Sunday 08 January 2006

Dear Jaspers,

735 are active on the Distribute site. Jottings is still pointing at the OLD site, which is NOW out of space. The site had 934 views on 1/3 and 7,661 for the month.  The NEW site is up, has everything (subject to your testing), and is awaiting the internet gods to change the pointer. The rehosting of www.jasperjottings.com to a different (cheaper) service provider is STILL in progress.  You can tell because the index page indicates “NEW” or “OLD”. I have to do double updates and pay for both until the swing takes place. If you have any problems, then please send me an email. Please indicate if your index page says NEW or OLD.

=========================================================

This issue is at:    http://www.jasperjottings.com/jasperjottings20060108.htm 

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Reacting to a valid criticism that you the web reader needs my email address quickly and easily, but knowing that any email address posted on a web page is immediately harvested and spammed. Here is a puzzle for you to solve. Distribute _ Jasper _     Jottings – owner       AT yahoogroups.com Or Reinkefj at the College’s email forwarding service alum dot manhattan dot edu! OR, JXYM   XU7S   N5HO   9D in care of Comcast d-o-t NET. Or, if you joined the Distribute group, you can sign on to it and send email to the owner from inside the group.  Or collector at Jasper Jottings dot website. Use email-sending webform http://public.2idi.com/=reinkefj if all else fails.

=========================================================

 

CALENDAR OF JASPER EVENTS THAT I HAVE HEARD ABOUT

January 18, 2006 - Treasure Coast Club Luncheon

 

Saturday, Jan. 21 -- 2005 Yearbook Release Party

Dante's Den 

The Manhattan College Alumni Society is planning a Yearbook Release Party for the Class of 2005. We will serve hor d' oeuvres with a beer open bar. (NO DRINK TICKETS) The event will be a great opportunity to pick up your yearbook (you've already paid for it!) and catch up with friends and classmates.   No Cost for this event, it is sponsored by the Alumni Relations Office!  Please RSVP by January 13th, 2006. If you did not receive the "Save the Date" postcard in the mail please e-mail Stephen DeSalvo 

Sunday, February 5th, 2006 MCBAC "Family Fest"
Manhattan College Black Alumni Club
Reservations are Required online by January 30th, 2006
For more information contact:
Charles Ntamere '96
Keith Brown '97
Aliann Pompey '99

 

March 15, 2006 - Treasure Coast Club Luncheon

 

Thursday, May 12th - Spring Social
Manhattan College Latino Alumni Club
Ibiza Lounge

 

 

=========================================================

My list of Jaspers who are in harm's way:
- Afghanistan
- - Feldman, Aaron (1997)
- Iraq
- - Lara, Angel (2002)
- - - 1st Recon BN, H&S Co, S-6
- - - Unit 40535
- - - FPO, AP 96426-0535
- Unknown location
- - Lynch, Chris (1991)
- Uzbekistan
- - Brock (nee Klein-Smith), Lt Col Ruth (1979)

… … my thoughts are with you and all that I don't know about.

========================================================

 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.

- Thomas Jefferson

========================================================

Exhortation

http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1460676

Pope Issues Call to Combat Terrorism
Pope Benedict XVI Issues Call to Fight Nihilism in New Year's Mass to Stop Threat to World Peace
By NICOLE WINFIELD The Associated Press

=== <begin quote> ===

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI warned Sunday that terrorism, nihilism and "fanatic fundamentalism" threatened world peace, and he called on individuals, governments and institutions to work together to combat them.

Benedict made the appeal during a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica to mark New Year's Day, which the Roman Catholic Church celebrates annually as its World Day of Peace.

In his homily, the pope said a "shock" of courage and faith in God was necessary to spread peace, and that everyone must work together to combat the threats to it.

"It becomes ever more important to work together for peace when confronting the situations of injustice and violence that continue to oppress various parts of the world, those that are the new and most insidious threats to peace: terrorism, nihilism and fanatic fundamentalism," he said.

He said individuals, international organizations and world powers must take responsibility for promoting justice, solidarity and peace.

In particular, he called for the United Nations to assume a renewed understanding of its responsibility to promote peace and justice "in a world ever more marked by the vast phenomenon of globalization."

<extraneous deleted>

The pope said he was praying that 2006 would "be for all of us a year of prosperity and peace."

=== <end quote> ===

With all due respect to Holy Father, I think he may have fallen into error. Terrorism is a tactic; not a movement. I would have itemized the major threats to peace as: Secular humanism that is eviscerating the moral fiber of our civil society like dry rot; socialism that seeks to replace the indomitable human spirit to achieve with a dependence on nanny government; and then fanatical religion-ism of all flavors.

Looking to the UN for leadership is like calling on a madam to eliminate whorehouses. I think we should close this particular country club and throw out all the scoundrels. Check who’s on the human rights committee. Oil for food ring a bell. And, my particular favorite, all of the bureaucrats sucking the life out of the USA and the parking places in New York. I think the manners of a guest tells you a lot about them. No, they’ll be no solutions coming from that direction.

I think it is all about individual responsibility. World poverty is directly related to the corruption in their respective local governments. And we, with our foreign aid, are the biggest enabler. If we had our priorities correct, we’d tell every two bit socialist that they were off the dole and if they didn’t get their countries headed in the correct direction, we will allow their insurgents to fund raise here unmolested.

We, each, should take the direction of Holy Father and let our representatives know that we will be voting on the “world peace, freedom, and prosperity” ticket.

Reflect well on our alma mater, this week, every week, in any and every way possible, large or small. God bless.

"Collector-in-chief" John
reinke--AT—jasperjottings.com

=========================================================

[CONTENTS]

 

0

Messages from Headquarters (like MC Press Releases)

 

0

Good_News

 

2

Obits

 

2

Jaspers_in_the_News

 

4

Manhattan_in_the_News

 

4

Email From Jaspers

 

1

Jaspers found web-wise

 

0

MC mentioned web-wise

 

1

Blaire’s Blog

 

[PARTICIPANTS BY CLASS]

Class

  Name 

Section

????

Monteiro, Armindo G.

JNews2

????

Sullivan, Philip J.

Obit1

1938

O'Donnell, John

Obit2

1951

Helm, Robert

Email01

1953

McEneney, Mike

Email04

1959

McEneney, Edward J.

Email04

1963

Di Toro, Dominic

JNews1

1968

Alline, Vince

Email01

1968

Dolan, Kevin

Email04

1970

Dandola, John

Email01

1972

Back, Steve

Updates

1975

Trizzino,  June L.

Updates

1983

Donnelly, Brian

Email03

1997

Camero, Graciela

Email02

 

 

[PARTICIPANTS BY NAME]

Class

  Name 

Section

1968

Alline, Vince

Email01

1972

Back, Steve

Updates

1997

Camero, Graciela

Email02

1970

Dandola, John

Email01

1963

Di Toro, Dominic

JNews1

1968

Dolan, Kevin

Email04

1983

Donnelly, Brian

Email03

1951

Helm, Robert

Email01

1959

McEneney, Edward J.

Email04

1953

McEneney, Mike

Email04

????

Monteiro, Armindo G.

JNews2

1938

O'Donnell, John

Obit2

????

Sullivan, Philip J.

Obit1

1975

Trizzino,  June L.

Updates

 

 

 

[Messages from Headquarters

(Manhattan College Press Releases & Stuff)]

*** Headquarters1 ***

None

 

Honors

*** Honor1 ***

None

 

Weddings

*** Wedding1 ***

None

 

Births

*** Birth1 ***

None

 

Engagements

*** Engagement1 ***

None

 

Graduations

*** Graduation1 ***

None

 

Good News - Other

*** OtherGoodNews1 ***

None

 

OBITS

[Collector's prayer: And, may perpetual light shine on our fellow departed Jaspers, and all the souls of the faithful departed.]

Your assistance is requested in finding these. Please don’t assume that I will “catch” it via an automated search. Sometimes the data just doesn’t makes it’s way in.

