Gene Shue

Gene Shue was born December 18, 1931 (90 years ago yesterday) in Baltimore, Maryland.  He attended the University of Maryland (my son Bret's alma mater) and became its star basketball player, breaking all the school's scoring records as a guard.  

 Gene started his professional career (NBA) in 1954 with the Philadelphia Warriors (now the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco).  However, his contract was quickly sold to the New York Knicks.  

In 1956 Gene was traded to the Fort Wayne (Indiana) Pistons.  The following year the Pistons moved to Detroit.

In that decade, NBA players, even stars like Gene Shue, did not earn millions of dollars as they do today.  He and many others needed to get summer jobs to support themselves in the offseason.  

In the summer of 1958, I was a camper (13 years-old) at Camp Eagle Cove in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State.  One day, we were visited by a boys basketball team from the Racquette Lake Boys Camp.  I was a member of the team that competed against it.

What a thrill it was when we realized we would be playing a team coached by NBA star Gene Shue.  When I came into the game, I was playing point guard.  I remember taking one shot which didn't come close to the basket.  

The Racquette Lake boy guarding me took a moment while someone was shooting a free throw to inquire of Gene whether he needed to guard me closely.  He shook his head no.  Wise move!

Gene Shue played six more NBA seasons amassing a career total of 10,068 points, 2,855 rebounds and 2,608 assists.  In addition, he coached several NBA teams over a 23 year period.  

As previously stated, yesterday was Gene's 90th birthday.  Happy Birthday, Gene!

__________

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Next post January 2, 2022.

    

2021 Trip to USA

 After waiting almost 2 1/2 years (Father's Day, June 2019), Cristina and I undertook another trip to the United States, this time our destination was St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in the US, founded by the Spanish in 1565.

The trip got off to a rocky start as, under the rules as of November 5, only Brazilians with Green Cards or part of an American citizen's family could fly from Guarulhos Airport to, in our case, Atlanta.  We were prepared, bringing with us our original Brazilian marriage certificate.  

However, there was a short delay in receiving our boarding passes while the Delta representative disappeared with the certificate to get the approval of someone over the phone.  I was nervous and agitated as she said nothing to me when she left.  

From Atlanta, we flew to Jacksonville, Florida and then took an Uber to our hotel in St. Augustine.  I was very happy to discover our hotel room (#436) at the Homewood Suites by Hilton had a walk-in shower instead of a bath tub-shower combination.  Getting in and out of a bath tub can be dangerous.

On our second day there, the San Sebastian River, adjacent to our hotel, rose to a level where the bridge above it and the streets near it flooded preventing us from walking in the area nor would an Uber driver pick us up.  Instead, a very kind employee of the hotel (leaving for the day) drove us to the nearby Georgie's Diner where we ate lunch.  

That night, we encountered another calamity.  We ordered some Chinese food that would be delivered by a service known as DoorDash, the largest food delivery service in the US.  In order to limit contact between customer and delivery personnel, they simply drop the food at the door of the customer and dash away.

But, what if the delivery personnel make a mistake and leave the food at the wrong door?  Our first and perhaps only experience with DoorDash happened exactly like that.  For about 15 minutes after their delivery, we didn't know where our food was.  Finally, a kind and honest woman, who was behind the door where the food was delivered, brought it to our room.  

One day we took a tour of the nearby San Sebastian Winery, where we sampled some of their fine wines.  At one point, the attractive young couple in front of us was asked if they were on their honeymoon.  His response was, "first date."

We also toured the Lightner Museum, the Whetstone Chocolate factory and the campus of Flagler College.  I highly recommend the following restaurants, each of which we visited twice: Harry's, The Floridian, The St. Augustine Fish Camp and Columbia.  I loved the ice cream at Kilwin's (two locations) on St. George's Street.

Of course, the main reason we went to St. Augustine was it was near where my son Bret lives with his girlfriend Pam, whom we met for the first time. We spent much quality time with them, plus my daughter Rachel who flew from New York to spend the weekend before Thanksgiving with us all.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, Bret and Pam hosted us for Thanksgiving dinner, Cristina's first, which coincidentally fell on her birthday.  It was a Happy Birthday celebration as well.  Three days later, we celebrated the first night of Hanukah again with Bret (who cooked the brisket), Pam and her family which is originally from Philadelphia.

On our last night in the USA, Bret, Cristina and I were joined at dinner by my sister-in-law Janet who was visiting family in the Jacksonville area.  

Last Sunday, December 5, Bret drove Cristina and me to the Jacksonville International Airport for the start of our trip home.  I cannot leave off without mentioning Vernon, a most kind Delta employee who both checked us in to our two flights, but also spent over an hour patiently helping us complete the Anvisa (the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency) online form required of those arriving in Brazil.       

Two Women, Chapter 10

 Ted is patiently waiting for an elevator in the lobby of his apartment building.  It is late Sunday morning.  He has just returned from having brunch alone at his favorite nearby restaurant.

An elevator door opens and Ted receives the shock of his life.  Out steps both Mona and Monica...together.

"What the..." stammers Ted.

Mona and Monica giggle.

"You two know each other?"

More laughter.

"Yes," Mona said.  "Thanks to you."

"Huh?"

"And now I'm taking Mona to a Brazilian restaurant here in Philadelphia.  And tonight...we're flying to Rio de Janeiro."

"Can I come, too...to the restaurant, I mean," asked Ted.

"Maybe another time, Ted," replied Mona.

The two women, arm in arm, walk away, leaving Ted all alone. 

The end.

________

I'll be on vacation until December 12th. 

Pills in the Bag

Some years ago, I was flying from New York (where I was living) to Sao Paulo.  There was a stopover in Miami.  

The departure from New York was delayed by bad weather.  As a result, there was a concern that the flight from Miami would leave without me.  When I arrived in Miami, late at night, I was informed by American Airlines representatives that my flight to Sao Paulo was about to leave and I should run to the gate.

I ran as fast as I could, carrying bags in both hands.  I also had difficulty finding my gate.  When I arrived there, I soon realized I had run for nothing.  The plane remained at the gate while waiting for more passengers from another delayed flight, this one from Boston.

When I arrived the next morning in Sao Paulo, I was in the baggage claim area when I was surprised to hear my name being paged.  I was informed that while I made my flight out of Miami, my bags didn't.  They were still there.

I was promised I would receive my bags the following day.  OK, but included in the bags was my colitis medicine.  That meant I would be without such medicine for a day, perhaps a day and a half.  

I started to panic.  Would the delay in not having my medicine cause me any health problems?  I researched the Internet to find out whether I could buy my medicine locally.  I could...and without a prescription.  Interesting!

