David Buchholz

Regarding Nelson's question about trying to have an intelligent discussion about the Prevaricator-in-Chief, I was sent a link to an article regarding his personality.  There surely must be both psychiatrists and/or psychologists in our class who might like to weigh in on this.

https://qz.com/852187/coping-with-chaos-in-the-white-house/

Mr. Trump has stolen my good night's sleep...

And as far as bad presidents go...Andy Borowitz, I suspect nailed it.

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/bush-counting-down-days-until-he-is-no-longer-worst-president-in-history

Stephen (Steve) Dixon

I would just like to say that Frederick Douglass is doing some great work and his name is one that is soon going to be well-recognized.

What? Oh....

Bruce Fette

Jerry, The wonderful song made me look up the English translation, and the stories behind it.  :)

From David Bucholz's link above, I like this:

 "We are all called to be leaders now, in the absence of leadership." 

Jonathan Marks

Thank you for "Guantanamera," Jerry.  Perfect.

Here are people who, all their lives, have dealt with dictatorship, embargo, and displacement, and they find release and the feeling of positive action through art and joy.

Peter Crockett

Thank you, Jerry, that was beautiful.

and yet another video this season leaves me teary: this one, the one from Denmark with folks stepping "out of their boxes" into what they share. Bringing my grief back to the surface. That what I understand as one of the  highest ideals of my community and my nation--reaching across boundaries to embrace all sorts of human diversity--is under brutal attack from many directions by citizens and their elected officials.

We'll continue to "walk hand in hand."

Richard Winter (Winter)

There are two main purposes for this website.  One is so that we can reach everyone regarding reunions and important events that affect the whole class.  The second is so that classmates can stay in touch with one another.    

We will only succeed if everyone in the class feels welcome.   

While we want open communication, I'd prefer that we do not use this site for communications that are likely to divide the class, result in hard feelings or make some feel less welcome.

Gene Stern

I second Dick Winter's comments!!!   I will be flyinig to Cuba, for the second time, in March, and will report back after the trip.

Philip Spiess

I love this Website, because my favorite 20th-century novel of English Literature is E. M. Forster's Howards End (1910).  And one of the main reasons I love it is because its epigraph is "Only connect . . ." -- and this Website has helped me connect with all of you, though distant now from me in time and space.

[Oh, and Gene:  when you report back from Cuba, please report on whether Papa Hemingway's two favorite bars, Bar La Florida (later El Floridita), the self-styled "birthplace of the Daiquiri," where he drank the "El Floridita No. 3" cocktail (also known as the "E. Hemingway Special"), which was made specially for him, and La Bodeguita del Medio (originally Casa Martinez), if not the birthplace of Mojitos, still famous as the center of their primary production, where Hemingway drank "Mojito Criollos" (their best manifestation), are still going concerns.  (There is, apparently, a contemporary, privately-owned bar in Havana which advertises, "HEMINGWAY NEVER DRANK HERE.")  "O tempora, o mores!"]

Jerry Ochs

I have a shameful confession to make: I am 71.08 years old, but I have still not learned never to place a spoon face-up under a torrent of water from a faucet.  I could never work in a zoo because the chimpanzees would always be laughing at me.

By the way, have you ever clicked on What's New in the blue bar to the left?  It is like reading somebody else's diary.  Creepy.

Stephen (Steve) Dixon

Lots to read here, today. Will just leave two comments for the moment.

1) Glad to see Phil S. giving props to E. M. Forster. His A Passage to India a beautifully lyrical picture of time, place and culture.

2) When the site comes up for me, Google starts its little "Translate" wheel going.Is someone writing in Urdu?

Stephen Collett

Heia Stephen,  Det var så hyggelig å høre at du følger med på alle språk! Så jeg kan bare forstette her fra fædrelandet. Vi tastes,  Stephen

Jeff Daum

Stephen (Collett),

Can we get a side of tørrfisk  with that? 

Stephen Collett

Alt mulig.

Jeff Daum

Stephen, wow Alt mulig.  If I had only known, , we were there in July and would have stopped by.

David Buchholz

Not wishing to add anything politically controversial to the web site I have chosen this bunny, who last summer was living under Gail Weintraub Stern's Sun Valley condominium, to entertain everyone.  Isnt' he cute?

Thinking that Tilden Park's Little Farm's own pig, Baronness, just gave birth to a dozen piglets...perhaps one of these would also be apropos.

Jerry Ochs

Stephen and Jeff,

Du to bør få et rom!

Stephen (Steve) Dixon

Collett,

Hei, min venn. Nå er vi gjør bruk av teknologi. Minst er jeg. Du kan selvsagt gjøre det i hodet ditt.

Steve D.

(Props to Google translate for the assist.)

Philip Spiess

Nope, Stephen, doesn't look like Urdu to me!  [But I wouldn't mind having that Swedish dish, "Jansson's Temptation" (Nelson:  do you know the Swedish opera singer Jansson?), along with a cold glass of Absolut right now!]

Jerry Ochs

Does anybody know how to say "Now can we get back to discussing current events?" in Norwegian?

Philip Spiess

Oslo to pick up the ball on this; somebody else will have to, if anybody's in herring distance of this!

Jerry Ochs

Damn and blast!  I've misplaced my "groan" emoji again.

Let's go back to mocking a dangerous dictator.

Steven Levinson

Wasljpvas ksdkalv lsdoip lk sdo mdva 'po'ef. 

Philip Spiess

Hmm, Steve, not quite pig-Latin, pretty sure it's not Hebrew (not even Polish Hebrew), but I have submitted it to the National Security Agency (does it still exist?) to decipher -- I hope you don't mind.  And Jerry:  you've reminded me why I don't use Mao on my sandwiches -- I prefer Colonel Mustard (yes, though entering my dotage, I still have a Clue about some things).

Jerry Ochs

Doesn't this bring back some fond memories?

Gail Weintraub (Stern)

My apologies to our classmates who tried to login to our webiste this morning and found that our domain name had expired. This issue has been resolved, as you can see. 

It is reassuring to know how many of you contacted me re this issue. It shows how many of us login to our website for class communication.