***Obit1***

Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania)
January 3, 2006 Tuesday
FIFTH EDITION
SECTION: LOCAL; Pg. B7
HEADLINE: Philip J. Sullivan
BYLINE: The Morning Call

Philip J. PJ Sullivan, 72, of Macungie, died Friday, December 30, 2005 in Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township. He was the husband of Carole L. (Kovacs) Sullivan. Born in Manhattan, N.Y., he was the son of the late Philip and Katherine (Donlon) Sullivan. He was a graduate of Power Memorial Academy and Manhattan College. He was a Navy veteran having served primarily onboard a submarine during the Korean War. Philips career was in sales and marketing in the oil industry, having last been employed by Amerada Hess.

Survivors: His wife of 34 years; mother-in-law, Mary Kovacs; sister-in-law, Marylou Renaldo; niece, Courtney Strohm; nephew, Brent Strohm; cousins.

Services: will be held privately on Monday. Arrangements, Bachman, Kulik & Reinsmith Funeral Home, Emmaus.

Contributions: Donations in PJs memory may be made to Animals in Distress, 5075 Limeport Pike, Coopersburg, Pa. 18036 or the Humane Society of Lehigh County, 640 Dixon Street, Allentown, Pa. 18103.

Please sign Guest Book on mcall.com/obits

LOAD-DATE: January 3, 2006

[mcALUMdb:  ???? ]

 

***Obit2***

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060105/NEWS08/601050554/1010/NEWS

John O'Donnell: Stressed kids' education
BY JOE ROSSITER FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

January 5, 2006

John O'Donnell understood the significance of a good education and the opportunities it afforded him. He, in turn, continually hammered home that same point to his children.

All five of his children went on to earn not only bachelor's degrees, but graduate degrees as well. In addition, three went on to earn law degrees.

"Education was always the No. 1 goal according to my father," said Mr. O'Donnell's son, J. Terence O'Donnell.

A resident of Bloomfield Hills, Mr. O'Donnell died Saturday at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak from complications of Parkinson's disease. He was 89.

Born in New York City, Mr. O'Donnell was 6 when his father, who was a fireman, died battling a warehouse blaze. Mr. O'Donnell excelled academically and athletically in high school and received a scholarship to Manhattan College, where he graduated with a degree in business administration in 1938. He was a member of the track and baseball teams.

When World War II began, Mr. O'Donnell enlisted in the Army and spent four years in the Army Air Forces. After the war, Mr. O'Donnell came to Detroit and met his wife, the former Margaret Healy. They were wed in 1946. Mr. O'Donnell began working at Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn. He retired in 1981.

In addition to his wife and son, survivors include sons, James and Patrick; daughters, Peggy O'Donnell and Mary O'Donnell, and nine grandchildren.

There will be a viewing today at 9:30 a.m. followed by a funeral mass at 10 a.m. at Holy Name Church, 630 Harmon, Birmingham. Burial will be in Guardian Angel Cemetery in Rochester Hills.

[REPORTEDAS:  1938 ]

 

 

 [Jasper_Updates]

[JR: Alerting old friends seeking to reconnect or "youngsters" seeking a networking contact with someone who might have a unique viewpoint that they are interested in.]

Back, Steve (1972)
Principal Engineer
VertexRSI
Lawrenceville
, GA 30044

 

Trizzino,  June L. (1975)
Director
Adelphi University - Manhattan Center
New York, New York 10013

 

 

[Jaspers_Missing]

[JR: I'm going to try a new section for "negative updates". These are changes that "pop" in from the various sources that are not really from the news. I thought it might be valuable to alert old friends or "youngsters" that someone they maybe interested in has “drifted off” either here at Jasper Jottings or in the mcALUMdb.]

None

 

Jaspers_in_the_News

*** JNews1 ***

http://www.capegazette.com/storiescurrent/1205/cms123005.html

UD College of Marine Studes wins grant for inland bays research

Timothy Targett, professor of marine biology and biochemistry at the University of Delaware College of Marine Studies, and Dominic Di Toro, Edward C. Davis professor of civil and environmental engineering at the university, have received a $548,273 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The three-year grant will support their research to determine the impact of fluctuating water quality on fish that use estuaries and coastal bays as nursery grounds during their first few months of life.

Part of the work will be conducted in two of Delaware’s Inland Bays: Rehoboth and Indian River. During the summer months, these sheltered bays provide valuable nursery habitat for key recreational and commercial fisheries including summer flounder and weakfish. Yet significant reductions in dissolved oxygen levels often occur daily during summer in the tidal tributaries used by young fish as nursery grounds.

According to Targett, scientists do not understand why juvenile fish use these waters in such high abundance when low dissolved oxygen can adversely affect their growth and survival. In addition, fish have the ability to swim to other areas where the water quality is better.

“We don’t know why the fish are even in some of these areas,” said Targett. “Is there such a great source of food that they just go in, stay as long as possible, grab some food, and then make a run for it?”

To answer this question, Targett and Di Toro will use a unique modeling approach that combines the results of two different models. One model will predict how the water quality changes over space and time. This water-quality model will be constructed using detailed measurements of salinity, temperature, and levels of dissolved oxygen in the water.

The second model will predict the growth, behavior, and survival of an individual fish to changes in these parameters. This individual-based model was developed in previous laboratory and field experiments done by Targett. It will be validated in the current study by directly tracking fish movement with acoustic tags in Pepper Creek, a tributary of Indian River Bay.

By coupling the two models together, the scientists can predict the behavior of juvenile fish to the water quality at a specific location throughout the summer months — something that has never been done before. Damian Brady, a doctoral candidate in marine biology–biochemistry, will assist Targett and Di Toro in the research.

The field study in Pepper Creek also will look at the effect of dissolved oxygen on the benthic community as well as the effect that the prey abundance (amount of food) has on the response of fish. The benthic community consists of crabs, worms, and other marine organisms that live in and on the bottom sediments and provide juvenile fish with food.

This portion of the study will be led by Robert Diaz, professor of marine science at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) in Gloucester Point. VIMS received an additional $135,314 in grant money, bringing the total award to $683,587. Danielle Tuzzolino, a master’s student in marine biology–biochemistry will assist Targett and Diaz in completing this work.

“It is truly an integrated and cooperative approach that links marine biology with engineering,” said Targett. “None of us could do this project by ourselves. In particular, Damian has been very instrumental in bridging this gap by taking modeling courses from Dominic in addition to his courses in marine sciences.”

Targett says the research is designed to provide fisheries managers with a tool that predicts the impact of changing water quality on the growth and survival of juvenile weakfish and summer flounder. In addition, the modeling approach is not site specific, but can be applied to many other coastal ecosystems.

Specifically, the research will address how various scenarios, which affect water quality, influence the behavior of juvenile fish. This information will enable fisheries managers to minimize the adverse effects that a project might have on the marine environment. For example, the model can help determine how altering nutrient input or tidal flushing in an area would impact the fish living in that environment.

“The results will help management officials spend money where it is needed the most,” says Di Toro. “It can cost a lot of money to improve the water quality once it has been degraded, and you don’t want to spend money to correct something that isn’t really a problem to begin with.”

A member of UD’s faculty since 1986, Targett was appointed to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission as the governor’s appointee representing Delaware in 1987. The commission coordinates the conservation and management of near-shore fishery resources among the 15 Atlantic coastal states. He has published 45 technical papers on fish ecology.

Di Toro joined UD’s faculty in January 2003 after serving on the faculty at Manhattan College for more than 30 years. This past year, Di Toro was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, an honor he shares with fewer than 2,200 engineers nationwide. In electing him, the academy cited his “leadership in the development and application of mathematical models for establishing water-quality criteria and making management decisions.”

# # #

From: Google Alerts [mailto:googlealerts-noreply@google.com]
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 10:12 AM
Subject: Google Alert - "manhattan college" -"marymount manhattan college" -"borough of manhattan college"

CapeGazette.com - Covering Delaware's Cape Region

Cape Gazette - Lewes,DE,USA

... ecology. Di Toro joined UD's faculty in January 2003 after serving on the faculty at Manhattan College for more than 30 years. ...