I decided I would wait it out and not take the local medicine.  My bags arrived within 24 hours...and I didn't have a colitis attack.  But, I learned my lesson.  NEVER...NEVER...NEVER put my pills in checked bags.  ALWAYS in the carryon.  

Ironically, today I take Brazilian domestically produced colitis medicine, the ones I wouldn't try years ago.  It works well.  

     

Bob Duprez

 Bob Duprez was born in Queens, NY on October 13, 1944.  He grew up on Long Island and graduated from Hofstra University in 1966 majoring in French.  

Over the next three years Bob served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army assigned in Vietnam as a French interpreter for our side in meetings with officers from the South Vietnamese military.  Later, he was a teacher of foreign languages and a department head at a private school in Wilmington, Delaware for more than thirty years.

I met Bob in Brazil many years ago at an English language school where we were one of the few Americans signed up to teach Brazilian adults.  Actually, we knew each other before we met as I had written some articles about Brazil for a website and Bob had corresponded with me regarding them.

I remember working with Bob during English language immersion classes.  We also roomed together on road trips for the school.

Bob and I discovered we had something in common.  We were both avid sports fans, especially baseball.  He loved his "fighting" Phillies and I of course loved the Giants.  

Later, when I was in New York, Bob invited me to his home in Delaware.  He came to visit me a couple of times when I was in Chapel Hill, NC.  

I remember one Sunday in Sao Paulo when the two of us went to a bar for drinks.  I had three beers and Bob had three caipirinhas, a strong cocktail.  It was his first experience with the drink and he got very intoxicated.  Bob asked me to walk him to the nearby taxi stand as he was not sure he would be able make it by himself.

Bob and I watched the 2007 Super Bowl together at his apartment in Moema, a district in Sao Paulo.

I remember one time Bob and I got together on the Penn campus in Philadelphia and went looking for somewhere to have lunch.  We entered an all salad place and he complained, "I want a hamburger."

Coincidentally, Bob and I both got married (each for the second time) on July 13, 2013, and both to Brazilian women.  He had met Maria de Deus on a beach while they were both assisting blind people.  

They married in Florida and settled in Lake Placid, a small town south of Orlando.  Cristina and I visited their home once while we were in the area visiting my son Bret.

The last time I saw Bob was a few years ago when we and our wives had lunch at the Olive Garden restaurant at the Millenia Shopping Center in Orlando.  After lunch, Bob and I split away from the women and walked through the mall, talking a lot.  

I always emailed Bob on his birthday and he always responded thanking me for remembering.  This year he didn't and I was concerned.  Late that night I googled Bob and discovered his obituary.  He had died "peacefully at his home" this past June 13th.  I'll never forget Bob.          

The Great Chicago Fire

 In 1972, my ex-wife, Bonita, and I bought a brand new Fiat 124 Sport Coupe and embarked on a fabulous three-week cross country adventure.  On the way back from California, we stopped off in Chicago, our first time there.  I remember seeing the Sears Tower from the street level.  

About 1990, we returned to the Chicago area for a family bar mitzvah.  In actuality, it took place in the suburb of Evanston.  The highlight of the trip was the temporary disappearance of my son Bret (at a Toys "R" Us).  

A couple of years later, I took Bret to Chicago to see a baseball game at the historic Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs.  I was afraid they were going to tear it down and I wanted my son to see it before they did.  They didn't and they haven't.

In 2007, while working for the Office of Sponsored Research at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I attended a seminar at another Chicago suburb (Northbrook).  One evening while there, some of my colleagues and I went to Comiskey Park in downtown Chicago to see the White Sox play baseball.  

A few years ago, Cristina and I flew to Chicago from Sao Paulo in order to visit my son Bret who was in nearby South Bend, Indiana on business for the LPGA.  We were there for only a few hours before we rented a car and left the windy city.  But, we had a great lunch at Labriola's.

On October 8, 1871 (about one hundred fifty years ago), a fire started at about 8:30 PM in Chicago "in or around a small barn that bordered the alley behind 137 DeKoven Street. The shed next to the barn was the first building to be consumed by the fire." 

"City officials never determined the cause of the blaze, but the rapid spread of the fire due to a long drought in that year's summer, strong winds from the southwest, and the rapid destruction of the water pumping system, explain the extensive damage of the mainly wooden city structures."

"The fire destroyed an area about 4 miles (6 km) long and averaging 3⁄4 mile (1 km) wide, encompassing an area of more than 2,000 acres. Destroyed were more than 73 miles (117 km) of roads, 120 miles (190 km) of sidewalk, 2,000 lampposts, 17,500 buildings, and $222 million in property, which was about a third of the city's valuation in 1871."

"Of the approximately 324,000 inhabitants of Chicago in 1871, 90,000 Chicago residents (1 in 3 residents) were left homeless. 120 bodies were recovered, but the death toll may have been as high as 300. The county coroner speculated that an accurate count was impossible."

I'm glad my first visit to Chicago was 101 years later.  

The Quiet Man

In 1952, legendary director John Ford made the film The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Barry Fitzgerald and Victor McLaglen.  Filmed on location in Ireland, The Quiet Man is the story of an Irish born, Irish-American (Sean Thornton played by Wayne) who returns to his roots to live in the house he was born in.

The Quiet Man was the second of five films that Wayne and O'Hara made together.  The others were Rio Grande (1950), Wings of Eagles (1957), McClintock (1963) and Big Jake (1971).  

The Quiet Man was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning two: Best Director (Ford) and Best Cinematography - Color.  The other five nominations were: Best Picture (Ford - won by Cecil B. DeMille for The Greatest Show on Earth), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (McLaglen - won by Anthony Quinn for Viva Zapata), Best Writing, Screenplay (Frank S. Nugent - won by Charles Schnee for The Bad and the Beautiful), Best Art Direction - Set Decoration, Color and Best Sound - Recording.

Thornton is met at an Irish train station by his guide Michaeleen (Fitzgerald).  Later, Michaeleen describes the newcomer to his Irish friends as, "a nice, quiet, peace-loving man, come home to Ireland to forget his troubles.  Sure, yes, yes, he's a millionaire, you know, like all the Yanks." 

Shortly after arriving in rural Ireland, Thornton spots, along a country road, the beautiful Mary Kate (O'Hara).  It was love at first sight.  The scene reminds me (in The Godfather) of when Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) first sees Apollonia (Simonetta Stephanelli) along a country road in Sicily.

Unfortunately, Mary Kate, as is the custom in Ireland at the time, needs her brother's permission (no father) to marry Thornton.  Squire Danaher (McLaglen), the brother, is angry at Thornton for buying the piece of land he also had his eye on.  He forbids the union.  "Never!"

