Digest 42

This digest contains the following messages:

1. Re: Teacher Recollections of AP Classes
by: <Lotsoffish@aol.com>
2. EVER?
by: <Lotsoffish@aol.com>
3. Re: Worst that could happen
by: <SgtMark123@aol.com>
4. RE: Let Mr. Aschmann rest in peace
by: lfrancis <louise.francis@comcast.net>
5. RE: Let Mr. Aschmann rest in peace
by: lfrancis <louise.francis@comcast.net>
6. RE: Teacher Recollections of AP Classes
by: lfrancis <louise.francis@comcast.net>
7. Re: Worst that could happen
by: Keith Kelley <keith_a_kelley@hotmail.com>
8. re new voice.........
by: Joanne <hackenburg2003@verizon.net>
9. Down, girls
by: <JaneGaughran@aol.com>
10. RE: Worst that could happen
by: lfrancis <louise.francis@comcast.net>
11. Re: Down, girls
by: Pat Sinatra <psinatra@comcast.net>
12. Re: Worst that could happen
by: Nancy Waterous Whitehead <nwwhitehead@astound.net>
13. heather schmeltz -- a sobering thought
by: jan sidebotham <sidebothamj@yahoo.com>
14. Re: Down, girls
by: Glenn Martin <gmartin@adelphia.net>
15. ParlYament
by: <peter.hazou@hsbc.com>
16. oops
by: jan sidebotham <sidebothamj@yahoo.com>
17. duh
by: jan sidebotham <sidebothamj@yahoo.com>
18. Re: Let Mr. Aschmann rest in peace
by: <smb9220@comcast.net>
19. Re: daughters
by: <NYCFD1@aol.com>
20. Re: 4th or 5th grade
by: <NYCFD1@aol.com>
21. Re: 4th or 5th grade
by: <dave.walters@comcast.net>
22. Re: Worst that could happen
by: <Captmando@aol.com>
23. Re: Down, girls
by: <Captmando@aol.com>
24. Re: re new voice.........
by: <Captmando@aol.com>
25. Loose Change
by: Nancy Waterous <nwaterous@hotmail.com>
26. RE: Worst that could happen
by: lfrancis <louise.francis@comcast.net>
27. Re: NEWS ALERT !!!!!!!!!
by: Jim Katzenstein <jimk@starkaywhite.com>
28. Sailing
by: <dmcquickly@comcast.net>
29. RE: Let Mr. Aschmann rest in peace
by: <dmcquickly@comcast.net>
30. RE: Worst that could happen
by: <dmcquickly@comcast.net>
31. Encoding problems.
by: <dmcquickly@comcast.net>
32. Re: re new voice.........
by: <dmcquickly@comcast.net>
33. random recollections-for what they're worth-Ray, heather, etc.
by: David Virrill <DVirrill@levyboonshoft.com>
34. RE: Let Mr. Aschmann rest in peace
by: David Virrill <DVirrill@levyboonshoft.com>
35. Re: Worst that could happen
by: <Captmando@aol.com>
36. Re: Loose Change
by: <Lotsoffish@aol.com>
37. Impacting Poverty
by: lfrancis <louise.francis@comcast.net>
38. Re: Encoding problems.
by: <afine@art-cetera.com>
39. Heather
by: David Virrill <DVirrill@levyboonshoft.com>
40. RE: Worst that could happen
by: lfrancis <louise.francis@comcast.net>
41. Re: Teacher Recollections of AP Classes
by: Laurel Parker <lkp5@cornell.edu>
42. RE: Worst that could happen
by: lfrancis <louise.francis@comcast.net>
43. Re: Encoding problems.
by: jan sidebotham <sidebothamj@yahoo.com>
44. Re: Down, girls
by: Jim Katzenstein <jimk@starkaywhite.com>
45. RE: Worst that could happen/pleasant rants...
by: <dave.walters@comcast.net>
46. Mike Kozell
by: Jim Katzenstein <jimk@starkaywhite.com>
47. Re: Heather
by: Glenn Martin <gmartin@adelphia.net>
48. Re: Re: Encoding problems.
by: <afine@art-cetera.com>
49. Re: Loose Change
by: Nancy Waterous <nwaterous@hotmail.com>
50. Re: Encoding problems.
by: <Sselklub@aol.com>
51. Re: Re: Loose Change
by: <afine@art-cetera.com>
52. Re: Mike Kozell
by: Rick Wester <rick_wester@mac.com>
53. Re: Heather
by: Nancy Waterous <nwaterous@hotmail.com>
54. Re: Mike Kozell
by: <smb9220@comcast.net>
55. Re: Mike Kozell
by: <Lotsoffish@aol.com>
56. Re: Sailing
by: <Lotsoffish@aol.com>
57. Fw: Loose Change
by: Nancy Waterous Whitehead <nwwhitehead@astound.net>
58. Re: Worst that could happen
by: <Lotsoffish@aol.com>
59. Re: Mike Kozell
by: Jim Katzenstein <jimk@starkaywhite.com>
60. Re: Heather
by: <JEBWILK@aol.com>