# # # # # #

[mcALUMdb:  1963 ]

 

*** JNews2 ***

http://www.westchestercountybusinessjournal.com/current_issue/people3.php

Armindo G. Monteiro of Hartsdale was promoted to an associate in the Newark, N.J., office of Thornton-Tomasetti Group Inc., an engineering and design firm. Since 2003, Monteiro was a senior project engineer. He joined the Newark office in 2001 as a project engineer. He joined the firm in 1995 in its New York City office, where he served initially as an engineer, then as a senior engineer and subsequently as a project engineer. Monteiro holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Manhattan College and a Master of Science degree in structural engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

[mcALUMdb:  ????]

 

 

Manhattan_in_the_News

*** MNews1 ***

http://www.ourmidland.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15835941&BRD=2289
&PAG=461&dept_id=541496&rfi=6

Interlochen announces plans for summer program
Midland Daily News  12/29/2005

Interlochen Arts Camp has announced plans for the Interlochen All-State program in summer 2006. Interlochen All-State offers a variety of two-week educational sessions for Michigan musicians who have completed grade 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 during the 2005-06 academic year.

    Veteran Interlochen Arts Camp faculty member and conductor Michael Kaufman has been named director of Interlochen All-State.

    During the school year, Kaufman is conductor of the Grand Ledge High School Bands.

    Others hired for Interlochen All-State summer 2006 include music faculty from Michigan State University, University of Michigan, Western Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Central Michigan University, Grand Valley, Texas Tech, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Manhattan College and the University of Southern California, among others.

________________________________________

From: Google Alerts [mailto:googlealerts-noreply@google.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2005 3:07 PM
Subject: Google Alert - "manhattan college" -"marymount manhattan college" -"borough of manhattan college"

Interlochen announces plans for summer program

Midland Daily News (subscription) - Midland,MI,USA

... Eastern Michigan University, Central Michigan University, Grand Valley, Texas Tech, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Manhattan College and the University ...

[JR:  Doesn’t sound like our MC? ]

 

*** MNews2 ***

http://www.irishexaminer.com/pport/web/GAA/Full_Story/did-sgsdrF4pBbFMwsg7OWirIStPSk.asp

Following meetings with board members of the Randall’s Island Gaelic Sports (RIGS) corporation as well as the New York GAA board, the Croke Park chiefs returned home without completing their mission. Fresh talks have been arranged for the second week in January and the quartet from headquarters will return to New York in February for further meetings.

While the GAA in Dublin has pledged $2 million (€1.68m) and RIGS board members are said to have access to funds in excess of $3m (e2.5m) at their disposal, insiders say Irish American investors have been deterred by Croke Park’s insistence that the venture remains a not-for-profit operation.

Potential backers are happy to let the GAA control the stadium and fields and other sporting amenities as not-for-profit operations but would want bar and catering concessions run for profit for the benefit of shareholders in the RIGS corporation.

Locals perceive the GAA’s stance as an indication that having done all the preparatory work in drawing up the plans and getting hold of the real estate, all the profits from a Croke Park-run Randall’s Island complex will head straight back across the Atlantic to swell the GAA’s coffers.

Yet former NY GAA board president Monty Moloney, who has been the driving the force behind this project since its inception and is chairman of RIGS, was cautiously optimistic.

“We’ve had some success but not enough time in these meetings for the people from Ireland to fully complete their mission,” Moloney said.

“They had to leave in midweek but we intend to get together in the second week of January and they will probably be coming back here in February.”

Matters are further complicated, however, by in-fighting among the local GAA community over whether New York needs to move to a new site at all. Some would prefer to see the city’s 42 clubs continue to play their matches at Gaelic Park in the Bronx, the NY GAA’s home since the 1930s but rented from Manhattan College and in bad need of redevelopment.

The divisions came to a head earlier this month when Seamus Dooley was challenged for his position as NY GAA board chairman by RIGS board member John Moore. The way forward for the Randall’s Island project was one of the key dividing issues in a stormy campaign, despite both men being RIGS board members - Dooley as the incumbent NY GAA chairman.

Moore accused his rival of resisting change yet the aggressive nature of his campaign rhetoric is thought to have turned off a number of clubs whose delegates re-elected Dooley by a large majority, 55 votes to 27.

Yet Moloney encouraged headquarters to keep backing the project.

“Sean Kelly, Peter Quinn, Nicky Brennan and Tony Hanahoe have all worked extremely hard to try and put this thing together and it’s really appreciated by me,” he said.

“It’s not easy travelling back and forth and squeezing in meetings here and there while trying to also learn how this whole process evolved over seven or eight years.

“This is the greatest thing to happen to us in New York and people have stop with their private agendas. There’s more to it than the profits that come out of it, we have to be respectful of where the land is and who is going to use it most of all. That’s what we’ve got to think about before we make a decision.” 

===

From: Google Alerts [mailto:googlealerts-noreply@google.com]
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2005 12:07 AM
Subject: Google Alert - "manhattan college" -"marymount manhattan college" -"borough of manhattan college"

Plans for permanent GAA home in New York delayed

Irish Examiner - Cork,Ireland

... the city's 42 clubs continue to play their matches at Gaelic Park in the Bronx, the NY GAA's home since the 1930s but rented from Manhattan College and in ...

 

*** MNews3 ***

The Irish Times
December 29, 2005 Thursday
SECTION: OPINION; An Irishman's Diary; Pg. 17
HEADLINE: An Irishwoman's Diary

Another war, another New York City transit strike, another Christmas. This time around it concerned my younger brother, Patricia Leahy.

Last week Seán lined up beside his fellow workers of all nationalities and creeds to protest at the low pay and clawing back of pension and medical entitlements. In essence, they demanded the wage increases needed to make up for the rise in the cost of living, generated by the Iraqi conflict inflation.

Last week when the transit workers first walked out, a New York State Justice levelled sanctions against the Transit Workers' Union (TWU) for violating a state law that bars public employees from going on strike. A heavy penalty threatened which could have forced the union off the picket lines and back on the job. Under the law, the union's 33,000 members would have lost two days' pay for every day they were on strike. Eventually they went back to work following negotiations.

For my brother personally, coming up to 30 years' service in the Manhattan and Bronx Service Transit Operating Authority (MABSTOA), it was about his pension and how the company is trying to rid itself of long-term employees. The tabloid press showed little sympathy for the strikers. "Four days before holidays and we're all Mad As Hell" was the front page of the Daily News. The New York Post had this message for the workers: "You Rats", as millions of New Yorkers had to walk to their jobs. They claimed the strikers were holding the city to ransom.

Forty years ago, another transit strike threatened to cripple New York. This time it concerned my father, Terry. Although brewing for a while, negotiations started in November, 1965 and went up to and beyond the Christmas. Every day, my father donned his "Dangerous Dan McGrew" coat and tucked his feet into his "Ploughman's Bloody Big Boots" going out in the snow to work in the bus garage. I heard the name "Mike Quill" like a mantra chanted across the kitchen table between my father and mother. The threat of a strike saw my father's shifts and long working hours cut back without pay or explanation. Down to the bone already, my family lived on rice and evaporated milk with raisins.

Mike Quill from Gortloughera, Kilgarvan, Co Kerry, was having none of the "bullshit" thrown at him and his men from the authorities and the press. The founder, builder and tireless campaigner for the TWU since 1934 had heard it all before. At the top of the Transit Workers' Union's list were wage increases to make up for the rise in the cost of living generated by the Vietnam War inflation. The city dug in its heels and said no. During these fraught times, boxes of food arrived into our apartment from the United Jewish Appeal. One of the nights before Christmas, my parents walked in to find us kids taping up the Christmas decorations on to the wall to compensate for not having a tree. In a temper, my father grabbed a saw from the closet and ran out of the apartment, kids at his heels. We saw him climb the hill of Manhattan College across the street. He went in the snow to the exclusive college's flagpole at the top of the hill, around which stood a circle of evergreen trees. That circle was broken in the Christmas of 1965.