Later, the Squire is tricked and allows Thornton and Mary Kay to marry.  However, when the trick is revealed the Squire refuses to give Mary Kay her dowry, which represents "her personal value to the community and her freedom."  

Growing up in America, Thornton doesn't understand what the dowry means to his wife.  Without her dowry, to her the marriage is invalid.

Having killed a man in a boxing ring, Thornton hesitates to fight his brother-in-law.  But, when Mary Kay abandons him the day after their wedding, he gets the message.

Thornton follows Mary Kay to the train station and drags her all the way to the Squire's home.  There, he demands either the dowry or he will return Mary Kay to her brother.  

The Squire grudgingly gives Thornton the dowry in cash, but then ensues one of the longest fights (eight and a half minutes) in film history.  In the end, Thornton and Mary Kay are a happy married couple.      

      

Two Women, Chapter 9

 After their drink, Mona walked Monica to her car which was parked in the Carolina Inn's lot.

"So, what do we do about Ted?" asked Mona.

"I forgot about him."

"I think we should come to a decision about Ted.  You and I can become friends, but he could come between us.  What do you think?"

"I agree.  Have you slept with him?"

"Yes.  What about you?"

"No, but I was thinking about it.  He's a very attractive guy."

"I agree.  And he's good in bed."

"Really!"

"So?"

"I think sex is great, but friendship is better.  I can forget about Ted.  As they say, there are plenty of fish in the sea."

"Yeah, let's forget about Ted."

Drivers License

 In 1962, at age seventeen, I got my first drivers license, from the State of New York.  My mother strongly encouraged me to get it.  I could have gotten a permit the previous year, but I was a little fearful.  It seemed as if everyday when I got home from high school my mother would say, "Let's practice driving," and we would go out driving.  

I was having difficulty parallel parking, so my mother insisted we especially practice that which we knew would be on the road test.  I remember when I did it on the test, it was the best parallel parking I ever did...ever.  Thanks, Mom.

After graduating from college I moved to Michigan for eight months and got a license there.  When I moved New York City in 1968, I needed to get NY State license again.  Without studying the rules of the road, I failed the written test and was embarrassed.  I passed the second time after studying.

One time while working at Seagram's, my wallet was stolen.  I had foolishly left it in my office unattended.  I lost about $50 in cash, credit cards and my drivers license.  Luckily my credit cards were never used by the thief.  I informed the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) my license was stolen and requested a new one, which they provided.

However, I started getting letters from the DMV informing me that I had to pay a fine for various moving violations, which were committed by the person in possession of my stolen license (no photo ID at the time).  I was fed up with this ongoing situation and decided to fight back.  

I took a day off from work and went to Brooklyn Traffic Court, in the borough where my stolen license was being used.  The offense I was accused of was going through a red light.  At the trial, the police officer who gave out the ticket six months before was there and gave his testimony first.

I didn't quite understand the necessary protocol, but before it was my turn to testify, the judge through out the case in my favor.  However, before everything got shut down, I jumped up and asked the judge to let me speak.  I presented evidence my license had been stolen before the incident in question occurred.  I also pointed out that the driver, when asked by the police officer to sign his name, signed, "Lasky Blair," the way my name was written on the license.  Moron!

The scary part came next.  I asked the police officer, in front of the judge, if I was the driver he gave the ticket to and he answered in the affirmative.  I was wearing a beard at the time (1978-1988) and he said he didn't remember the beard, but he was sure it was me.  Really!  You're sure...beyond a reasonable doubt?

In 2007, I moved to the State of North Carolina and needed another drivers license.  To get it, I only had to pass a written test.  I sat in front of a monitor and responded to 20 multiple choice questions.  I had to get 16 correct.  After the first 16, I had already made 4 mistakes.  I had to answer the final 4 correctly...and I did.  Whew!

I don't want to drive any more and I no longer have a valid drivers license.  Cristina drives when we need to use her car.  Or I call Uber.  Much better than me.

  

We Choose to go to the Moon

On September 12, 1962 (fifty-nine years ago), US President John F. Kennedy delivered a speech at Rice University (Houston, Texas) in front of a crowd of about 40,000 people (Rice Stadium).  Below is an excerpt from the speech.

We set sail on this new sea because there is new knowledge to be gained, and new rights to be won, and they must be won and used for the progress of all people. For space science, like nuclear science and all technology, has no conscience of its own. 

Whether it will become a force for good or ill depends on man, and only if the United States occupies a position of pre-eminence can we help decide whether this new ocean will be a sea of peace or a new terrifying theater of war. I do not say that we should or will go unprotected against the hostile misuse of space any more than we go unprotected against the hostile use of land or sea, but I do say that space can be explored and mastered without feeding the fires of war, without repeating the mistakes that man has made in extending his writ around this globe of ours.

There is no strife, no prejudice, no national conflict in outer space as yet. Its hazards are hostile to us all. Its conquest deserves the best of all mankind, and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation may never come again. 

But why, some say, the Moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask, why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas (in American football)?

We choose to go to the Moon. We choose to go to the Moon...We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win, and the others, too.

On July 20, 1969, two Americans, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, were the first humans to land on the moon.  JFK's promise came to fruition.  And where was I that fateful day?  

My ex-wife, Bonita, and I were attending a performance of Much Ado About Nothing at Stratford, Connecticut's American Shakespeare Theater.  At the conclusion of the performance, one of the actor's came on stage, still in costume, and announced to the audience that "they landed on the moon."  

Cocoon

 Cocoon is a 1985 drama directed by Ron Howard.  It had a ensemble cast of veteran actors including Don Ameche (won Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role), Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Brian Dennehy, Jack Gilford, Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy and Gwen Verdon.  The film won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.

In Cocoon, three senior citizens at a retirement community in Florida, Ben (Brimley), Art (Ameche) and Joe (Cronyn), come in contact with aliens (who look like humans) from another planet.  Swimming in the pool at the house the aliens are renting, the three seniors are rejuvenated, feel younger, stronger and relieved of their ailments.

The aliens are on a mission to retrieve life forms that had been left on earth 10,000 years ago.  The life forms (in the shape of cocoons), temporarily stored in the pool, are the source of the seniors' rejuvenation.

When the aliens' mission is completed, they offer a number of the senior citizens they met the opportunity to return with them to their planet.  There are pros and cons to be considered.

Ben explains the pros to his grandson: "You'll never be sick, you won't get any older and you won't ever die."

On the other hand, it's a one way ticket.  The seniors will never return to earth, see their friends and families again.  They'll be going to an unknown world.  Will they be able to adapt?  Will they like it there?

