Richard Winter (Winter)

Becky - I hope I get to see that Vatican book some day.  

Judy - I love that 50's video!  And the theatre that is available online now is pretty amazing.

Bruce Fette

Becky et al,

Sistine Chaple:

Yes, it truly is amazing. Walls and ceiling, halls and rooms. But they absolutely and rigorously forbid taking of photographs.  My wife and I took the tour roughly 2005 or 6 or 7. And the color is amazing, and Michel Angelo painted all of this laying on his back on an arched scaffold.  Just amazing!

At your notice I went to find the videos of the restoration on the net:

Philip Spiess

God, I feel ancient!  I saw the Sistine Chapel in 1964, long before its restoration!  (Of course, I've seen pictures of the restored colors since -- but even my books on, say, Michelangelo:  His Complete Works, are so old that they're in the unrestored "sepia" colors.  It's all that damned candle smoke and incense in the Chapel (which, by the way, is one of the older portions of the Vatican complex; it precedes the completion, by many years, of the central sanctuary, i.e., Cathedral.)

Jeff Daum

We had the pleasure of going through the Sistine Chapel in 2008 and had one of the most memorable and entertaining tours of our 80+ country travels over the years.  We had booked a private tour through Viator and had a 'Valley girl' who had multiple art degrees and studied in Rome.

She shared historically correct facts but entertwined with very humorous stories about how Michelangelo was chosen to do the ceiling and everything that occured during the process and of the Last Judgment as well.  Clearly we were astounded and moved by the beauty but able to absorb so much more because of hearing it through her perspective (and Valley girl vocal inflections).

Chuck Cole

In addition to being prohibited from taking any pictures in the Sistene Chapel, you also cannot lie down on the floor so as to get the optimal view of this spectacular place--I tried.

Becky Payne (Shockley)

Thanks to all who responded to my news about the Sistine Chapel. I keep learning new stuff every day!

Lee Max

The Vatican complex is indeed amazing. In the early 1990s, as part of a business trip involving the Vatican’s television and radio transmitters, I was lucky enough to get an insider’s tour of the Vatican. The tour lasted a little longer than anticipated and even back then, I had a very small bladder. Our business contact/guide was very understanding. On our way up to the top of the Vatican where the transmitters were located, we were passing the Pope’s private office. He suggested that we go inside, look around, and that I use the Pope’s private bathroom. Getting to pee in the Pope’s toilet is still quite a memory.

Paul Simons

I have never seen the Sistine Chapel but have often enjoyed this absolutely Pristine Scrapple:

Habberset, a company that has been around since 1863, the leader in sales for the Philadelphia area. It was originally located in Media, Pennsylvania but now is headquartered in Delaware. Habbersett is probably the first company to have mass produced scrapple, although certainly not the first company to have made it. The ingredients listed are pork stock, pork, pork skins, corn meal, wheat flour, pork hearts, pork livers, pork tongue, salt, and spices.

In Cincinnati it’s called Goetta:

Philip Spiess

Chuck Cole!  I'm surprised at you!  As one of the Walnut Hills' "sages" (somebody's told us recently that that was on our diplomas), when in the Sistine Chapel why you didn't just gasp, "Oh!  My heart!" and collapse on the floor?  While they scurried around trying to get you first aid, you would have had a wonderful opportunity to view the ceiling.

Lee Max:  Getting to use the Pope's personal potty, I'm sure you were flushed with pride!  Perhaps they were being gracious to you at the Vatican (where Grace is abounding), but they really didn't want you making a mistake and pissing in the Confessionals.  (Remember Pope John XXIII's admonition when architects presented him with the plans for a new addition to the Vatican and he noticed they had forgotten to include bathrooms; he said, in impeccable Latin, I'm sure, "We are not as the angels!")

Paul:  Here is one of several recipes I have in my collection for Philadelphia Scrapple (among other regions):

2 lbs. lean, bony Pork    1 1/2 qts. Water    1 Tblsp. Salt    Pepper to taste    1/4 tsp. Mace/Nutmeg

1/2 tsp. Sage     1 cup fine Cornmeal     1/2 cup Buckwheat Flour     2 cups cold Water

Put meat in a saucepan and add the 1 1/2 quarts water.  Add the salt and pepper; heat slowly to boiling.  Simmer until meat is very tender.  Remove meat and remove bones; chop meat very fine, then return to broth in pan.  Add sage and mace or nutmeg.  Mix together the cornmeal and buckwheat flour.  Slowly add to it the 2 cups of cold water, stirring it with a whisk to make it free of lumps, and ending with a paste.  Bring the broth, meat, and seasonings to a boil, then spoon the cornmeal paste mixture into it without stopping the boiling.  Continue stirring until all has thickened to the consistency of soft mush.  Lower the heat as much as possible and cook the mixture 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  When done, pour the mixture about 3 inches deep into loaf pans; let cool.  When cold, turn out of the pans, slice, and fry slowly in a heavy skillet, letting one side get crisp and brown, then turning and browning the other side.  

And here is one of the several recipes I have in my collection for Cincinnati Goetta:

1 lb. Beef and 1 lb. Pork, ground together     8 cups Water     2 1/2 cups Pinhead Oatmeal

1 large Onion, chopped     3-4 Bay Leaves     3 tsps. Salt     Pinch of Black Pepper

Put water in pan.  When boiling, add salt, pepper, and oatmeal.  Cook 2 hours, stirring often (keep lid on pan).  Add meat, onion, and bay leaves, mixing all well.  Let cook 1 hour, stirring often.  When done, pour mixture into bread pans.  When cool, slice and fry in a skillet with bacon.  (Will keep "for days" in the refrigerator.)