-------------------- 1 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 11:37:26 EST
From: Lotsoffish@aol.com (John Capuano)
Subject: Re: Teacher Recollections of AP Classes

i do not want to offend anyone here..with all the love out there for Mr.
Rittner... and as much as i find the conversations between alan fine and Mr.
Rittner "riviting".....i do not remember the invitation to AP......nope......i
would have remembered if a teacher gave me the oportunity to"step up" like
that...handed me a piece of paper with the info..... or had a little conversation
regarding it......i would have went home..ran home... and told my daddy...."hey
dad.[handing him the crumpled piece of paper]...."even though i have not
produced the straight A's like older brother lou"...."Mr. Rittner and a few other
teachers have decided to give me a chance in AP!" .......dad would have
smiled.......i do not think i would have succeeded in AP..but......wierd fantasy
huh?.....
.....Senior Quinn allowed me to step up to the plate..he showed respect for me
.... gave me opportunity ... let me know what was required of me...did not
insult me....or attempt to humiliate me....he WORKED with me.....and i
reciprocated...it is forged in my memory...
.....the fact that Mr Rittner did not remember ray.....is evidence enough of a
lack of time..and concern spent...with the "rays"......[once again Mr.
rittner...no disrespect]......Ray could have been some teachers crowning
jewel....instead....picking up an already polished stone and polishing a bit more.... a
bit fruitless....but the easy way.......no?...
...... So many other teachers....would be able to rattle off the names of a
few hundred AP students....how about 2 of the students that hung around on
school street smoking cigarettes wasting precious life time?.....2 of them that
were pulled from the trenches to move on to AP?...imagine the chit chat around
school......"oh may goodness".."did you see the poem that Ray obriske
wrote?"..."its in the hallway near the principles office"..."he is such a poet you
know"......
..these "disruptive" students should have been given a bit more time..a bit
more energy..instead we feel comfortable in the fact the class went
undisturbed...no offense Mr. Rittner..... i know you had a job to get done.....and did it
wonderfully [though i never had the opportunity with you]...but there is/was a
problem.....the children needed us to be more specific...we know that...the
simple fact the AP opportunity and availability was outlined in the
course/grade curriculum was not enough...we should have grabbed the
student...again....and again....and again..until we finally found that inperceptible
diamond.....cloaked in the camoflage of smoke, drugs and peer pressures..
....Mr. Saverino?...in retrospect?...what could/would you have changed to help
the situation?....oh my God..i used an indefinite "you"....
blahh blahhhh blahhh....i don't mean to pontificate.....i
apologize.."spring brings out the mischievousness in all of us"...cybil

-------------------- 2 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 11:40:59 EST
From: Lotsoffish@aol.com (John Capuano)
Subject: EVER?

"9/11 is the worst thing that could EVER happen to us"?...ever?....what are
you smoking laura?...i want some....john cap.....r recomended research.....
hiroshima and nagasaki

-------------------- 3 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 12:35:59 EST
From: SgtMark123@aol.com (Mark Sheridan)
Subject: Re: Worst that could happen

The worst that could happen....My vote is for Hurricane Katrina. If anyone
is interested in buying a beautiful "water front" house in New Orleans let me
know.

-------------------- 4 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 10:21:11 -0800
From: "lfrancis" <louise.francis@comcast.net>
Subject: RE: Let Mr. Aschmann rest in peace

Ray -- Wonderful story.
For the record, I know what a great teacher he was -- the fact his style
did not work for me doesn't take away from that. Chances are I would
have ended up just as neurotic about my writing had I never had him.
What was that line of Alan's...? My insecurity button got pushed really
hard by his style. Thanks to his loyal students, I've reflected more
deeply on that. Enough said.
Your calm-down-boy email was beautifully stated -- thank you for it.
Wish I could write like that ...

-------------------- 5 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 10:26:37 -0800
From: "lfrancis" <louise.francis@comcast.net>
Subject: RE: Let Mr. Aschmann rest in peace

I'm not crazy! Someone else remembers! I've told my kids that story --
because when they ask "why" one too many times I quote: "theirs was not
to reason why; theirs was just to do or die; into the valley of death
rode the 600." I'm a very annoying mother.
I hated that galloping then but now I realize that it was a brilliant
strategy for a learner like me -- I need to be doing something while I
learn. I can remember the corner of the room where I stood when we were
all lined up to gallop. It's the only thing from my Hastings day I can
recite from memory, other than the first lines of Canterbury Tales in
Old English -- which I learned thanks to Mr. Aschmann (see how I've
grown thanks to all of you!).

-------------------- 6 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 10:33:26 -0800
From: "lfrancis" <louise.francis@comcast.net>
Subject: RE: Teacher Recollections of AP Classes

Trust Rittner to bring a rational explanation of the facts to the forum
and urge us to look at the issue from multiple perspectives!

-------------------- 7 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 13:38:05 -0500
From: "Laura Tellekamp Kelley" <keith_a_kelley@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Worst that could happen

Well, finally discussing something new. That's the point Glenn. By the way
John, I don't know about you, but I wasn't born until the late 50's. I was
talking about in my lifetime.

-------------------- 8 --------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 13:45:58 -0500
From: "Joanne Liakos" <hackenburg2003@verizon.net>
Subject: re new voice.........

Niki M and I were deathly affraid of RO. Mr Savarino tried helping me, but I
never was able to relate to "Great Expectations."
Ms Salonikas out of the goodness of her own heart, used to call my mother
and translate in Greek to her....so I could get permission to go on field
trips. Now ESL and translation is expected in our local schools, and there
are teachers and liasons for that very purpose.
My teachers cared...but I was rebellious.

Here's a question for all of us. Why have we dug up every fragment of 9/11
victims, but our Heroes at Pearl Harbor rest in peace under water? I have
no agenda.....just thoughts.
Ok hold on.......I have an agenda..........how is occupying Iraq gonna stop
terrorism in Indonesia and Malaysia?
Gosh I am saddened and guilty for being so far removed from the horrors of
the world over there.
More to come.....?