The TWU stopped the threats and started making strike preparations. Newly elected mayor John Lindsay dismissed the short, bald, man with the cane and funny accent as a talkative nuisance.

Out of step with what the times called for, John Lindsay was an upper class Anglo-Protestant lawyer trying to govern a working class and ethnic city. Mike Quill's mocking press conferences made the mayor with the movie star looks appear inept.

Despite a series of heart attacks, the frail Mike Quill on the morning of January 1st, 1966, called for his TWU members to finish their last runs and by 8am the last trains and buses rolled into their terminals.

No buses or subways would run for 10 days. News editorials and political pronouncements called him an "irresponsible demagogue" and a "lawless hooligan".

On that first day, a judge issued an injunction against the strike. Mike Quill tore up the injunction in front of the television cameras. The judge promptly issued an arrest order. Mike Quill walked into the Americana Hotel ballroom soon afterwards to meet the press, mediators and TWU negotiators and announced "The judge can drop dead in his black robes. I don't care if I rot in jail. I will not call off the strike." Quill went to jail and was later transferred to a hospital.

It was in a hospital he heard the news that the city agreed to a package which included wage increases, pensions benefits and other gains.

Late in that January of 1966, not too long after our Christmas tree was taken down, Mike Quill died. My family along with hundreds of other families took the subway down to Fifth Avenue to see his Tricolour-draped coffin emerge through the doors of St Patrick's Cathedral.

In that 40 years the protagonists have changed little. Whereas conditions have improved, so have profits. The hard-fought benefits gained by those who went before can be slowly erased unless workers remain vigilant. Reflecting back on those years, Mike Quill once recalled, "We were no experts in the field of labour organisation, but we had something in common with our fellow workers - we were all poor. We were all overworked." The fight continues.

LOAD-DATE: December 29, 2005

[JR:  I note the fact that MC had it’s tree stolen!  And I think this illustrates the problem with Government doing anything important, like running a subway! And, don’t get me started on unions of government employees.]

 

 

*** MNews4 ***

The Gazette (Montreal)
December 31, 2005 Saturday
Final Edition
SECTION: SPORTS; PAT HICKEY; Pg. C5
HEADLINE: Year surprisingly interesting: The NHL lockout gave for fans - and sportswriters - a chance to discover new leagues and revisit some old loves as they tried to fill a year without Canada's top sport

"What are you going to do without the Canadiens?"

That was the question I heard over and over 16 months ago as the National Hockey League lockout began.

"I'll find something to do," I would reply, not knowing that the hiatus from the NHL would prove surprisingly busy and surprisingly interesting.

The timeout provided me with an opportunity to renew some old acquaintances, meet new faces and travel to exotic places.

There was hockey, but it was far removed from the NHL variety. Part of the 2004-05 season was spent as the beat guy for the Verdun Dragons, the Ligue Nord-Americaine de Hockey team that The Gazette adopted. The LNAH is known as a goon league, and there's no denying that fans come for "The Show" - the nightly brawls which provide the league with its identity.

But the great thing about the league, from my standpoint, was that every player had a story.

There was James Desmarais, who was the last player selected in the 1999 NHL entry draft. He was the leading scorer in the LNAH after a checkered career that included stops in the American Hockey League, Italy and three East Coast Hockey League teams in one season.

Today, Desmarais is playing for Innsbruck EV, the No. 1 team in Austria. He's second to teammate Todd Elik in the league scoring race. The Innsbruck roster also includes Martin Hohenberger, who was a third-round draft choice of the Canadiens in 1999.

The LNAH featured guest appearances from NHLers like Donald Brashear, Sebastien Caron and Mathieu Biron, who credits Thetford Mines coach Guy Chouinard for helping to improve his game.

There were oldies but goodies. Yves Racine returned from Germany to pursue business opportunities in Quebec City, while Stephane Richer combined a stint in Sorel with his old-timers' commitments.

The Sorel roster included NHL veteran Bobby Dollas and Christian Sbrocca, who has recorded CDs in French and English.

The goons in LNAH proved as personable as those in the NHL, and I enjoyed talking with Frank (The Animal) Bialowas a few days after he and Bill Barber became the first inductees in the Philadelphia Phantoms Hall of Fame.

Claude Morin of St. Georges, who finished second to Desmarais in the scoring race, went to college in the U.S. and called the collegiate game the "best, purest form of hockey." He played in Germany after graduating from Clarkson and his education helped him find an executive position with Bell when he returned to Canada.

I saw a number of U.S. college games while putting together a feature series on Quebec players who don't play major-junior hockey.

I sat in the Clarkson rink with Olympic speed-skating gold medallist Gaetan Boucher as he watched his son, Jean-Francois, play for Yale. The kid has the speed he inherited from his father and his mother Karin, a former East German skater, but he's still learning to finish.

I talked to a number of players about how they struggled with English. Michel Leveille of Levis had to pay his own way to Maine because the English scores on his entrance exam weren't high enough, but he's been on the academic all-star team as well as being one of the top players in Hockey East.

I watched Greenfield Park's Torrey Mitchell, a second-round draft choice of the San Jose Sharks, revive the University of Vermont program. Vermont made the jump from the ECAC to Hockey East this season. Mitchell ranks second in conference scoring and Vermont is ranked No. 3 in the country. The last time they were ranked that high was when Martin

St. Louis and Eric Perrin were the stars.

I went high above Cayuga's waters to check out Canadiens draft choices Ryan O'Byrne and Jon Gleed at Cornell and discovered Sasha Pokulok, a freshman defenceman from Vaudreuil. He said he opted out of the 2004 NHL entry draft because he figured he would be more attractive after a good year at Cornell.

He proved to be right. Most scouts projected him as a second-rounder, but Washington picked the 6-foot-5, 225-pounder in the first round, 13th overall. He's back for a second year at Cornell and is with Canada's national junior team.

Pokulok, Mitchell and Philippe Paquet are all contemplating pro careers, and Joey Mormina is living the dream. The Dollard native graduated from Colgate and is now playing for the American Hockey League's Manchester Monarchs.

I visited Salisbury School in Connecticut, where hockey players get a break on the $35,000 U.S. annual tuition. I was there the day Clarkson assistant coach Jean-Francois Houle - he's Rejean's son - was recruiting Philippe Paquet, a defenceman from Quebec City. Houle got his man and so did the Canadiens, who drafted Paquet in July.

Paquet's defence partner was Alex Biega of Pointe Claire. He was the No. 1 draft choice of the junior Rimouski Oceanic, but opted for prep school because he wants an Ivy League education.

Biega has been a rock on defence as Salisbury is off to a 9-0 start this season, while his younger brother, Michael, is the team's leading scorer.

The fact the Canadiens weren't in the playoffs - or rather; there were no playoffs - freed me to cover the Impact soccer training camp. All I'll say on that point is that every team should train in Puerto Rico in April.

I also returned to a couple of my first loves, tennis and basketball.

Early in the lockout, I covered the Bell Challenge women's tennis event in Quebec. The big news was Montrealer Melanie Gloria, who was made a splash by upsetting No. 2 seed Daniela Hantuchova en route to the quarterfinals.

Sadly, Gloria hasn't followed on that success - she's currently No. 471 in the WTA rankings.

Another Quebecer in that tournament, Stephanie Dubois of Laval, has fared better. Dubois lost in the second round that week, but has since climbed to No. 133 and is the top-ranked Canadian player.

The annual tournament at Jarry Park is part of my routine, but it was special this year, because I had a chance to sit down with Andre Agassi and talk about his extensive charitable contributions.

I was in New York the night Montrealer Juan Mendez broke the record for the most points by a Canadian in NCAA Division II basketball.

