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Janie Albright (Blank)

Happy Mother's Day!

Fred Clem

Joe,

I've been to Ely NV at least 6 times.  My dad's brother moved there in the mid 50's.  He mined coal for 30 years in KY and then copper for 20 years in NV.  The first trip was in 1976 and I was amazed they had casinos there.  I thought gambling was only in the Las Vegas and Reno-Lake Tahoe areas.  I dropped my first quarter into a slot machine at the Hotel Nevada in beautiful downtown Ely:

I returned about 3 years later and my uncle wanted to come back east with me.  We decided to visit his son in Buena Vista CO on the way.  We drove US 50 from Ely to Salida CO.  Te scenery was fantastic.  I loved the red canyons in southern Utah and the mountain vistas near Monarch Pass CO.  I would love to do that drive again.

I-70/US 50 in Utah

David Mitchell

Fred,

Regarding my post #1261 and your follow up ---WHOOPS!  My bad. But can you blame me? I showed up at that same place last fall for a party with a bunch of my high school classmates and an old folks convention broke out!  How was I to know?

Janie,

I had no idea my phone exchange would be such a fascinatiing conversation starter. I thought it might be too deep for some of you old farts.

Joe:

I have heard of Evergreen Aviation, but do not know their story.

But as to your Aquinas topic, something good did come out of that for me at the time. It brought me back in touch with Billy and Dick MacNamara for the first time since about 2nd grade at OLP. We started together at Glennmont Kindergarden (where they cried every day until the teachers had to call Evelyn to come pick them up), and lasted till they moved down to I.C. His mom and dad used to be in my mom and dad's Bible study group - held at our house - so I saw a lot of them. Years later their older brother Bobby M. dated my oldest sister - after he left the seminary.

One day in 2nd grade, Dick was so out of control - in and out of his desk and all over the place -  so poor old (115, I beleive) Sister Claudine told them to both stand up and take their belts off. She let Billy (the calm one - uh huh) sit down and used both belts (connected to one another) to fit around Dick in his desk so that he was actually "seatbelted" in. It stopped him - for a day.

p.s. You might have also known my late brother-in-law Terry Hughes, who was in your class at Aquinas and passed away in Columbus about two years ago. He finished at Ready with buddies Jim Zubor and a few others known to our class.

James Hamilton, M. D.

David Mitchell

Joe,

P.s. Wattterson has had a swim team for some years now. When we moved back from Denver to Columbus, my three kids were all on it, and all pretty good by then (had been on swim teams since childhood in Denver). My ("mid kid") and best swimmer, Sara, was quite good. But like all new kids at Watterson, she was not treated very warmly. She turned out to be the best they had a the "fly" and "breast" (she swam all four strokes) and this clashed seriously with the reigning "queen" of the swim team who was a spoiled little snob and who's parents were quite upset when Sara was elected Captain for their senior year - after having only joined the team in her junior year.  BTW - Sara went on to be a co-captain at John Carroll - great years for her after the coldness at Watterson.    (Yup - Dad bragging here!)

But we gained some solace from two other families with kids on the team. Joan Hughes (I.C. class ahead of us, and my wife's close cousin) was mother to three kids on the team and that helped my kids feel some connection. Also, old friend Sheila (Seidel) Graham (Sheila and Jim - Waterson '64 - divorced by then), had a son on the team who was also the best boy swimmer. He had a really hard time with the lack of acceptance from othr kids.

This reminds me of a topic about Watterson that I will save for later.

James Hamilton, M. D.

David Mitchell

Jim,

My favorite John Denver song was his composition that made him famous, but first recorded by Peter, Paul, and Mary. It became known to some of us as the "un-official" Vietnamese National anthem. 

"I'm Leavin" on a Jet Plane". 

They played it a lot on AFVN Radio ("Armed Forces - Viet Nam radio) from the studio in Saigon - you remember, "Gooood Morning Vietnam!" 