Joanne Liakos

-------------------- 9 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 13:46:51 EST
From: JaneGaughran@aol.com
Subject: Down, girls

Ladies -- no need to stress over all of these reminiscences about Heather
Schmeltz...I think it's wonderful that some of our classmates can type so well
with one hand. jane

-------------------- 10 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 11:07:09 -0800
From: "lfrancis" <louise.francis@comcast.net>
Subject: RE: Worst that could happen

Will someone who lives in NY please go over to John's house, turn off
his computer and take him fishing?

Shall we have a contest for worst thing that has happened?

9/11
H. Katrina
H. Andrew
Bangladesh 1970
Banda Aceh
Managua, 1972
The holocaust
Darfur
Vietnam
WWI
Bosnia
Iraq -- how many troops dead? How many Iraqi civilians dead?
Lebanon
Israel & Gaza
Northern Ireland
China -- how many millions allowed to starve to secure Mao's power?
Perhaps more than were murdered in the holocaust -- we don't know yet.
Georgetown, Guyana
The next hurricane ... or earthquake
The next genocide

I could go on, but I need to go follow Ray's advice.
Have you found your fishing rods yet?

-------------------- 11 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 23:27:51 +0000 GMT
From: "Pat Sinatra" <psinatra@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: Down, girls

Oooh...that was a good one, Jane!

-------------------- 12 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 12:55:45 -0800
From: "Nancy Waterous Whitehead" <nwwhitehead@astound.net>
Subject: Re: Worst that could happen

Mark -

I've been wondering how you're doing down there. It still looks so awful on TV. I can only imagine what it's like to be living it.

Nancy

-------------------- 13 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 13:10:35 -0800 (PST)
From: jan sidebotham <sidebothamj@yahoo.com>
Subject: heather schmeltz -- a sobering thought

I don't think I even know what redux means . . . But this morning, I woke up thinking about what makes me uneasy about the talk about Heather Schmeltz.. . . and I'm not talking about some of the lovely things that have been said about her, like Rick Wester's loving tribute. I have nothing wrong with 7th grade boys fantasizing about a 7th grade girl. . . . but, if I gather correctly from some of the emails out there, someone managed to cop a feel of her breasts. Without her consent. Um, isn't that something like sexual assault? Whether it's a man or a seventh grader who does it.
Do any of you have daughters who are in seventh grade or who once were in seventh grade? Can you imagine this happening to her, and her coming home crying about what "the boys did to her"? What was it like for her to go back to school the next day? Did she ever feel safe there? Perhaps it was all a big joke to her, but maybe it affected her for a long time, in which case, I hope she never stumbles on this website and this particular digest.. . Maybe I'm reading something between the lines that isn't there. . .
I know I sound self-righteous as hell and I know I've played my part in turning Heather Schmeltz into one big joke, but it's not funny to me anymore. ..

---------------------------------
Yahoo! Mail
Use Photomail to share photos without annoying attachments.

-------------------- 14 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 16:19:04 -0500
From: "Glenn Martin" <gmartin@adelphia.net>
Subject: Re: Down, girls

FINALLY! A woman acknowledges that we men CAN be multi-tasked. Thank you
Jane!
Glenn

-------------------- 15 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 21:18:58 +0000
From: peter.hazou@hsbc.com
Subject: ParlYament

Yes. ParlY-Yament. One of the many lasting impacts of Mr. Rittner. What seemed so annoying at the time was indeed Rittner's cunning plan to ensure that no one ever spelled Parliament without an "I". "Mr Rittner, why do you pronounce Parlament so funny?" He said: "Pete, you'll never misspell it again." And sure enough...

What seems so funny to think back on such wisdom was just how young they all were, our teachers. Mr Crandle, Mr Edlemann (not sure if I have the spellings right, I guess I should have paid more attention instead of staring out the window). Speak of which, in passing the school these days it all looks like new double glazing. Its probably airconditioned too. Windows and those window poles! I know who still has some in case anyone is interested. He even went so far (I presume) of climbing up there with a screw driver to nick the little holders as a window pole collection is worthless unless you have the little holders!). I did a lot of time staring out those windows. Indeed, not paying the kind of attention to stuff I really ought to have. French lessons come to mind and Madamoiselle Cohen in the later years. She would always catch me day dreaming out the window "PIERRE!" she'd exclaim.

But in and amongst that later struggle there were absolutely wonderful human beings, like Madame Barth. I ran in to her daughter in Hastings a couple of years ago and we discussed her mother and the impact she had on all of us and our perception of the world outside Hastings (i.e., France).

Part French teacher, part travelogue, but definitely a woman with such overwhelming humanity. She was like a Jacque(line) Cousteaux on French culture. And she had such an impact on so many of our lives. Her daughter relayed a story that has really stuck with me: She said many year after her mother stopped teaching she would get post cards sent to her home address (approximate), or through the school, from long forgotten students to say "hey, here we are at a cafe on the banks of the Seine, we finally made it! We thought of you, and so we thought we would write".

....It is such a lovely impact she had on so many. Sigh.

Alas. Ciao 4 niao on such memories. Time for sleep on this end.

Haz
*********************************

HSBC Bank plc

Registered Office: 8 Canada Square, London E14 5HQ, United Kingdom

Registered in England - Number 14259

Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority
*********************************

-------------------- 16 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 13:28:00 -0800 (PST)
From: jan sidebotham <sidebothamj@yahoo.com>
Subject: oops

the subject line of my last email was supposed to say "heather schmeltz redux" which would have made the first line of my post make sense. duh.