What should have been a joyous moment was marred by the fact that a) Mendez's Niagara University team lost to Manhattan College and b) Niagara coach Joe Mihalik wouldn't let Mendez accept a game ball to mark the milestone.

The Toronto Raptors were criticized for not using one of their four picks to draft Mendez. He's the leading scorer and rebounder for Banca Nuova Trapani, the last-place team in the Italian Lega B.

Mendez is doing well, but not as well as Samuel Dalembert, the Haitian-born, Montreal-raised centre for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Dalembert was gracious and articulate as we talked before a game in New Jersey. He talked about his desire to play for Canada in the future and expressed hope that he would be able to reach a new contract agreement with the 76ers.

Former Immigration Minister Denis Coderre has set the wheels in motion for Dalembert to get his Canadian citizenship, while the 76ers gave him a contract worth between $61 million and $80 million U.S. over the next six years.

GRAPHIC: Photo: TYREL FEATHERSTONE, THE GAZETTE; James Desmarais, the last player taken in the 1999 NHL draft, was one of the fascinating stories in the LNAH.

LOAD-DATE: December 31, 2005

 

Reported from The Quadrangle (http://www.mcquadrangle.org/)

None

 

EMAIL FROM JASPERS

*** Email01 ***

From: Alline, Vince (1968)
Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2005 6:59 PM
To: Ferdinand J. Reinke
Subject: Fiction disguised as truth

Maybe it's asking too much, but I must protest the contents of the email from Robert Helm as well as your commentary in the 1/1/06 issue of Jasper Jottings. Both stories are pure fiction, as can be determined by a quick search in www.snopes.com:

http://www.snopes.com/rumors/north.asp

and

http://www.snopes.com/rumors/atta.htm

I do not know whether Mr. Helm has any idea of the veracity of these rumors or if in fact he even cares, nor do I have any insight into his motivation for disseminating them. However, if you desire to have any credibility and command any respect as a journalist, you have an obligation to perform at least a cursory check to ascertain its truthfulness.

You may claim that emails from alums fall into the "letters to the editors" category and as such are entitled to contain anyone's outrageous opinions and lies disguised as fact. That is all fine and good but the commentary you added, rather than dispelling the myths, tended to lend them credence.

While Mr. Helms has every right to spread any number of rumors and opinions as fact, I believe that you have a obligation  to check on their accuracy before misleading (albeit unintentionally) over 700 Jasper alums. It took me less than a minute to research both stories.

I subscribe to Jasper Jottings to read news of the Manhattan community. I appreciate the considerable effort you put in to producing it and consequently indulge you the occasional Libertarian rant, which is easily identifiable and sometimes even quite amusing and interesting. However, when misinformation is presented as fact, I believe the proverbial line has been crossed.

That's just my opinion; I could be wrong.

===

From: JasperJottingsEditorial
Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2005 9:25 PM
To: Alline, Vince (1968)
Subject: [JasperJottingsEditorial] RE: Fiction disguised as truth

Jasper Helms wrote an email and, as usual, as with anything that anyone submits, I pushed it along. As far as "editorial control", I have only declined one contribution which purported to give medical advice. That I referred to the Jasper Jotting Medical Editor Doctor Dans, who opined that it was poor advice at best and dangerous at worst. IMHO, just like Plato's Cave, any one can put forth any fool idea for consideration. And, just like Plato's cave, you have given us some refutation of his points. The remedy for "evil" or "wrong" or "bad" speech is more free speech not less.

For my part, I said "I didn't know those two things. But I wouldn't be surprised if it was true." And I'll stand by that. I didn't know it to be true, or for that matter untrue. And, I wouldn't have been surprised if it was true.

As far as claims to be a "journalist", I don't recollect ever making that assertion. Nor, would I. I'm am injineer who collects and tabulates.  I appreciate your tolerance of my little rants. And I do try to be amusing. You are most certainly entitled to your opinions. I do appreciate your "fact checking". Although, one has to be extra careful of any internet source of "truth" – even Snopes. I think it is essential that no one ever takes what any one says as "Gospel". One always has to be skeptical.

Would you like a dedicated section where you can publish fact checks?

;-)  Or anything else, you like to expound on. I'm all for participation.

Let's see what other readers have to say.

On a historical note, I seem to recollect that we have had this story / snopes cycle a few times over the last five plus years. The last one was the statues of falujah at fort something. So I am sure we will have more "participation".

Hope you have a happy new year. Why aren't you out celebrating in stead of reading this? ;-)

Best wishes,
John'68

===

From: Vince Alline
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 10:50 PM
To: Ferdinand Reinke
Subject: Re: Fiction disguised as truth

Before I continue our dialogue, John (and before this old mind forgets), I wanted to mention that I had a difficult time finding out how to reach you. I recall that there used to be a section up front that listed ways to contact you depending on which hat you were wearing at the time. I couldn't find it in the last issue so I dug into the YahooGroup where I came up with this one.

I would not request that you decline any contribution. Unfortunately, I never experienced the pleasure of the give-and-take at Plato's Cave. My philosophizing was limited to the friendly confines of the Engineering Casino - er, Cafeteria (as long as it didn't interfere with my 3-year-long Hearts game with Ken Pietrzak, Tom Elgert and Rich DeLuca). Occasionally we could even hear above the shuffling of the cards the voice of that Reinke guy raised in "friendly" discussion.

I too am an advocate of free speech but I become very annoyed when this right is abused. While I wouldn't censor it, in this day a prompt rebuttal is imperative. In the week that passes before your subscribers are given any research on the matter, I wonder how many people have said to themselves,  "Wow! I didn't know that! I bet my closest 3,270 email buddies would like to hear it." If these rumors, hoaxes, urban legends and pure myths are not dispelled immediately, they spread uncontrollably. Unfortunately the internet is populated with those who are constantly seeking to see how many gullible people will fall for a good story as well as those who time after time do fall for one.

I have qouted www.snopes.com more than once in this forum. This website exists SOLELY for the purpose of debunking  these falsehoods. They are  by no means alone in this fight  (I know of at least half a dozen), but I normally use them because they are among the most comprehensive and best indexed. Their reputation in the internet community is impeccable and their credibility unquestioned. I am the ultimate skeptic; that's why I checked these stories with Snopes.

I'm inclined to take you up on your offer to do fact checking but that would tend to defeat the point that I'm trying to make - namely, that anyone can do it with very little time or effort expended. The two stories were debunked in less than a minute. I have no agenda, so there's nothing else that I would expound on. I'm just another dumb injineer (in my previous life).

The best to you also on the New Year. And what better way to celebrate than to curl up with the latest edition of Jasper Jottings? Since turnabout is fair play, why weren't you out celebrating instead of replying to my rant?

P.S. I was going file and forget your reply until I received the latest email from my brother today about how all the cellphone providers are going to release everyone's number to the telemarketers on January 31. Some people NEVER learn.

Best regards,
Vince '68

[JR:  Sick wife is my excuse!  Beside’s Jasper Jottings is my hobby. Where else would I get to entertain, annoy, and create so many Libertarians! AND, by the way, I could NOT have been in the Engineering Casino … … err cafeteria as you allege, I was too busy studying. That effort was reflected in my superlative index (2.0103). AND I would be shocked, SHOCKED, Casablanca-style, to find that there was gambling going on there. Although I was able to make money with “no bid is the best bid” Dandola ‘70, demonstrating my unique skills in advanced psychology and the mathematics of probability. ;-)  [By inducing my partner NEVER to bid under pain of something, we deprived the opponents of essential information. Like when the poor souls, who got to a GRAND slam minus the Ace King of trump undoubled.  Was that 3nt pete? That particular hand, John held the only two cards we held above a nine between us. John followed my rules then just a little too well then. I’d not have yelled at him for a double in that particular situation. He doesn’t do so well following “rules” these days, he’s a lawyer! Better lawyer now than was a bridge player then. He practices. And, still after all my abuse my best friend.] I don’t consider the forwarded email you cited as spam just misguided souls trying to communicate. I don’t mind the REAL spam (mortgages, viagra, and cheep software) as long as Google does such a great job filtering it. (I recommend pushing your mail thru gmail and get their spam filtering free.) AND, Hey life’s too short to NOT get your WACKY ideas in to Jasper Jottings. What fun!]