What would you decide?  I'm not sure of my own answer.  

 

Two Women, Chapter 8

 "Caipirinha" Monica requested when their waiter approached.

"What's that?" Mona responded with curiosity.

"A cocktail made with cachaca, sugar, lime and plenty of ice.  Cachaca's made from sugarcane.  Very popular in Brazil.  Try it."

"Okay.  Make it two."

"That was beautiful what you played tonight.  I was trying to remember where I heard it before."

"Did you see the movie Brief Encounter, a classic British black-and-white film from 1945?"

"Yes.  That's it.  I'm sure that's it.  How long have you been playing the piano?"

"Since I was five.  My parents are both musicians.  They encouraged, but didn't push.  It became my passion.  I really enjoy performing and the travel that comes with it.  What about you?  Why did you become a dentist?"

"Everybody in my family are doctors.  But, I wanted to try something a different...a dentist.  But first, I came here.  America had been my dream since I was little.  And now, I can't imagine going back.  I've been here in Chapel Hill since my undergraduate days."

"Wanna get married and have a family?"

"Not really, not now anyway.  I meet men occasionally, have some fun, but nothing serious.  Serious is my work and my small circle of Brazilian friends in the area.  What about you?"

"Same with me.  My career comes first.  Hard to have a relationship with a man like that.  I've lived in Philly my whole life so I have a lot of friends and family there.  Do you have to be Brazilian to get into that small circle of yours?" 

    

Korea and Japan

Prior to 1876, Korea was considered a protectorate of China.  That changed with the signing of the Japan-Korea Treaty in 1876, effectively opening up trade with Korea for Japan.

Believing their country to be overcrowded, the Japanese government encouraged their people to emigrate to Korea.  In the early Twentieth Century, Japanese settlers in Korea amounted to about 170,000.  

By 1904, Japan had established economic and military dominance over Korea.  Then, on August 22, 1910 (111 years ago), Japan effectively annexed Korea with the signing of another Japan-Korea Treaty.  

Under the new agreement, the Emperor of Korea ceded complete control of Korea to the Emperor of Japan.  This lasted until 1945 with the end of WWII.

By 1920, almost 40% of agricultural land in Korea belonged to Japanese.  By 1932, it was more than 50%.

In 1939, Japan attempted to force a cultural assimilation of Koreans.  They were required to end their use of traditional Korean names in favor of Japanese surnames.

During WWII, labor shortages in Japan led to the obligatory recruitment of about 670,000 Koreans to work there.

Starting in 1944, Japan started conscripting all eligible Korean males into its military or military industry.  As a result, about 200,000 Koreans served in the Japanese army.

Also, during WWII, Korean women were forced to become prostitutes for the benefit of Japanese soldiers.  They were referred to as "comfort women."

Japan surrendered to Allied Forces on August 15, 1945.  One result was the end of their occupation of Korea.  Unfortunately, Korea has been split in two since then, the northern half allied with China and Russia and the southern half allied with the United States.        

 

Panama Canal

In 1903, what is today the Republic of Panama was part of the Republic of Colombia.  Panamanian rebels looked to separate and create their own country.  The United States, under President Theodore Roosevelt, supported this revolution.  Why?

Ship transportation between the east coast of the United States and its west coast had long been a problem as it required a journey around the southernmost tip of South America (Cape Horn).  Central America, a relative narrow strip of land, offered hope of an alternative route.  Panama is the southernmost country in Central America.

On November 2, 1903, American warships blockaded the Panamanian coast preventing Colombia from putting down the rebellion.  The following day, Panama declared its independence.

Shortly after recognizing the new government in Panama, Roosevelt signed a treaty with it.  For $10 million plus a substantial annual payment, the treaty granted from Panama to the United States a renewable lease in perpetuity regarding the land proposed for a canal extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific.

On May 4, 1904, the USA took control (sovereignty) of the so-called Panama Canal Zone.  A US government established the Isthmian Canal Commission (ICC) to oversee construction of the Panama Canal.  The commission reported directly to Secretary of War William Howard Taft.

"The construction of the canal was completed in 1914, 401 years after Panama was first crossed overland by a European, Vasco Núñez de Balboa. The United States spent almost $500 million (roughly equivalent to $12.9 billion in 2020) to finish the project. This was by far the largest American engineering project to date. The canal was formally opened on August 15, 1914 (107 years ago today), with the passage of the cargo ship SS Ancon."

"The opening of the Panama Canal in 1914 caused a severe drop in traffic along Chilean ports due to shifts in maritime trade routes.  The burgeoning sheep farming business in southern Patagonia suffered a significant setback by the change in trade routes, as did the economy of the Falkland Islands."

"After years of negotiations for a new Panama Canal treaty, an agreement was reached between the United States (under President Jimmy Carter) and Panama. Signed on September 7, 1977, the treaty recognized Panama as the territorial sovereign in the Canal Zone, but gave the United States the right to continue operating the canal until December 31, 1999."

"Despite considerable opposition in the U.S. Senate (which has the right under the Constitution to approve or not all treaties), the treaty was approved by a one-vote margin in September 1978."

Don Rickles

 In 1958, as a teenager, I remember going to the Oswego Theater and watching two of my favorite actors, Burt Lancaster and Clark Gable, perform in the WWII submarine drama, Run Silent, Run Deep.  I enjoyed the movie, but didn't pay too much attention to a particular supporting actor making his film debut, Don Rickles as Quartermaster First Class Ruby.

Rickles was born in Queens, New York in 1926 to Jewish parents.  After graduating from Newtown High School in 1944, he enlisted in the US Navy.

After his discharge, Rickles began studying acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.  He gained some bit parts on television programs.

"Frustrated by a lack of acting work, Rickles began performing comedy in clubs in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles. He became known as an insult comedian when he responded to hecklers. The audience enjoyed these insults more than his prepared material."

A big break in Rickles' career occurred when Frank Sinatra came to a club to see his act.  Sinatra loved when Rickles made fun of him.  He encouraged his friends to come and be insulted as well.  

Johnny Carson also noticed Rickles and invited him to appear on his Tonight Show many times.  Dean Martin made him a regular on his Celebrity Roast series.  

It was in the 1970s that my ex-wife Bonita and I attended one of Don Rickles' performances at the nearby Westbury Music Fair.  We sat in the cheaper seats near the back.  

We had a great time of almost non-stop laughter.  One thing I remember about that night was several couples in the very first row arrived after Rickles came on stage.  Instead of quietly sitting and watching Rickles, they greeted each other more than necessary.  Well, Rickles insulted the heck out of them.  Hilarious!

