is on your mailing list, but I think she ought to make a request in your newsletter similar to, if not, this:
        If you are related to a class of '59 graduate, or if you know someone who is related to one, or if you know a class of '59 graduate directly, please tell our committee.
        And here, I'd put in the committee e-mail address and add a few words about the reunion plans-to-date.  May I suggest this to Terry?  Is she on your list of receivers?  I don't know if I ever put this idea before you.
   
    [Rich -- Terry Kaiser is not on our mailing list, but if anyone wants to contact her with ways to reach former members of the class of '59, please write me here.  I'll pass the notes to Joanne who'll pass them to Terry.  Thanks.]
   
    Barbara Blitfield Pech also wrote Tuesday morning to say that she hadn't gotten the newsletter that day, and she wondered if I was well.
   
    [Rich -- I replied:  If you didn't get this week's version of the newsletter, it might be stuck in your spam filter because of my use of obscenities in last week's jokes.  So I guess that's a place everyone could look if the newsletter doesn't turn up as scheduled.
        While I'm at it, let me explain the new blog.  The preliminary version is in place and consists of the approximately 150 e-mail addresses we have for the members of the class of '65 and the names of people from our class who have died.  For as while, I've been meaning to ask if I should list the e-mail addresses of the approximately 50 non-class members and of teachers who also receive the newsletter.  In addition, there's also a note explaining the purpose of the blog and giving the same newsletter contact address we've been using for seven years:  reunionclass65@aol.com.  That will stay the same.  Eventually, I'll add the elementary school class pictures, the link to Stu Borman's page, and maybe some more recent pictures of our class members.  But, just now, I'm keeping things simple.
        The new blog's address is:  reunionclass65.blogspot.com ]
   
    In other notes, first from Emily Kleinman Schreiber:  Good morning, South alumni!  I'm excited that so many of you will be attending Homecoming 2008.  As mentioned before, the alumni will gather in South's library on the main floor at 11:00 AM, where we'll enjoy brunch.  We'll also be able to tour the building and visit South Hall, where the present South High School community -- students, teachers, and staff -- will be enjoying activities.  We can certainly interact with all of them and have some fun.  Then we can spend as much time as we want in the library, enjoying each other's memories.
         Next, we'll go to the special alumni area of the bleachers, alongside the football field.  There, we'll view the class banners and applaud the winning designs.  Members of the class of '58 will be honored and will participate in the presentation of the 2008 Homecoming King and Queen.  I can't wait to see all of you on the 18th -- just four days from now.
         Also, please read the following message that I received from one of our alumni, Rick Sanchez, who works with the football team:
        Hi,
         We need a crowd that will cheer the efforts of the home team early and often.  Last week, we played the #1 ranked team on Long Island, and the score was 7-6 midway through the game,  The entire crowd was silent (Bethpage fans were stunned and nervous while our smaller crowd was just plain apathetic).
         The last two weeks, we have had more fans from schools other than our own.  While it is true these schools "pack 'em in" wherever they go, we should be able to muster up more home team red than West Hempstead Rams' black, since it is our Homecoming.  And if people are going to make the special effort to visit on this particular weekend, it may make sense to stay for the weekend's reason for being:  the football team's (triumphant?) return to its home field after a road trip.  My hope is that a supportive crowd will spur the team on to victory in what should be a very competitive game against evenly matched teams. 
        Thanks for  your help!
        Rick
        P.S.  Provided we have a nice day, a large, supportive crowd of alumni would be most appreciated --perhaps we alumni could show the current student body the meaning of South High Spirit!
   
    From Ryki Zuckerman:  Please add Jan Dicker's name to the mailing list.  And if anyone wants to contact Jan, her e-mail address is:  DicklerJ@Buckslib.org
   
    Marc Jonas wrote to say hello and to ask for the link to the Curtiss Field web site.
   
    Peter Panzarino forwarded the following as a public service notice:  Cell Phone Numbers Go Public.  Reminder....all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies Thursday, and you will start to receive sales calls....
   
    [Rich -- And I reminded Peter that this is an e-mail rumor that goes around periodically.  For the full explanation of why this isn't true, please check Urban Legends at snopes.com]
   
    And I think that's it.