[JR:  Upon further review, how is one’s opinion “wrong”. Did you deliberately mis-state it?  Well when I looked in my head, I thought X and deliberately stated Y. I remember some Christian Brother in some one of my 14 years of Christian Brother’s education jumping on me about that. Remember it like yesterday. “Yes, Mister Reinke, your opinion might be wrong if you misstated it or lied about it. Are you so stupid or evil?” I think I selected “stupid”! He also jumped on someone for “dumb question”.  “The only dumb question is the one you don’t ask. Because I assure you that someone else is thinking it!”.  Funny the things we remember.  “Wrong opinion” launched into the Platonic absolutes, somebody’s relativism, and an extensive discussion of “Is your opinion wrong when it doesn’t line up with my values?”. It is left to the reader to prove how many angels are dancing on that pin or this here pinhead. ]

 

*** Email02 ***

From: Yahoo! Groups Notification
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 8:45 PM
To: Distribute_Jasper_Jottings-owner
Subject: APPROVE -- latindiva108  wants to join Distribute_Jasper_Jottings

Hello,

The following person would like to join the Distribute_Jasper_Jottings group:

Email address: latindiva108 Comment from user:

I am a fellow jasper. I graduate in 1997

===

[JR:  Due to my extrodinary filing system, I was able to like a laser pinpoint this person. … … OK, yeah I used Google on the desktop to find out who it was ‘cause I had not clue #1.]

===

From: Jasper Jottings Collector
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 8:56 PM
To: Camero, Graciela (1997)
Subject: APPROVE -- latindiva108 wants to join Distribute_Jasper_Jottings

Hi Graciela,

Isn't google desktop search v2 wonderful? Compensates for a lousy memory.

Welcome,
John'68

[JR: It is important for those attempting to subscribe to identify themselves. We get a lot (one a month) of ne’er-do-wells attempting to scam their way in.]

 

 

*** Email03 ***

From: Donnelly, Brian [1983]
Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2006 7:48 AM
To: Distribute_Jasper_Jottings-owner
Subject: RE: jasperjottings20060101

A Case of Mistaken Identity: Mohammad Atta Not Linked to Bus Bombing  

An Internet rumor claims that Mohammed Atta, the suspected mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against America, was involved in an earlier terrorist bombing of an Israeli bus in 1986.

In fact, the perpetrator of the April 1986 attack was a 33-year-old Jordanian and a naturalized U.S. citizen, who went by the name Mahmoud Atta. The Mohammed Atta behind the 9/11 attacks would have been 18 years old in 1986 (he was born in 1968) and was an Egyptian citizen. The Boston Globe, which was one of the few newspapers that printed this rumor, issued a correction a few days later and said their original report was "a case of mistaken identity."

On November 7, a spokesman for the Israeli Ministry of Justice stated: "It's not the same person. It's obviously two different men with similar names."

 http://www.adl.org/rumors/atta_rumors.asp

[JR:  Obviously! Now Jasper Brian obviously has a life. The fact speaks for itself in that he was not sitting around on Saturday night New Year’s eve waiting by his email box for his weekly fix of Jasper Jottings. We have taken note of this obvious failing, congratulate him for it, and wish that we had a life as well.    ;-)    Ahh, but the early bird catches the worm and he doesn’t get credit for the scoop or Snope. At least he didn’t yell at me.]

 

*** Email04 ***

From: Mike McEneney [1953]
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 11:38 PM
To: John Reinke
Cc: Edward J McEneney
Subject: Another Jasper

Dear John,

         My brother Ed ('59) called and asked if we could get a good friend of ours, and a great Jasper supporter, back on the Jasper Jottings distribution list. I know that you have told me a number of times how to accomplish this but I never remember. So we both would appreciate it if you would extend an invitation to Kevin Dolan '68. His e-mail address is: <privacy invoked> .

        Thanks for all you do and Happy New Year,

                       Best,

                        Mike McEneney, Esq.'53

==

[JR:  Mike, and Ed, done. No problem. For the record, they just have to send an email to Distribute_Jasper_Jottings-subscribe in care of yahoogroups.com, with their name, class year, and whatever else they’d like to share. If you take recruits, all you need is their email address. BTW, I am sure Yahoo will be glad to know that all their ad dollars aimed at you were wasted. Two Ohs in Yahooooo!. ;-)  Hope you had a happy, John’68 ]

==

From: Mike McEneney
Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2006 3:51 PM
Subject: Re: Another Jasper

Dear John,

           Thanks! It was late!

                          Mike

[JR:  Ooh, I thought maybe it was one of those famous McEneney New Year’s Eve celebrations that I’ve heard about lasting until Monday, January 02, 2006 11:38 PM. :-)   Another Jasper with a life! ]

 

Jaspers found web-wise

*** JFound1 ***

http://tomwatson.typepad.com/tom_watson/2005/12/down_in_the_tun.html

December 30, 2005

Down in the Tunnels

My grandfather on my mother's side was a sandhog in New York, literally digging ditches for the new city subway system in the years before World War I to put himself through Manhattan College. He was Irish and poor. His parents were fresh off the boat and lived in a sparse cold-water flat down on Charlton Street on the lower West Side near the docks. After he returned from France, he entered politics and worked for Al Smith and the Democrats - and the working man, the people he came from.

I was reminded of this bit of personal history reading Steve Gilliard's brilliant coverage of the New York transit strike and its aftermath, a battle over the tunnels my grandfather dug with his own hands - he and tens of thousands of other working poor in the days before such municipal work was unionized in this town. Dangerous times, filled with death and injury on the job, no health insurance, and unskilled workers driving trains and working track. The bad old days, at least for immigrants and their minority cousins.

Gilliard was one of the few liberal bloggers to stand up for the union side in the dispute, which shut down the subways and buses for 60 hours and caused formerly populist newspapers to publicly abandon their souls - especially the rag masquerading as the old Daily News under the plutocrat Mortimer Zuckerman. Too many liberals were too quick to take the MTA's side, or to let inconvenience cover up the key issue - which was breaking organized municipal labor. Today, Steve has a great post on the strike's winners and losers and he reserves his most bitter vitriol for fair-weather progressives. Here's a taste:

What also amazes me about the lack of support for the TWU among the blogging set was the lack of realization of their role in preserving the city. Their salaries, which stay in the city, have made New York stable and safe. They are the home and car buyers, the people who fill Target on weekends and Sylvia's on Sunday. They made the revival of Harlem and Central Brooklyn possible.

Without those salaries, Billyburg and the LES would be dangerous dumps you'd avoid at all cost.

Why? Because New York has a viable urban inner city. It isn't Washington or Detroit or someother city which was abandonded for the suburbs.

The New York where you live out your Sex and the City fantasies exists because people doing dangerous, unglamorous jobs keep their salaries in the city. Not that many people want to recognize that. They bought into the nonsense pumped out by the tabs and the TV. They recycled the most odious cheap labor arguments without any real thought behind them. It never occurred to them that New York's economics needs well-paid workers at places like Verizon, Con Ed and for the city.

He's right, of course. Do we really want cheap labor running the subways, repairing the buses, or keeping the tracks clear and safe? I do not. The TWU is at least half-filled with skilled labor you simply could not replace any time soon. Municipal labor unions are vital to the public safety: ask the cops, the firefighters, the teachers, and all the infrastructure workers. Like Steve, I expected the Manhattan Institute to call for replacement workers - to summon the ghost of Ronald Reagan to fire the ungrateful brutes. I expected the politicians to pose and prate. But I didn't expect so many liberals to be so silent.

With one prominent exception: James Wolcott names Roger Toussaint New Yorker of the Year.