---------------------------------
Brings words and photos together (easily) with
PhotoMail - it's free and works with Yahoo! Mail.

-------------------- 17 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 13:28:42 -0800 (PST)
From: jan sidebotham <sidebothamj@yahoo.com>
Subject: duh

Didn't we say "A doy now!" instead of "duh" back then?

---------------------------------
Yahoo! Mail
Use Photomail to share photos without annoying attachments.

-------------------- 18 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 23:51:09 +0000
From: smb9220@comcast.net (Steven Bass)
Subject: Re: Let Mr. Aschmann rest in peace

Julie -- yes, I remember Ellen Bidlack. I think Achmann was her uncle not her grandfather. In fact, I think Ellen's mother was Achmann's wife's sister. But my memory is not all that clear on this and I have no idea what happened to her.

-------------------- 19 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 19:52:24 EST
From: NYCFD1@aol.com (Ray Paletta)
Subject: Re: daughters

jan-
i have daughters , my oldest was sexually assaulted by a 44 yo man when
she was 14 (now 23) well finding where he lived he was visited by me and a
few friends before the yonkers police were called,up on rape charges .He was in
holding at yonkers police station where all my friends worked at the time,,
needles to say he was put on a 24 hour suicide watch, i dont know why, but he
was afraid for his life, he must have fallen or something in valhala
corrections, hes since served 2 of his 5 year sentence
my 14 yo came home hysterical one day cause she was groped by a fellow
class mate fooling around, and being the sensitive dad i am i calmly sped to
the school got the police that are stationed at the school and the principal
and had his parents come in all within 2 hours ,he was suspended for two
weeks shes over it now,
i was no saint in school, and probably guilty as sin ,but when it hit home,
holy crap Jan,
i worry about them every day, my 16 year old, i dont think i have to worry
about, shes a bruiser !!!!!!!!! But still ,every day is a challenge with
these boyfriends, that think its ok to touch a girl anytime they want to. and
then theres my 18 year old son who wants to beat the crap out of all their
boyfriends

ray

-------------------- 20 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 19:55:24 EST
From: NYCFD1@aol.com (Ray Paletta)
Subject: Re: 4th or 5th grade

does any one remember our art teacher Miss Connelly

-------------------- 21 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 01:20:29 +0000
From: dave.walters@comcast.net
Subject: Re: 4th or 5th grade

Tall, thin, with dark hair and glasses?

David

>
> does any one remember our art teacher Miss Connelly
>
>
>

-------------------- 22 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:31:01 EST
From: Captmando@aol.com (John Capuano)
Subject: Re: Worst that could happen

are you being hurtful louise?..

-------------------- 23 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:31:42 EST
From: Captmando@aol.com (John Capuano)
Subject: Re: Down, girls

you go jane!.....

-------------------- 24 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:48:11 EST
From: Captmando@aol.com
Subject: Re: re new voice.........

hi joanne...the fight against terrorism will never end....terrorism has
always existed..and always will....how do we end it in Malaysia and
indonesia?>...too bad there is no easy answer....the idea now is to try and cut off the
leaders from their followers....example.....osama is now useless as a logistical
leader ...he is hiding in the mountains of Afghanistan...now we go after the
next one in "the chain of command".....the real problem is..like in
Vietnam.....the enemy is not easily found....unlike the British during the war for
independence..the enemy doesnt just stand there in their redcoats...
...hey wait a minute!...when we were fighting for our independence we were the
ones not easily seen...we were the radicals..interesting...john

-------------------- 25 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 19:13:22 -0800
From: "Nancy Waterous" <nwaterous@hotmail.com>
Subject: Loose Change

Did anyone else watch the Loose Change video that Alan told us about? If
so, I'd be curious as to your reaction(s)...

Nancy

_________________________________________________________________
On the road to retirement? Check out MSN Life Events for advice on how to
get there! http://lifeevents.msn.com/category.aspx?cid=Retirement

-------------------- 26 --------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 19:34:27 -0800
From: "lfrancis" <louise.francis@comcast.net>
Subject: RE: Worst that could happen

Hurtful? Wishing you a day on the water with no worries but how to
explain the lack of a catch? With enemies like that, who needs friends?

-----Original Message-----
From: Hastings Alumni Email Forum [mailto:hastings@art-cetera.com]
Sent: Sunday, March 19, 2006 5:43 PM
To: Hastings Alumni Email Forum
Subject: Re: Worst that could happen

From the HASTINGS CLASS OF '75
(also including teachers and other classes)
EMAIL BULLETIN BOARD
www.art-cetera.com/hastings
---------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:31:01 EST
From: Captmando@aol.com (John Capuano)
Subject: Re: Worst that could happen

are you being hurtful louise?..

--------------------------------------------------------
This message has been sent to -- and seen by -- 120 classmate,
teacher and friend email addresses!

To unsubscribe, please send an email to
hastings@art-cetera.com with "unsubscribe" in the subject.

-------------------- 27 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 07:44:32 -0500
From: Jim Katzenstein <jimk@starkaywhite.com>
Subject: Re: NEWS ALERT !!!!!!!!!

Billy,

Excellent information. Perhaps we could commandeer Cappy's boat, load it
up with a crew of scalawags from our class, and raid Larry's swearing in
ceremony.

Jim K

-------------------- 28 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 14:01:04 +0000
From: dmcquickly@comcast.net (Greg Vaughn)
Subject: Sailing

Some Little River Band for you, John, to bolster that hidden poet in you::

If there's one thing in my life that's missing
It's the time that I spend alone
Sailing on the cool and bright clear water.