Sadly, Don Rickles died April 6, 2017 at ninety years of age.  Every once in a while, he'll make me laugh again on YouTube.   

The Incident

 The Incident is a 1967 thriller film whose ensemble cast included Tony Musante, Martin Sheen, Beau Bridges, Ruby Dee, Brock Peters, Jack Gilford, Thelma Ritter, Ed McMahon, Gary Merrill and Jan Sterling.  For his performance in The Incident, Musante won the Best Actor award at the 1968 Argentine Film Festival.

The Incident begins late one night when two hoodlums, Joe (Musante) and Artie (Sheen), enter a south bound number 4 subway train at the 170th Street station in the Bronx, New York City.  They "proceed to psychologically terrorize, humiliate and degrade every single adult passenger (in their car), as the train passes 15 stations."  

Joe and Artie, but mostly Joe, do this one passenger at a time.  Nobody does anything to help their fellow passengers, fearing they will only draw the attention of the hoodlums to them.

Finally, Joe attempts to touch a child sleeping in her father's (McMahon) arms.  The father feebly slaps Joe's hand away.  Only then does a soldier (Bridges) in the subway car challenge Joe, who then pulls out a switchblade knife.

The soldier, wounded by the knife, is able to overpower Joe, knocking him unconscious.  Artie, losing his accomplice, attempts to flee, but is kneed in the groin by the soldier, leaving him on the floor in agony.  

The subway train finally arrives at Grand Central Station.  One of the passengers calls the police, two of whom quickly enter their car.  

Without asking any questions, the police grab the only Black male passenger visible to them (Peters).  Luckily, they are quickly informed of their mistake and proceed to arrest Joe and Artie.         

Many years ago, but after The Incident was made, I got a chance to meet Jack Gilford.  I was invited to a bar mitzvah of a neighbor.  Turns out Jack was a relative of the neighbor.

Jack Gilford was a stage actor who also appeared frequently in film and on television.  I especially remember him (as Bernie Lefkowitz) in the 1985 film, Cocoon.  Jack won a Daytime Emmy Award (Big Blue Marble), a Tony Award (Cabaret), a Golden Globe Award (Save the Tiger) and was nominated for an Academy Award (also Save the Tiger).

Two Women, Chapter 7

Monica arrives at Memorial Hall five minutes before Mona's performance is about to begin.  She takes her seat near the front of the half-filled auditorium.

Right on time, Mona comes on stage to polite applause.  Her eyes meet Monica's and they smile again, friendlier this time.

Mona flawlessly performs Rachmaninoff's Piano Concert 2.  After, the audience applauds with more enthusiasm.  Monica with some others give Mona a standing ovation.

While the rest head for the exits, Monica heads back stage to visit Mona in her dressing room.  She knocks on the door.  

Mona:  Come in.

Monica enters.

Mona:  I was hoping I would see you again.  Did you enjoy my performance?

Monica:  Very much.  Thanks for the ticket.  Perhaps I can buy you a drink.  What do you say?

Mona:  Why not?  Isn't there a bar at the Carolina Inn?  That's where I'm staying.

Monica:  That's where I was thinking.

Mona:  Give me ten minutes to change.

Monica starts to leave.

Mona:  No, please stay.  We can chat while I change.

She stays.

Roommates

From September 1963 until May 1965 I had a total of 5 roommates while living in the dormitories (upper and lower quads) of the University of Pennsylvania near 37th and Spruce Streets.  In my opinion, I got along fine, especially with Scott Kahn, Mike Parr and Ralph Pincus. 

Up until very near my graduation from Penn in May 1967, I fully expected to join the United States Air Force as I had been planning for months.  What a shock it was when my gastroenterologist told me to forget about it.  The Air Force would (and did) cancel my appointment to their Officer Candidate School because of my ulcerative colitis diagnosis.  

After a short period of disappointment, I re-focused my attention to what I would do next.  I decided to go to Detroit, Michigan where my brother Ted,  his wife and newborn son lived.  

Once there, I quickly bought a car, a late model Corvair, and got a job at Ernst & Ernst, a big CPA firm.  Next on my list was to find a place to live.  

As opposed to my thinking (getting my own apartment), I was strongly advised to look for an apartment with a roommate.  I followed the advice.  A local newspaper had listings with such.

My first experience with a roommate in Michigan was with a red-haired young man who offered to let me sleep on his couch.  For some crazy reason, I accepted.    

The arrangement didn't last long.  Even as I tried to be agreeable, I think my presence in his apartment made my roommate uncomfortable.  I was asked to leave ASAP.  

My second roommate, whom I'll refer to as PW, had a two bedroom apartment which offered me some privacy.  However, he was an unusual character.  

PW once told me he would do anything for money.  I came to believe him.  

PW sold me his furniture as he was getting married and moving out soon.  However, he wanted my money up front and got me to agree to let him keep my furniture until he left a few weeks later.  Unbelievable but true!  

PW even tried to sell me the air conditioner that came with the apartment.  I agreed, but then, feeling sorry for me, he explained who actually owned the air conditioner.

PW finally moved out and I got what I had always wanted, an apartment of my own.  In retrospect, why would I want to share an apartment with a stranger?  It's difficult enough when you're sharing an apartment with a loved one.  

To Kill a Mockingbird

 Harper Lee was born April 28, 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama, which had a population at the time of about 1,000 inhabitants.  It's located in the southwestern part of the state.  

Harper was the youngest of four children.  Her mother's maiden name was Finch.  Her father was a businessman and a lawyer.

During Harper's childhood, she spent most of her time playing with her brother (Edwin) who was six years older.  In addition, during the summers, young Truman Capote (two years older and the future author of In Cold Blood) was also a playmate when he visited his family in Monroeville.

After graduating high school, Harper studied law at the University of Alabama.  However, she left school one semester before completing her degree.  

In 1949, Harper moved to New York City and devoted herself to writing.  On July 11, 1960 (sixty-one years ago today), her manuscript, To Kill a Mockingbird, was published.  It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1961.  To Kill a Mockingbird has remained a best seller to the present day.  

"The plot and characters (of To Kill a Mockingbird) are loosely based on Lee's observations of her family (especially her brother and father), her neighbors and an event that occurred near her hometown in 1936 when she was ten."

Harper Lee's father defended Frank and Brown Ezell, two Black men accused of murder.  They were convicted and hung.  

"Despite dealing with the serious issues of rape and racial inequality, the novel is renowned for its warmth and humor. Atticus Finch, the narrator's father, has served as a moral hero for many readers and as a model of integrity for lawyers."