Posted by Tom Watson on December 30, 2005 at 08:29 PM

 

*** JFound2 ***

None

 

MC mentioned web-wise

MFound1

None

 

BLAIRE’S BLOG
Lampe, Blaire (2005) http://blogs.bootsnall.com/Blair/

[JR:  It’s not a email to us. But it is public. So maybe, I have hit upon another niche for JJs. Rather than everyone having to check, here it is. I’ll catch any Jasper’s blog if I knew where they were hiding. Care to rat out your fellow alums?]

And so it is
Travel
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, wearily, merrily
Life is but a dream.

Warm greetings from the cold city of Kiev. Ah, I sense you are surprised. Allow me to explain. As Christmas came closer and closer and the time my family would depart from me grew night, I had to admit to myself that I had no where to go after they left. Getting nervous that the job in Damascus would not pan out, I just went ahead and booked a train ticket to Ukraine (this, of course before I found out Russia would be cutting off their natural gas supply…whoops.). The train took two nights from Prague and has left me badly in need of a shower. Luckily, I believe Russia and Ukraine have come to some sort of agreement, so there should be hot water. I’ve booked 6 nights at a hostel here, just to make sure I like the place. One of my main objectives of straying and working in one place for a while is to improve one of the languages I hope to learn. My Russian could indeed use a little brushing up, so what better time or place to do it than here…I mean, Russia might be a good place too, but visas are difficult. So what better place. This week will be devoted to finding a job, and if that works (ha…job…works…get it? ) finding an apt. At least that is the plan for now. First impressions of Kiev: Cold, but not unbearable; about as cold as Berlin was (more on that later). Crowded to beat the band. I have never seen a subway so packed, and I’m not talking the cars, I’m talking the station. I thought I was at David Hasselhoff concert in Munich. NO, I have never been to a David Hasselhoff concert in Munich or anywhere else. Would I? Well, that’s my little secret. Where was I? Yes, Kiev. As I’ve mentioned, I spent the holidays with my family; Christmas in Prague, New Years in Berlin. We had a really great time, even if we were all in grave danger of death by trampling on New Years Eve at the Brandenburg Gate. What a mob. And now it’s 2006, where does the time go? Remember 1999 when it was the end of the world? I packed a gallon of water and a sleeping bag in my trunk just in case. Not really sure what sort of wussy apoloclype I was preparing for taking such feeble measures. I’ve since learned to be a wee bit tougher when it comes to me vs. the end of the world. Next time, I’ll be ready. So that’s it for now, folks. When I figure out in what capacity I will be working here, I’ll give the update. I hope to get a job either writing for an english newspaper or teaching english. But then we all know where hope gets you. Or do we? At best: nowhere; at worst: the funny farm. So scratch hope, I’ll take a tall glass of Action, please.

[JR:  Well I don’t know about you but I want to be entertained? Young people are so entertaining.]

 

Sports

SportsSchedule

The only reason for putting this here is to give us a chance to attend one of these games and support "our" team.

Date Day Sport Opponent Location Time
1/8/06 Sunday M. Basketball   Saint Peter's*   HOME   2:00 PM
1/12/06 Thursday W. Basketball   Siena*   HOME   7:00 PM
1/13/06 Friday M. Basketball   Rider*   HOME   7:00 PM
1/14/06 Saturday Track & Field   West Point Quad.   West Point, N.Y.   10:00 AM
1/14/06 Saturday W. Basketball   Canisius*   HOME   2:00 PM
1/15/06 Sunday M. Basketball   Siena*   HOME   2:00 PM
1/18/06 Wednesday M. Basketball   Marist*   Poughkeepsie, N.Y.   7:30 PM

1/19/06 Thursday W. Basketball   Saint Peter's*   HOME   7:00 PM
1/20/06 Friday M. Basketball   Canisius*   HOME   7:00 PM
1/21/06 Saturday Track & Field   Manhattan Invitational   HOME   10:00 AM
1/21/06 Saturday Track & Field   Adidas Classic   Lincoln, Neb.   10:00 AM
1/21/06 Saturday W. Basketball   Rider*   Lawrenceville, N.J.   2:00 PM
1/24/06 Tuesday M. Basketball   Rider*   Lawrenceville, N.J.   7:30 PM

1/27/06 Friday Track & Field   Jasper Relays   HOME   9:00 AM
1/27/06 Friday W. Basketball   Iona*   New Rochelle, N.Y.   7:30 PM
1/27/06 Friday M. Basketball   Fairfield*   Bridgeport, Conn.   8:30 PM

1/28/06 Saturday Track & Field   Jasper Relays   HOME   9:00 AM
1/28/06 Saturday W. Swimming   CW Post   Brookville, NY   2:00 PM
1/29/06 Sunday W. Basketball   Marist*   HOME   2:00 PM
1/30/06 Monday M. Basketball   Siena*   Albany, N.Y.   7:00 PM

2/3/06 Friday Track & Field   Armory Collegiate Invitational   NYC Armory   10:00 AM
2/3/06 Friday W. Swimming   Fairfield*   Fairfield, CT   6:00 PM
2/3/06 Friday Track & Field   Millrose Games   MSG   6:00 PM
2/3/06 Friday W. Basketball   Canisius*   Buffalo, N.Y.   7:00 PM
2/3/06 Friday M. Basketball   Niagara*   HOME   7:00 PM
2/4/06 Saturday Track & Field   Armory Collegiate Invitational   NYC Armory   10:00 AM
2/4/06 Saturday Track & Field   Metropolitan Championships   Draddy Gym and NYC Armory   12:00 PM
2/5/06 Sunday Track & Field   Metropolitan Championships   Draddy Gym and NYC Armory   10:00 AM
2/5/06 Sunday M. Basketball   Loyola*   HOME   12:00 PM
2/5/06 Sunday W. Basketball   Niagara*   Niagara University, N.Y.   2:00 PM
2/6/06 Monday M. Tennis   Boston College   Boston, Mass.   TBA 

2/6/06 Monday M. Tennis   Dartmouth College   Hanover, N.H.   TBA 
2/8/06 Wednesday M. Basketball   Saint Peter's*   Jersey City, N.J.   7:00 PM
2/9/06 Thursday W. Basketball   Fairfield*   HOME   4:30 PM
2/10/06 Friday Track & Field   Penn State Invitational   State College, Pa.   10:00 AM
2/10/06 Friday Track & Field   Valentine Invitational   Boston, Mass.   4:00 PM
2/11/06 Saturday M. Tennis   University of Pennsylvania   Philadelphia, Pa.   TBA 

2/11/06 Saturday Track & Field   Valentine Invitational   Boston, Mass.   9:00 AM
2/11/06 Saturday Track & Field   Penn State Invitational   State College, Pa.   10:00 AM
2/11/06 Saturday M. Lacrosse   Fairfield University (Scrimmage)   Fairfield, Conn.   12:00 PM
2/11/06 Saturday M. Basketball   Canisius*   Buffalo, N.Y.   2:00 PM
2/11/06 Saturday W. Basketball   Marist*   Poughkeepsie, N.Y.   7:00 PM

2/13/06 Monday M. Basketball   Niagara*   Niagara Falls, N.Y.   7:00 PM
2/15/06 Wednesday W. Swimming   MAAC Championships$   Baltimore, MD   10:00 AM
2/16/06 Thursday W. Swimming   MAAC Championships$   Baltimore, MD   10:00 AM
2/16/06 Thursday W. Basketball   Loyola*   HOME   7:00 PM
2/17/06 Friday M. Tennis   Columbia University   New York, N.Y.
   TBA 
2/17/06 Friday W. Swimming   MAAC Championships$   Baltimore, MD   10:00 AM
2/17/06 Friday Track & Field   MAAC Indoor Championships   NYC Armory   4:00 PM
2/18/06 Saturday M. Basketball   Bracket Buster Saturday&   HOME   TBA 
2/18/06 Saturday W. Swimming   MAAC Championships$   Baltimore, MD   10:00 AM
2/18/06 Saturday M. Lacrosse   TBA (Scrimmage)   HOME   11:30 AM
2/19/06 Sunday M. Tennis   St. John's University   HOME   TBA 
2/20/06 Monday W. Basketball   Fairfield*   Bridgeport, Conn.   7:30 PM