(Cool Change)

Greg

-------------------- 29 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 14:08:08 +0000
From: dmcquickly@comcast.net (Greg Vaughn)
Subject: RE: Let Mr. Aschmann rest in peace

Louise, great story! I wish I'd been there. We sat a lot in upper el classes in Great Neck.

One more thing: This is what we call a kinetic learner. Your learning style then (I don't know about now) involved movement. It's an interesting trait, one held by a small percentage of the population. I've seen it in my class. When I studied learning styles in New York 7 years ago, this was the one that stuck in my mind: The student that can memorize a poem by walking while reading it. Because of the way school and classroom discipline gets structured, these students are often the crack-fallers. One of the issues: It is fairly distracting to the left-brainers to have a kinetic learner walking around the room while the left-brainers are trying desperately to find silence.

Which is why those kinetic learners usually go into sports or theater.

Greg

-------------------- 30 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 14:10:46 +0000
From: dmcquickly@comcast.net (Greg Vaughn)
Subject: RE: Worst that could happen

Forgot one, Louise: Russia under Stalin's collectivization program. More died in that remarkable experiment in terror than in the holocaust.

Greg

-------------------- 31 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 14:17:25 +0000
From: dmcquickly@comcast.net (Greg Vaughn)
Subject: Encoding problems.

Several emails that have come through to me are in gibberish symbols. I don't know if it's me or the original poster (maybe I'm the original poster!). Any ideas? It isn't all the emails, maybe one out of ten or so. The rest ar fine. I've tried changing the encoding on them, but that doesn't work.

As my life usually goes, I'm sure someone will have a cogent and helpful answer to this, but they'll type it in whatever coding I'm seeing, and I'll never be able to read it! lol

Greg

-------------- Original message --------------
From: Hastings Alumni Email Forum <hastings@art-cetera.com>

> ÿÿñk¢…$È4d°Oó…ÿþùÿý©l¯ø§r[Šxµæœ…êìý©Ýþ‹az•«,zÿÿÿ0 ü ,DÈ?ðNÿÿÃ®
> z×«o÷(›øZ²Ø§‚ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ
> «^ÿô®Ÿÿó

-------------------- 32 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 14:27:03 +0000
From: dmcquickly@comcast.net (Greg Vaughn)
Subject: Re: re new voice.........

The "Sea Peoples", the Vikings, the Goths, the Huns, the Mongols, the Basques, the Comanches...yes, John is correct. Terrorists have always been around. Because there are always people opposed in some way to those in power. This is no excuse for 9/11. Just history. The war on terror will literally never end, because there will always be this opposition to the powerful. Sometimes, in retrospect, that opposition has some rationale. Other times, it seems completely and utterly barbarian.

Greg

-------------------- 33 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 09:34:14 -0500
From: "David Virrill" <DVirrill@levyboonshoft.com>
Subject: random recollections-for what they're worth-Ray, heather, etc.

Regarding Ray. I was aware of him in seventh grade. He was an
unmitigated bully for most of that '69-'70 year. He bragged of teasing
Steve Bass's hair with "Speakeasy" (a breath spray of the time); he
tried to cram Steve Bordy into a locker, he ruined a touch football game
on the Reynolds lower field by tackling Jeff Feinstein while Ray's Ygor
of the day, Tony Grascia, cheered him on.

I sighed with relief the day Dick Bub blew up on him: Ray was not
dressed for gym (meaning he eschewed the white T and green shorts we
were all coerced into buying from Ben-Sun) and was quietly terrorizing
somebody during Bub's daily comedy ("alright gentlemen, TEN-HUT!")
inspection. Bub yelled "Hey O'Briskie, what are you, the class bully?
Try that with me son--I said DO IT!" He lowered his head to Ray's eyes,
and, as Ray tried to liquefy into the floor, I thought Bub would, with
his bristly crew cut, erase Ray's face then and there. Couldn't have
happened to a nicer guy.

That said, I last saw Ray in 1990, '91 something around then. He was
hitching along Rosedale to a softball game at Zinsser. I was bombing
back from Central Avenue in my '86 Camaro and picked him up. He thanked
me twice, then immediately lowered the window to dangle his lit weed--he
didn't assume he could smoke in my shitmobile. We got to gassing about
family tag (some of us skipped lunch that year to play 30 minutes of
family tag on the playground--Dom Disciena (sp?), Nethercott, me, Bordy,
Bass maybe--and Ray, who always played that one by the rules)and the
Youth Center. We sat in the parking lot at Zinsser for a bit, he thanked
me again and again "hey man thanks, I really appreciate it" (you'd think
I gave him a kidney) and left. He was friendly and we had a few laughs;
it was the kind of encounter you hope for with a guy you haven't seen
for a decade or more, even the most casual of acquaintance.

I was saddened when I heard Ray died, not least by the circumstances: he
was filling up when an attempted robbery by others, uninvolved with Ray,
resulted in his getting shot. I have no idea if this is true or where or
from whom I heard it. If true, it's a waste, as he seemed to have
changed for the better and getting caught in the switches is just bad,
bad luck.

As for Heather, well she was a girly-girl non pareil, wearing dresses,
Marcia Brady dresses at that, most days at a time when pants for girls
were definitely in fashion. She was a smart ass (at dance class one
night she laughed ruefully seeing Chip Carpenter dance with an ungainly
girl. Still locked in guy v. girl mode, I asked why she was ragging
Chip: "I'm not-Chip's my friend. He's suffering now." Weirdly
sophisticated comment and more than a bit mean, though the girl didn't
hear it.