Steven Levinson

Phil, I'm looking at my WHHS diploma, and there's no reference to "sage" or "sages" on it!

Steve

Philip Spiess

Steve:  It was Hank Cohen, I believe, who, on the "alternative WHHS Forum," promulgated the concept of "WHHS sages" (to which many of us immediately subscribed) as noted -- or not --  on our diplomas.  Of course, it was a joke, but some of us "sweeties" prefer "Saffron" to "Sage" anyway.

Bruce Fette

Seems like there are quite a few sages interacting these days. Pundits too. But I think Steven has the officially annoited sage(ness) and may therefore pass judgment on sage(ness)       :)

Steven Levinson

You're much too kind, Bruce.

Philip Spiess

I guess that leaves me as the Pun-ditz.

Paul Simons

Ah the saga continues!! The saga of the Great City.

City of Sages, parsley and thyme. And Rosemary’s baby, and strawberry wine.

Burger, Schoenling, Weidemann, Hudepohl

White Castle hamburgers for the traumatized soul

Cincinnati! The Saga City!

Philip Spiess

Remarkable!  Something chilly is still very hot!

[Oh!  Cincinnati and Texas often have annual chili rivalries and cook-offs here in Washington, as you may know.  So how did chili, a seemingly Hispanic substance, become a mainstay in a German city?  The answer, my friends, is pre-Prohibition:  free lunches, heavily salted or heavily spiced (the chili), offered at saloons to entice one to buy many beers to quaff your thirst (created by the salt and/or spice)!  Such meals were also sold on the sidewalks:  my great aunt taught me the following Cincinnati song:

"1.  I vunce knew a man who could schtand on his head, / Und he used to sell wienie-wurst, mustard, und bread; / Nice little wienie-wurst, two for a dime, / In Old Zinzinnati, right Over-the-Rhine!"

"2.  Dis man dat I knew had a box made of tin / Dat he used to keep mustard und horseradish in, / Mit a vlame at da bottom to make da wurst cook, / Und 5 cents a wienie-wurst pulled out mit a hook!"

"3.  Da Germans eat sausage until dey burst; / In fact, you might say that their best is wurst! / Da Germans drink beer und da Germans drink wine / In Old Zinzinnati right Over-the-Rhine!"

(Okay, I added that third verse, but I added it when I was in high school at good old WHHS.)]

Jerry Ochs

Seventy-six years ago on this day, elements of the Red Army liberated Auschwitz.

Paul Simons

I was going to just add a few words to a previous post but after reading what Phil and Jerry wrote I have to note on today Holocaust Remembrance Day that isn’t Cincinnati remarkable, a town well populated with both Jews and Germans where in general all have worked together and done pretty well. And black folks from the deep south and white from Appalachia. Nothing’s complete or without troubles but all in all Cincinnati ain’t too shabby.

You could say WHHS is a microcosm of the city around it.

Looking at it globally Germany - all of it since reunification - had to face its national crime in a way that this country - all of it - never has. There are no provincial capitals where statues  of Himmler Goering and Hitler have yet to be taken down over loud protests from those who still revere them. Nothing is ever complete or perfect but a sincere profound apology has been offered and amends have been made. Would that America  - all of it - was following a similar course. Really bad is to have to note, on this day, the recent advances of neo-nazis from the lowest to the highest places in our country. It damn well better start getting straight, and keep going. Looking forward to having a $20.00 bill in my wallet with a picture of Harriet Tubman on it, and living long enough to walk into a store without having to put on a KN95 mask to spend it.

Judy Holtzer (Knopf)

Well said, Paul.

Ira Goldberg

Paul, as we face plagues on the homefront, I'm grateful for those dealing with such hate, with illness, and hunger. Justice Levinson ruled not long ago for gay Americans' civil rights and our Judge Brown similarly stood up for justice. Those challenges will never end. Today, my eldest granddaughter Rose - after training in an AIDS clinic in Africa - works at a pediatric facility in Portland, joining angels caring for Covid 19 patients. But we all must assist families facing today's battles with hunger, fear, and emotional problems. My Gwynne did that by launching the national Association of State Social Work Licensing Boards. As today we line up for vaccines (mine and Wendy's next week), we are fortunate. Yet, all these battles continue.  Classmates, forgive my brsgging and be safe! 

Paul Simons

To go back a couple of posts talking about Cincinnati and music and beer...

Philip Spiess

And let me just remind folks that, although the movement for Reform Judaism began in Germany in the early 19th century, Cincinnati, through Rabbi Isaac M. Wise, played a major role in its development in America.

Steven Levinson

Hey Ira, it's a telling sign of our lives that "not long ago" is almost 28 years!

Bruce Fette

IRA et al,

Consider how fortunate you are that you have been able to get scheduled. We here in Va, we watch as our state attempts to figure out how to get sufficient vaccine to get started, due to previous bungling of the previous 10 months.

Phil et al,

I didnt assign any particular folks in this comm list to the second category. But we sure see folks who do deserve to be identified in the second category, often being quoted on radio and TV news.

Jerry Ochs

A pandemic is nothing to laugh about but:

"Beijing officials may roll out anal swabs to seal cracks in epidemic prevention system" 

Taiwan News 2021/01/26