2/23/06 Thursday W. Basketball   Saint Peter's*   Jersey City, N.J.   7:00 PM
2/23/06 Thursday M. Basketball   Fairfield*   HOME   7:00 PM
2/24/06 Friday Track & Field   USATF Indoor Championships   Boston, Mass.   9:00 AM
2/24/06 Friday Track & Field   NYU Invitational   NYC Armory   4:00 PM
2/25/06 Saturday M. Tennis   Binghamton University   Binghamton, N.Y.   TBA 

2/25/06 Saturday Track & Field   USATF Indoor Championships   Boston, Mass.   9:00 AM
2/25/06 Saturday Track & Field   Manhattan Last Chance Meet   Draddy Gym   9:00 AM
2/25/06 Saturday M. Lacrosse   University of Denver   Denver, Colo.   3:30 PM
2/26/06 Sunday Track & Field   USATF Indoor Championships   Boston, Mass.   9:00 AM

2/26/06 Sunday M. Lacrosse   Air Force Academy   Colorado Springs, Colo.   1:00 PM
2/26/06 Sunday W. Basketball   Iona*   HOME   4:00 PM
2/26/06 Sunday M. Basketball   Iona*   HOME   6:15 PM

 

Go support "our" teams. I'd appreciate any reports or photos. What else do us old alums have to do? Right, encourage the young ones to max their achievement to 100% potential. I don’t think you have to win or die. Just give us it all and we should applaud. What better things do you have to do today, but to go to some strange place, support the team, dress up “funny”, and cheer for “our” athletes. So what if they think you’re a loon. You’re their loon. You are a loon. You never know what kind of difference you’ll make! Go to one of the women’s events and meet hot chicks! Or if your persuasion is different, got to the men’s events and meet hot guys. Besides no one ever reads the boilerplate, eula, or the fine print.

 

Sports from College (http://www.gojaspers.com)

*** MCSports Summary ***

http://www.gojaspers.com/article.cfm?doc_id=6439

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL USES DOMINATING DEFENSE TO EARN 59-34 MAAC VICTORY OVER RIDER

Riverdale, N.Y. (January 5, 2006)--After holding sixth-ranked Maryland to its lowest first half shooting percentage (25 percent) of the season on Monday night in College Park, Manhattan Women's Basketball brought first-half defensive intensity once again on Thursday night as they battled conference opponent Rider in Draddy Gym. The Lady Jaspers did not commit a personal foul the entire half and forced 16 Rider turnovers in the opening period en route to a 59-34 MAAC win. With the victory Manhattan improves to 2-1 in MAAC play, while Rider drops to 0-3.

http://www.gojaspers.com/article.cfm?doc_id=6438

RONNIE SUPERSTAR" ON MIDMAJORITY.COM

Manhattan College Superfan Ronnie Weintraub was recently featured in a blog on MidMajority.com, written by Kyle Whelliston, who also writes a regular column for ESPN.com. To read the article, http://www.midmajority.com/blog.php?entry=499

. The Jaspers, Ronnie, and hopefully Mr. Whelliston will get back in action on Friday, January 6, when Manhattan travels to nearby New Rochelle, N.Y. to take on MAAC foe Iona, in the first of two games between the schools picked as the top two schools in the MAAC in 2005-06.

http://www.gojaspers.com/article.cfm?doc_id=6437

BASEBALL TABBED AS PRESEASON FAVORITE BY COLLEGIATE BASEBALL NEWSPAPER

Riverdale, N.Y. (January 3, 2006)– Manhattan College has been selected to win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title, it was announced in a poll released by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. In addition, senior pitcher Chris Cody was tabbed as the Projected Pitcher of the Year, and sophomore first baseman Matt Rizzotti was chosen as the Projected Player of the Year. All voting was conducted by the MAAC's head coaches.

http://www.gojaspers.com/article.cfm?doc_id=6436

NO. 6 MARYLAND EVENTUALLY OVERPOWERS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

College, Park, Md. (January 2, 2006)--Like they have done to every one of their opponents so far this season, with the exception of top-ranked Tennessee, the sixth-ranked Maryland Terrapins eventually overpowered Manhattan Women's Basketball on Monday night at the Comcast Center. Despite falling by a score of 82-49 the Lady Jaspers did not make it easy on the Terps, as they held Maryland to its lowest first-half shooting output in its first 14 games.

http://www.gojaspers.com/article.cfm?doc_id=6435

CJ ANDERSON NAMED PRESTO SPORTS/MBWA PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Riverdale, N.Y. (January 2, 2006)- Manhattan College sophomore forward CJ Anderson has ben named Presto Sports/MBWA Player of the Week for the week ending January 1, it was announced today by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA). This is the first time this season that Anderson has received this honor.

http://www.gojaspers.com/article.cfm?doc_id=6434

ANDERSON'S THIRD CONSECUTIVE DOUBLE-DOUBLE PROPELS MEN'S BASKETBALL TO SIXTH STRAIGHT VICTORY

Riverdale, N.Y. (December 30, 2005)- CJ Anderson tallied game-high with 24 point, 16 rebounds, four assists, and four blocks, recording his third consecutive double-double as Manhattan extended its winning streak to six, upending St. Francis-N.Y., 89-78, tonight at Draddy Gym. With the win, the Jaspers improve to 6-4, while the Terriers fall to 3-7.

http://www.gojaspers.com/article.cfm?doc_id=6433

VILLANOVA'S STELLAR SHOOTING TRIPS UP WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, 66-51

Riverdale, N.Y. (December 30, 2005)--It has not happened very often with Manhattan Women's Basketball so far this season, but the Lady Jaspers failed to outshoot their opponent for only the third time during the 2005-06 campaign. Villanova converted on over 51 percent of its shots, including 11 of 22 three-point attempts, en route to a 66-51 victory over Manhattan on Friday afternoon at Draddy Gymnasium. Lady Jasper sophomore forward Caitlin Flood posted a season-high 17 points and led Manhattan by connecting on eight of her 16 field goal attempts, but the Lady J's shot only 36.4 percent as a team.

 

 

Sports from Other Sources

[JR: At the risk of losing some of my aura of omnipotence or at least omni-pia-presence, you can see Jasper Sports stories at: http://www.topix.net/ncaa/manhattan/ so for brevity’s sake I will not repeat them here. I will just report the ones that come to my attention and NOT widely reported. No sense wasting electrons!]

http://www.topix.net/ncaa/manhattan/

*** OtherSports1 ***

None other than rehashes of the above.

 

Boilerplate

http://www.jasperjottings.com/boilerplate.htm

Curmudgeon's Final Words This Week

Glad you scrolled down this far!

=== <snip> ===

An experiment at Duke University Medical Center offered thirsty monkeys a choice: their favorite drink, in this case, Juicy Juice brand cherry drink, or the opportunity to look at computer images of the dominant, “celebrity” monkey of their pack. Despite their thirst, they chose to look at the pictures. Monkeys with status have food, power and sexual magnetism — everything the others crave. The impulse to look at these “celebrity” monkeys was so strong, it superseded thirst.

=== <snip> ===

Ahh sounds like what we do. Regard celebrities as some how have some status. Other than the blundering fools like ourselves traveling through the travail or valley of tears. We don’t understand and we don’t try to learn. Jaspers on the other hand have been taught to think critically and speak up. So when your favorite celebrity gets on the boob tube and tells you that black is white, the sky is falling, or you’re not paying enough in taxes for their favorite cause, just tell yourself, “I’m OK”, the world is as it is for a reason, and I am already paying to much in taxes for an inferior product.

And that’s the last word.

Curmudgeon

-30-

GBu. GBA.