That little character flaw didn't keep Alan and me from conspiring to
get a tennis double date with Heather and Keller (Bev). Poor Bev keeps
getting hauled up in my little stories--hey, life is hard. Anyway, in
July of '70 we finally made it happen. We contrived to have our buddy
Feinstein show up accidentally on purpose about 30 minutes into the
tennis, (the tennis was mind-numbingly inept but we were having a decent
enough time--meaning neither girl had flagged a passing car for rescue).
Jeff and Heather got into a smiling tug of war over her sweatshirt,
which she ended by snagging him--really. Or at least coming close enough
to make Jeff yelp and yield--really. As I said, she had spirit.

We didn't, however, plan on my mother showing up with a big bottle of
root beer (root beer--root beer--nothing shouts "I'm 9 years old" louder
than root beer) and some Dixie cups (I'm wrong--Dixie cups virtually
keen "I'm 3 and I can use the toilet by myself!!") While Mom delivered
as fast as she could without winging the bottle at our feet, the
parental intrusion broke the spell of our all just getting along, and
made us ape some more tennis to prove to any other passers-by that this
was no, repeat no, date of any kind. It ended amicably enough, but end
it did, and Alan, Jeff and I were left with that post-Christmas morning
emptiness. We'd planned this a month at least, anticipating it with
frenzy and dread in shifting proportions. And now it was done.

And it never happened again.

-------------------- 34 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 09:50:03 -0500
From: "David Virrill" <DVirrill@levyboonshoft.com>
Subject: RE: Let Mr. Aschmann rest in peace

Well, I come to praise him.

In fall'82, I was subbing at Hastings/Dobbs/Irvington/Edgemont. Welcome
back Virrill. It was largely a pathetic time but I did sit in on few
classes and always enjoyed hanging around Rittner, Quinn etc. Anyway,
the best class I watched was Aschmann handling an "alternate track"
English class, neither AP nor Regents, and stocked with kids having
lower motivation than others. You wouldn't know it from the class he
ran, a conversation about some short stories that had everybody chiming
in, laughing and eager to talk.

Afterward, I asked him if his comments to essays were as acerbic as to
his AP kids (Bob Berry, in response to his essay on "the wind", a
vintage Aschmann topic if ever there was one, received "but you do not
tie your observations to a theme or even a point, and deliver a paper as
ephemeral as the wind itself.") he smiled, and responded that he was
every bit as demanding, but tended to write questions, to encourage
response, instead of proclamations of dissatisfaction that graced the
work of AP kids.

He didn't run a feel-good group grope. He ran a class. But he ran it oh
so well.

-------------------- 35 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 10:04:12 EST
From: Captmando@aol.com (John Capuano)
Subject: Re: Worst that could happen

well ladies and gentlemen..at the request of THE CHARMING AND BEAUTIFUL
LOUISE FRANCIS.... i am off to the fishing grounds!...actually i wont be here as
often as i would like from now till the beginning of december...i start fishing
april 1st......what a bummer huh?..however...i will keep checking in..i do
have things to do on the web..maintain website.......etrade.....and that
monumentus task of trying to keep up with the class of 75..it has been wonderful..i
hope to see all of you real soon.......louise too......GO YELLOW
JACKETS!..........cappy

-------------------- 36 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 12:26:49 EST
From: Lotsoffish@aol.com (John Capuano)
Subject: Re: Loose Change

i couldnt get to "loose change" either nancy..i am dying to know..john cap

-------------------- 37 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 09:53:51 -0800
From: "lfrancis" <louise.francis@comcast.net>
Subject: Impacting Poverty

Some of you might find this NPR Morning Edition story interesting --
it's about what the City of Savannah, GA is doing to make people like us
realize the frustration of a life of poverty and then act together to
help at least 25 families out of it. It was a good counterpoint to the
depressing story in today's newspapers on the hopelessness of the lives
of too many African American men.
Louise

The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link
attachments:

Shortcut to:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5232545

-------------------- 38 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 12:56:22 -0500
From: <afine@art-cetera.com> (Alan Fine)
Subject: Re: Encoding problems.

I have seen several types of formatting problems here. I believe all are related to how the emails are sent, not received.

Anyone who thinks their emails are not going out properly, please set your email program to send messages in PLAIN TEXT.

Some people were sending in HTML format. That definitely screws things up. Rich text might too.

Plain text. That would be best.

Alan

-------------------- 39 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 12:58:03 -0500
From: "David Virrill" <DVirrill@levyboonshoft.com>
Subject: Heather

Well she was a girly-girl non pareil, wearing dresses, Marcia Brady
dresses at that, most days at a time when pants for girls were
definitely in fashion. She was a smart ass (at dance class one night she
laughed ruefully seeing Chip Carpenter dance with an ungainly girl.
Still locked in guy v. girl mode, I asked why she was ragging Chip: "I'm
not-Chip's my friend. He's suffering now"). Weirdly sophisticated
comment and more than a bit mean, though the girl didn't hear it.

We didn't, however, plan on my mother showing up with a big bottle of
root beer (root beer-ROOT BEER--nothing shouts "I'm 9 years old" louder
than root beer) and some Dixie cups (I'm wrong--Dixie cups virtually
keen "I'm 3 and I can use the toilet by myself!!") While Mom delivered
as fast as she could without winging the bottle at our feet, the
parental intrusion broke the spell of our all just getting along, and
made us ape some more tennis to prove to any other passers-by that this
was no, repeat no, date of any kind. It ended amicably enough, but end
it did, and Alan, Jeff and I were left with that post-Christmas morning
emptiness. We'd planned this a month at least, anticipating it with
frenzy and dread in shifting proportions. And now it was done.