"In the twentieth century, To Kill a Mockingbird (was) probably the most widely read book dealing with race in America.  (It) is extensively taught in schools in the United States with lessons that emphasize tolerance and decry prejudice."

Harper Lee died in her hometown on February 19, 2016 at the age of eighty-nine.  

   

On the Beach

It's 1964 and World War III has broken out with an arsenal of nuclear missiles launched from both sides.  This will mean the end of the human race on earth because of the resulting radioactive fallout.  So says the 1959 film On the Beach starring Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner.

In the film, the deadly radioactivity has not yet reached Australia.  The USS Sawfish, a submarine captained by Dwight Lionel Towers (Peck) arrives in Melbourne.  He and his crew are the only Americans left alive.

They and the Australians have a few weeks or months to live.  Dwight, through contacts with the local navy, meets Moira (Gardner), an unattached attractive Aussie.

Dwight and Moira spend a lot of time together while waiting for the inevitable.  Finally, as the end is in sight, Dwight's crew votes to return to America for their final days. 

Dwight asks Moira to meet him at the naval base.  When she arrives, they talk for the last time.  

Moira:  You're not going.  You're staying.

Dwight:  No.  

Moira:  You're staying.

Dwight:  We're going.  

Moira:  But...the Sawfish?  

Dwight:  Just across the bay...at the fuel depot.  The men kinda wanted to get home.  I can't explain it.  

Moira:  So I suppose it's time to say it's been nice Dwight Lionel.  It's been everything.  Oh, Dwight.  I'm so frightened.  

Dwight:  I know.  I'm so sorry for so many things.  I love you, Moira.  I love you.  I love you.

The following morning, Moira drives to a point on the coast where she can see the Sawfish before it submerges.  We can also see Dwight on the submarine's bridge before he has to go below.  And before he goes below, he looks up at the sun one last time.  In the background is the music of Waltzing Matilda, Australia's best known ballad.  How romantic!    

Two Women, Chapter 6

 Mona opened the door to Monica's dental office.  The two women smiled at each other.  

"Welcome, Mona.  Your first time here?"

Mona now knew Monica was indeed a beautiful woman.

"Yes.  I'm here for a concert at the University, so I decided to take advantage of a recommendation from one of your patients."

"Which one?"

"You remember Ted from Philadelphia?"

"Oh, are you a friend of his?"

"You could say that."

"How is he?"

"Fine."

"You mentioned a concert?"

"I'm a pianist.  I'll be performing tonight at Memorial Hall on campus."

"Very nice.  Now let me look at your teeth."

Mona sat in the chair and got a real close look at Monica.  Impressive!  And she smelled good, too.  

After some minutes of probing and examining, Monica said, "Your teeth and gums are in good condition.  I think all you need is a cleaning."

Twenty minutes later, Monica was done.  Mona enjoyed the experience. 

"Thank you, doctor."

"You're welcome.  Hope you come again.  Give my best to Ted."

"I will.  By the way, I'll leave a ticket for you at the box office tonight in case you're interested in hearing me play."

"That's very nice of you.  What time's your performance?"

Overdose

 One busy day, about ten years ago, while I was working at Kohl's Department Store in Durham, NC (where you can expect great things), I was suffering from a bad cough.  As such, I took some over-the-counter cough syrup.  However, I misread the instructions.  I took twice the proper dosage.

I was walking around the store when the result of my mistake hit me...like a ton of bricks.  I felt incredibly weak...like I wanted to collapse on the floor.  I leaned against a counter for support.

I told my supervisor I wasn't feeling well and needed a break.  I went to rest in the employees' room.  There I re-read the instructions and realized what I had done.  In some minutes, I felt better.  Never do that again.

But, I had done that before.  When I was first diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 1966, my doctor told me I needed to take 8 pills a day to deal with my symptoms.   And as my illness was chronic, I would have to take pills for the rest of my life.  Bummer!

Taking pills had previously been a problem for me.  When I was a child and needed to take aspirin for a headache, my mother would dissolve a pill in a spoonful of water for me to be able to ingest it.

Thinking about what my doctor told me, I decided to use illogical reasoning to fix my condition.  If 8 pills were good, then 16 would be better and perhaps eradicate my ulcerative colitis...permanently.  

A few days later I started feeling bad and returned to my doctor.  He of course asked how I was dealing with the 8 pills a day.  I told him what I had done.  

My doctor berated me in no uncertain terms and told me to stick to the prescribed amount.  I learned my lesson.  Never again.  Maybe!      

  

Miranda

On March 13, 1963, Phoenix, Arizona police arrested Ernesto Miranda on suspicion he kidnapped and raped an eighteen year-old woman.  After being interrogated for two hours, Miranda signed a confession to the rape.

The document Miranda signed contained the following: "I do hereby swear that I make this statement voluntarily and of my own free will, with no threats, coercion, or promises of immunity, and with full knowledge of my legal rights, understanding any statement I make may be used against me."

"However, at no time was Miranda told of his right to counsel. Before being presented with the form on which he was asked to write out the confession that he had already given orally, he was not advised of his right to remain silent, nor was he informed that his statements during the interrogation would be used against him."

"At trial, when prosecutors offered Miranda's written confession as evidence, his court-appointed lawyer objected that because of (the above) facts, the confession was not truly voluntary and should be excluded. The objection was overruled, and based on the confession and other evidence, Miranda was convicted of rape and kidnapping."

"(Miranda) was sentenced to 20–30 years of imprisonment on each charge, with sentences to run concurrently."

 "(His lawyer) filed Miranda's appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court, claiming that Miranda's confession was not fully voluntary and should not have been admitted into the court proceedings. The Arizona Supreme Court affirmed the trial court's decision to admit the confession. In affirmation, the Arizona Supreme Court heavily emphasized the fact that Miranda did not specifically request an attorney."

Miranda's lawyers appealed the above decision to the United States Supreme Court.  "On June 13, 1966 (55 years ago today), the Supreme Court issued a 5–4 decision in Miranda's favor that overturned his conviction and remanded his case back to Arizona for retrial."

As a result of the Miranda US Supreme Court decision, police throughout the US are required to say the following to all criminal suspects:  "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have a lawyer with you during questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you before any questioning begins."

In 1967, Miranda was retried.  "This time the prosecution, instead of using the confession, introduced other evidence and called witnesses. One witness, a woman with whom Miranda was living at the time of the offense, testified that he had told her of committing the crime."

"Miranda was convicted a second time in 1967 and sentenced to serve 20 to 30 years.  The Supreme Court of Arizona affirmed and the United States Supreme Court denied review."