And it never happened again.

-------------------- 40 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 10:10:41 -0800
From: "lfrancis" <louise.francis@comcast.net>
Subject: RE: Worst that could happen

Greg -- How could I forget Stalin's terror and purges? My Rittner paper!
Also, I had 2 oops -- forgot to include John's list -- Hiroshima &
Nagasaki -- and its Jonestown, not Georgetown, Guyana. If I remember
correctly, Georgetown is where the basketball team was and like a
typical adolescent, Jim Jones' son refused to take the team away from
it's tournament for whatever it was his father thought was so urgent, so
he survived and was there for the SF cultists who were able to call him
when they got their orders and he, forced into leadership, convinced
them to choose life! Back to basketball as a vehicle for good ...
Loved the lyric Greg. That's what I meant.

-------------------- 41 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 11:41:14 -0500
From: Laurel Parker <lkp5@cornell.edu>
Subject: Re: Teacher Recollections of AP Classes

I think it's interesting what our teachers remember, and what we
remember. I don't remember being "invited" to take AP, I was told to
take it given that I wanted to go to college. I'm not sorry (I had
Mr. Rittner for my teacher) but I wish I felt at the time that it was
my choice to do it rather than an ironclad expectation.

And I'm always amazed at the amount of energy and resources spent to
reach out to those falling through the cracks -- some who just don't
seem to want to be reached at all, they just want to be left
alone! Who in this group reminded us that you can lead a horse to water...?

Laurel

-------------------- 42 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 10:53:42 -0800
From: "lfrancis" <louise.francis@comcast.net>
Subject: RE: Worst that could happen

Be well and happy John. Take some Little River Band with you. When you
get back, basketball or a new equivalent will be here; us too -- poets,
nags, provocateurs, comics, wits, wise ones, bloggers, therapy-seekers,
kvetchers, scalawags ... And I owe you a lunch if you come to visit
family out here, if I recall correctly ...

-------------------- 43 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 11:04:37 -0800 (PST)
From: jan sidebotham <sidebothamj@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Encoding problems.

I assumed that whoever was sending those cryptic-encrypted-encoded-unintelligible emails was doing it on purpose. . . Does that make me paranoid or complacent?

-------------------- 44 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 15:14:50 -0500
From: Jim Katzenstein <jimk@starkaywhite.com>
Subject: Re: Down, girls

Jane,

LMAO

Jim K

> Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 13:46:51 EST
> From: JaneGaughran@aol.com
> Subject: Down, girls
>
> Ladies -- no need to stress over all of these reminiscences about Heather
> Schmeltz...I think it's wonderful that some of our classmates can type so well
> with one hand. jane

-------------------- 45 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:29:06 +0000
From: dave.walters@comcast.net
Subject: RE: Worst that could happen/pleasant rants...

Misc. items all:

#All I can say is that it looks like the salmon season is cancelled in California this year do to poor Federal water management practices on the great Klameth River (farmers vs fishermen). So, I envy Cap and his great boat, that I will, one of these days, go on.

#It has been interesting about AP classes, etc. Perhaps we should wind it down?

#'worst that could happen'. Well, no one will ever be happy about trying to rank human folly...someone will feel left out or skipped over. I always try, as hard as it is, to look at the bigger picture, the conflict behind the conflict, the social-antogonisms that spawn the actions, and reactions, to these great man-made disasters. Wonder if this is the right forum to discuss it, though?

# Contridicting the last point above :), and, well, ranting along, it is the 3rd anniversary of the War in Iraq ("Miission Accomplished!", then... "Oops!"). The only thing in response to John's sincered and heartfelt words on this is that Americans in Iraq are killed by terrorists there (as Cap pointed out)...that wouldn't of been there had we not occupied Iraq in the first place, creating....more terrorists, civil war, more death, etc. Everyone comes down at some point with a concrete unmovable conclusion: it was a war for oil then, it's a war for oil now. But, sometimes people have to step out of the circle of violence and just say (in Spanish it has more impact) "Basta!". (Enough!)

rant 'nuff said,
David,
Comfortably sitting on the Left Coast of America.

David

-------------------- 46 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 15:43:03 -0500
From: Jim Katzenstein <jimk@starkaywhite.com>
Subject: Mike Kozell

Rick,

Last I heard Mike Kozell was heading across the Bolivian border in his
1957 Chevy. It is believed that he had two passengers with him...Alan
Houston and Heather Schmeltz.

Jim K

-------------------- 47 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 16:40:28 -0500
From: "Glenn Martin" <gmartin@adelphia.net>
Subject: Re: Heather

Dave....enjoyed your story....and it's nice to know that some can continue
to share their reminiscences and not being intimidated by the "Blog Police".
Glenn

-------------------- 48 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 17:05:38 -0500
From: <afine@art-cetera.com> (Alan Fine)
Subject: Re: Re: Encoding problems.

Jan,

If a problem isn't reported, it will never be fixed.

By not reporting it, you were complacent. But then, by telling us the reason why -- that someone might have been sending weird stuff on purpose -- at that point you are clearly paranoid.

But I'll protect you. Promise. (In fact, everyone should know I block all ads from getting through. Any spam you receive from this email list is stuff you don't want from one of us, not an outsider!)