"Miranda was paroled in 1972.  After his release, he returned to his old neighborhood and made a modest living autographing police officers' Miranda cards that contained the text of the warning for reading to arrestees."

 "Miranda was stabbed to death during an argument in a bar on January 31, 1976.   A suspect was arrested, but due to a lack of evidence, he was released."

    

Ace in the Hole

In 1925, Floyd Collins "was trapped inside Sand Cave, Kentucky, following a landslide.  (A local reporter's) enterprising coverage turned the tragic episode into a national event."

In 1951, based on the above real life story, six-time Academy Award winning director and screenwriter Billy Wilder (plus two others) wrote the script for the film Ace in the Hole, which stars Kirk Douglas as Chuck Tatum, a fiercely ambitious reporter for the Albuquerque Sun-Bulletin.  Tatum is waiting for a big story that would send him back to a big city newspaper.

One day, Tatum learns that Leo Minosa, a collector of artifacts, is trapped as a result of the collapse of a nearby cliff dwelling.  

"Sensing a golden opportunity, Tatum manipulates the rescue effort, forming an alliance with an unscrupulous sheriff, by depicting him favorably in the newspaper to ensure his re-election." 

"The pair coerce the construction contractor charged with the rescue into drilling from above, rather than the quicker method of shoring up the existing passages, so that Tatum can prolong his own stay on the front pages of newspapers nationwide. Tatum also directs (the sheriff) to prevent any other reporters from encroaching on the story, keeping it as his exclusive."

Minosa's wife, who operates a restaurant and trading post near where her husband is imprisoned, benefits financially as Tatum's reporting draws thousands of tourists to view the effort to free Minosa from his entrapment.  As a result of the delay in the rescue effort, Minosa dies of pneumonia before he can be extricated.

In a dramatic climax, Minosa's wife stabs Tatum with a scissors in self-defense.  He survives until he reaches his newspaper's office where he falls dead on the floor.       

According to one critic, "The story is a biting examination of the seedy relationship between the press, the news it reports and the manner in which it reports it. The film also shows how a gullible public can be manipulated by the press."

 

Two Women, Chapter 5

Mona became very curious about Monica, Ted's one-time dentist.  She did some research on the Internet.

Mona was unable to find a picture or too much information about Monica.  She was only able to find an address and a telephone number for her office in Chapel Hill.

Mona was not satisfied.  She asked her agent to get her a booking for a performance at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC).  

Due to a cancellation, Mona got a booking in three weeks.  She then called Monica's office for a dental appointment, simply a cleaning and a check-up.  

Three weeks later, Mona flew to the Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU).  She checked into the Carolina Inn in the heart of the UNC campus.

Mona's dental appointment was for the following morning.  Her performance the following evening.

After breakfast the next day, Mona called an Uber to take her to Monica's dental office.  She arrived ten minutes early.  Her mood was a combination nervousness and excitement.  

Finally, the receptionist called for Mona to see the dentist.  Mona stood up and walked to the door of Monica's examination room.    

   

Sterling Hayden

 Many believe the best scene in the 1972 classic film, The Godfather, is when Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), Virgil Sollozzo (Al Lettieri) and New York City Police Captain McCluskey (Sterling Hayden) are having a dinner meeting at Louis Italian American Restaurant in the Bronx.  While McCluskey is there as security for Sollozzo, the other two are discussing (in Italian) a business relationship going forward, at least that's what Sollozzo thinks.

Michael takes a bathroom break and finds the gun planted there by a member of his crime family.  He returns to the table and shortly thereafter shoots Sollozzo in the head, killing him instantly.

Michael then turns to McCluskey, who is momentarily stunned.  Michael shoots him once in the neck and once in the head.  McCluskey falls forward dead, tipping over their table, while Michael drops the gun and walks out of the restaurant. 

Sterling Hayden was born in 1916 in Upper Montclair, New Jersey.  As a young man, he worked on ships which sailed around the world.  

A photo of Hayden taken as a young man wound up on a magazine cover.  This led Paramount Pictures to offer him a screen test and then a seven-year contract to act in their movies.

Some of his other memorable films are The Asphalt Jungle (1950), a crime drama with Sam Jaffe and Marilyn Monroe, Johnny Guitar (1954), a western with Joan Crawford and Ernest Borgnine, The Killing (1956), another crime drama with Coleen Gray and Vince Edwards and Dr. Strangelove (1964), a black comedy with Peter Sellers and George C. Scott.   

Sadly, Sterling Hayden died of prostate cancer May 23, 1986 at age 70 (35 years ago today).  Let's use his memory as a reminder for men to get their prostates checked annually.    

Tom Brady

Fourteen weeks ago, Tom Brady played in his tenth Super Bowl of his twenty-one year (so far) career in American professional football.  And his team (this year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) won for the seventh time.

Tom Brady was born August 3, 1977 in San Mateo, California.  After graduating from Junipero Serra High School in 1995, he accepted a football scholarship from the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, a distance of 2,370 miles from his home.  Tom Brady and my daughter, Rachel, were classmates at Michigan for two years.

In Tom Brady's first three years at Michigan, he didn't see much playing time.  However, in 1998 and 1999 he became the starting quarterback for the Wolverines.

In the 1998 season, led by Tom Brady, Michigan had a record of 10 wins and 3 losses.  In 1999, Michigan won its first two games, against Notre Dame and Rice.  On September 18, it was scheduled to play a road game against Syracuse University.

At that time, Rachel (having graduated from Michigan in 1997) was in her third year of law school at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.  My son Bret was a freshman at Benjamin Cardozo High School in Bayside, Queens.

As a Michigan fan, I wanted to go to the Syracuse game, which I could drive to with Bret.  I arranged for Rachel to fly to Syracuse from Philadelphia.

To buy the three tickets, I had to also buy three tickets for Syracuse's home game the previous Saturday against Central Michigan University.  As I had no interest in attending such game, I donated the tickets to the Oswego Little League where I played from ages 10-12 (1956-1958).

On the day of the Michigan-Syracuse game, the three of us were among more than 49,000 fans who crowded into the Carrier Dome.  The Wolverines were dressed in white, maize and blue, while Syracuse was in blue and orange. 

Michigan received the opening kickoff after which Tom Brady took the field with his offensive unit.  After a scoreless first quarter, he  was replaced as the quarterback.  

The Wolverines scored first on a 41-yard field goal.  Later, an interception led to second Michigan field goal.  

Syracuse then scored a touchdown to take a 7-6 lead.  However, in the last minute of the first half, Drew Henson, Michigan's other quarterback, threw a touchdown pass to give the Wolverines a 13-7 halftime lead.

Early in the third quarter, Syracuse tied the score at thirteen on a touchdown pass.  The extra point was missed. 

Michigan took the lead for good (15-13) when the referee called a penalty on the Syracuse quarterback while in his own end zone (resulting in a safety).  The Wolverines later added a third field goal to make the final score, Michigan 18, Syracuse 13.  

Tom Brady only played in an uneventful first quarter against Syracuse, but after a brilliant twenty-one year professional career, I'm glad we were there that day to see him play.      

     

Pedro Armendariz

 Pedro Armendariz was born May 9, 1912 (109 years ago today) in Havana, Cuba to a Mexican father and an American mother.  After the death of his mother, he went to live with an uncle in Laredo, Texas.  While earning a degree at the California Polytechnic State University, Pedro participated in student stage productions.

After graduating, Pedro moved to Mexico and worked a few different jobs.  He eventually became a movie actor, starring in films with Katy Jurado and Delores del Rio.

In the late 1940s,  Pedro moved to Hollywood, making American movies, including three with the legendary director John Ford.  I first became aware of him in the 1948 Ford classic, Fort Apache.  

There is a memorable scene in Fort Apache in which Pedro Armendariz, portraying Sergeant Beaufort (U.S. Cavalry), acts as interpreter at a contentious meeting between U.S. Army Lt. Colonel Thursday (Henry Fonda speaking English) and Apache chief Cochise (Miguel Inclan speaking Spanish).  I was amazed at Pedro's bi-lingual skills.

Pedro's other Ford pictures were The Fugitive (1947) with Henry Fonda and 3 Godfathers (1948) with John Wayne.  Besides Hollywood films, he acted in a number of European movies, such as Lucrece Borgia made in France in 1953.

Pedro's last film is my favorite James Bond movie, From Russia With Love (1963).  He portrays a Turkish spy, Kerim Bey, who works for British Intelligence in Istanbul.  

Sadly, Pedro was dying of cancer during the filming of From Russia With Love.  He succumbed to the disease on June 18, 1963, at 51 years of age, just four months before the film's release in the UK in October.

 

   

Harvey

 Harvey is a 1950 comedic film staring James Stewart (nominated for Academy Award for Best Actor, won by Jose Ferrer in Cyrano de Bergerac) and Josephine Hull (won Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress).  It was adapted from a play I saw Stewart and Helen Hayes perform on Broadway years later.  

The main character of Harvey is Elwood P. Dowd (Stewart), a middle-aged man of independent means, who lives with his sister, Veta (Hull).  He spends most of his free time at various bars around town drinking martinis and chatting with other patrons, especially his friend Harvey, a very tall, imaginary and invisible white rabbit.

As Elwood, in his naivete, continually disrupts her social life with his insistence that Harvey is real, Veta attempts to have him committed to a mental institution.  However, at the last minute she reconsiders her decision believing she shouldn't try to change her otherwise kind and sweet brother.

Variety in its critique wrote that "escape from life into a pleasant half-world existence has many points in its favor."  Really?  

Stewart said that "of all the films I've made, Harvey is one of my favorites.  I have a special admiration and love for that big white rabbit.  The whole idea of the character, Elwood P. Dowd," is... what?  

Elwood P. Dowd is an alcoholic who lives in an imaginary world with an invisible white rabbit as his best friend.  Is this something we should strive for?  Is this the movie's message?  I hope not.

I think society's view of drinking has evolved since 1950 and I don't think Harvey the film could be made today.  Drunkenness used to be considered funny.  No more!  

Check out The Lost Weekend (1945), Days of Wine and Roses (1962), Leaving Las Vegas (1995) and Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018) for serious examinations of the affects of alcoholism.  It's not a joke as Harvey seems to be.

On the other hand, last week the Danish film, Another Round, won the Academy Award for best International Feature Film.  Its premise is based on a psychiatrist's theory that "having a blood alcohol level of 0.05 makes you more creative and relaxed."  

For the four friends in the film, this is but the start of an attempt to push the limit.  And for one, it led down a slippery slope...to oblivion.

Finally, working for an alcoholic beverage company for more than 31 years left me with a sense of guilt about what the product can do to some.  

Two Women, Chapter 4

So, "Who's Monica?," Mona had asked Ted.  Was this a big mistake on his part or a little one easily explained away?  Time for a quick decision by Ted.

"Did I say 'Monica?'  Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," replied Mona in a calm voice.

"Well, I apologize for that.  Let me think.  The only Monica I know is...a dentist I used once while traveling on business."

"Seems she made a big impression on you."

"She did fix a bad tooth ache, but please let's not make a big deal out of it.  How 'bout dinner Saturday night?"

"Are you trying to change the subject?"

"Maybe."

"Was she beautiful?"

"Was she beautiful?  I dunno.  Maybe."

"Where's she a dentist?"

"North Carolina."

"That's a big state.  Remember the city?"

"Ah...Chapel Hill."

"Maybe I should go there when I need a dentist.  What d'ya think, Ted?"

"Maybe.  So, what about dinner Saturday night, Mona?"

"Maybe."

San Francisco

 I first began to think about San Francisco when my favorite baseball team, the New York Giants, moved there in April 1958 when I was 12 years old.  The relocation didn't bother me as I lived 286 miles from New York City.  Adding another 2,510 miles had no effect on me personally.

Fourteen years later (1972), I arrived in San Francisco for the first time in my brand new green Fiat 124 Sport Coupe (along with my ex-wife Bonita).  I even made it to Candlestick Park to see my Giants beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-0.

In 2008, I made my second trip to San Francisco (along with my wife Cristina and friends Kevin and Connie), this time in a rental car.  We stayed in the same hotel (at 940 Sutter Street) where Judy (Kim Novak) lived in the 1958 classic Alfred Hitchcock film, Vertigo.

"At 5:12 AM on April 18, 1906 (115 years ago today), a major earthquake struck San Francisco.  As buildings collapsed from the shaking, ruptured gas lines ignited fires that spread across the city and burned out of control for several days.

More than three-quarters of the city lay in ruins, including almost all of the downtown core.  Modern estimates (of the death toll) put the number in the several thousands.  

More than half of the city's population of 400,000 was left homeless.  Refugees settled temporarily in makeshift tent villages in Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, on the beaches, and elsewhere.  Rebuilding was rapid and performed on a grand scale."

On October 17, 1989 (my late brother Ted's 47th birthday), my Giants and another San Francisco earthquake came together.  Just before the start of the third game of that year's World Series at Candlestick Park (5 PM local time) between the Giants and the Oakland A's, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake occurred, causing the game to be postponed...for ten days, the longest delay in World Series history.