Alan

-------------------- 49 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 15:52:24 -0800
From: "Nancy Waterous" <nwaterous@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Loose Change

I was able to download and watch it - it's very disturbing. Try this: Go to http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=loose+change, and click on the second video frame. This should get you to the video. You may have to download Google Video Player to see it.

Good luck!

-------------------- 50 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:44:45 EST
From: Sselklub@aol.com
Subject: Re: Encoding problems.

Alan;
You are always protecting us all..

Sue

-------------------- 51 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:48:53 -0500
From: <afine@art-cetera.com>
Subject: Re: Re: Loose Change

Nancy,

Your email looked weird when it arrived because it was sent in HTML format. Could you try to switch to plain text format please?

Thanks,

Alan

-------------------- 52 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:56:42 -0500
From: Rick Wester <rick_wester@mac.com>
Subject: Re: Mike Kozell

Here is a taste of one short story that is in a very rough draft stage, inspired by Mike: (feel free to submit any form of criticism directly to my e-mail. No need to bore everyone.)

.....We feared only one creature, a strange body builder with a barrel chest, arms like veined steaks and biceps of twin pumping hearts, blood orange hair and a ?57 Chevy. He spoke with a logic, cadence and lilt all his own, emphatic, aggressive, stretching syllables into three times their length ? all exclamation points and never a question mark unless it was aimed at embarrassing the subject about the size of his genitals. ?A little punk like you! You?ll never make a woman haaapppy, Little Deeeck! You need a caughk like Johnny Wad!? In the way that kids can absorb, mimic and appropriate any mannerism, especially of those they despise, we took his voice on with glee.

He worked in the local dye factory by the river and conflicting stories about him circled about us like the dead leaves swirling in the pre-winter wind that kept us hopping up and down in our army jackets. Mikey, it was rumored, had been fed LSD by his father as a joke and the old man was sent away for good, leaving his distorted son to recover with his frail but equally mean-spirited mother, whom Mikey defended and cursed with equal vigor. He was of an indefinite age at the time although someone?s brother had gone to school with him and a yearbook, circulated at one point, showed a senior portrait of a young man no different than our Mikey, hair slicked back, the intense and vacant eyes the same, except in black and white. The dye factory was, supposedly, the source of his hair color. The alternative theory behind his strange behavior was that he had absorbed so much Red Dye #2 in an accident at the plant, it had affected his brain and nerves so quickly and thoroughly he seemed to have changed overnight, in a snap. And in the days before rampant litigious actions against the mildest of corporate crooks, the owners felt compelled to keep him on. Besides, he could lift and move fifty-gallon drums of powdered dye without a forklift. He was the Jack LaLane and Paul Bunyon of the artificial food-coloring world, renowned for miles around.....

Rick Wester
(917) 518-1330

-------------------- 53 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 19:07:33 -0800
From: "Nancy Waterous" <nwaterous@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Heather

Boys, I was actually friends with Heather. I went to her house, ate her
food and yes, even saw the inside of her bedroom (no, it wasn't like that,
you hopeful pervs!). As a mother who has raised two wonderfully
sophisticated California girls, here's my theory: she was from California!
That should be all anyone needs to know to explain why she was so alluringly
different. Of course, the fact that I have raised my daughters in
California may cause me to be somewhat biased... :) Or maybe all that Botox
has finally gotten to my brain...

Nancy

-------------------- 54 --------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 05:09:28 +0000
From: smb9220@comcast.net (Steven Bass)
Subject: Re: Mike Kozell

Nicely written, Kinder Rick.

-------------------- 55 --------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 00:23:51 EST
From: Lotsoffish@aol.com (John Capuano)
Subject: Re: Mike Kozell

mike kozel...danny sullivan would throw a continuos barrage of language and
material he knew mike couldnt take..he would eventually chase us..all of us.. a
not to unusual way to spend a fri or sat nite...with a continuos rant on just
what he was going to do when he finally caught one of us..."i grab that
little sullibean head and crusshhhhhit between the palm of my hands...the blood and
the mess..and then i would rip each arm out of the sockets...and beat lttle
danny on his litttle head with his own arms..he would find himself amusing aftr
a while ..sit down...and laugh..which would inevitably lead into the dye
factory smokers cough..i ll never forget thinking his head was going to expode..he
did catch one of us from time to time..we were laughing so hard we couldnt
get away...his grip was impressive and painful....after a bit he would
"crussshshhhhh" a full beer on his forehead and it would start all over......ahh
rick..those were the days my friend.......cappy

-------------------- 56 --------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 00:32:00 EST
From: Lotsoffish@aol.com (John Capuano)
Subject: Re: Sailing

good tune greg.....been working on the slidder?

-------------------- 57 --------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 21:57:52 -0800
From: "Nancy Waterous Whitehead" <nwwhitehead@astound.net>
Subject: Fw: Loose Change

Another attempt...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8260059923762628848&q=loose+change

-------------------- 58 --------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 01:10:15 EST
From: Lotsoffish@aol.com (John Capuano)
Subject: Re: Worst that could happen

lunch it is louise..maybe a bit of steely dan playin.........some nag champa
burning......john.

-------------------- 59 --------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 05:14:28 -0500
From: Jim Katzenstein <jimk@starkaywhite.com>
Subject: Re: Mike Kozell

I forgot about the infamous LSD story. I don't recall who slipped it to
Mike but, it was always served in a Milk Shake.

Jim K

-------------------- 60 --------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 05:20:22 EST
From: JEBWILK@aol.com (Julie Blasberg Spencer)
Subject: Re: Heather

Let them have Heather. After all, WE had Gordon Craig, remember? Which of
them could dream of competing with Gordon in our fantasies?