Also a television station with nightly re-runs of Laugh In, day-old Cubs games, and our favorite, Star Trek, which we watched almost religiously and used terms from their dialogue over the radio in our ships. And who among us could ever forget those nightly public sevice announcements with Ricardo Montalbon standing in the studio in Saigon holding up an AK-47 and giving us his plea "Please my friends, don't deal in captured (not stolen as I first wrote) weapons". 

Note: just correted a mis-type in the paragraph above - It could not have been "Star Wars" back then - my bad.

As my time grew "short" in country, I would sing along out loud ever time they played that song until my buddies were ready to kill me. And a funny thing happened to me two Vereran's Days ago, as the guest speaker at nearby Sun City for their big Veteran's Day celebration (about 600 or 800 people). They had a small choir and band playing patriotic songs, and just after I finished speaking, they broke into "I'm Leavin' on a Jet Plane". I could hardly beleive it!

-----------------

p.s. Mary and I got to see John Denver live at Red Rocks two years in a row back in the day - way back. An experience not soon forgotten. Sitting there in a gorgeous Colorado evening with almost 10,000 people, with his whole enterauge on stage, and watching the moon rise over the city of Denver behind the stage during the show - (that is, if you're seated far enough back). "Colorado Rocky Mountian High" - "You Fill Up My Senses" - "Back Home Again" - "Boy From the Country" -  "This Old Guitar" - and Mary's favorite "Berkley Woman".

It was like staring across at Mount Wilson from a mesa above Telluride  - "Almost Heaven"

Happy Mother's Day to all of you!   I wish you all "Sunshine on YOUR Shoulders"

Fred Clem

Jim,

The song that chronicles my life is "Yesterday When I Was Young" by Roy Clark (of "Hee-Haw" fame).

James Hamilton, M. D.

Michael McLeod

Very interesting question about music, Jim.

It's just so powerful as an influence -- a sustaining influence.

By that I mean it hasn't diminished over time. Those songs that touched me then touch me now.

The most significant single recording artist in my life emerged roughly ten years after we graduated.

But I am making up the rules as I go along here so I'll use him.

Bruce Springsteen captured the excitement of being young and has continued to grow and find depth as an artist over the years. His reach - thematically, musically and geographically - is every bit as astonishing as what The Beatles accomplished.

I think there is one song that typifies his ability to put into words and music how I feel.

It's called "No Surrender."

There's a single line in that song that nicely sums up the power that music had for me when I was young and I began to hear things that felt like they came out of my own heart rather than being passed down via those big, heavy, scratchy lp's that played my parent's music:

It goes like this:

"We learned more from a three-minute record than we ever learned in school."

I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing - the fact that it resonates with me. Or if it's an oversimplification.

I just know if feels true.

Joseph D. McCarthy

First, Dave I knew Terry and Jim.  Great people.

Second, I wanted to use the "Way Back Machine" to return to earlier discussions about the Sales Tax Stamps.

Briefly this info might help.  During 1934 the Governor was George White.  Ohio Legislature passed a law/legislation instituting Sales Tax on Dec. 14, 1934, Gov. White, who's term ended on Dec. 31, 1934, refused to signit into law.  Which allowed it to take effect on Jan. 1, 1935.  The tax was handled at first by "Punchcards" then "Tax  Stamps".  There were three types of Punchcards used in Ohio.

1. NPC - Non-conventional Merchant Punch Cards,  Used during Jan. & Feb., 1935;

2. MPC - conventional Merchant Punch Cards,  beginning March, 1935, could not be issued after 2/1/1936; Ohio H.B. #120 March, 1935 set out details for issuing MPC's;

3. SPC - State issued Punch Cards, Ohio H.B. #572, enacted affectively Dec. 20, 1935, details the transition from MPC's to SPC's;

Ohio Sales Tax Stamps (OSTS) were first issued in 1935; and Last issued in 1962.  In 1939 a Charitable redemption at 3% was first issued.  On 07/01/1959 it was reduced to 2%.  All in bundles of 100 of the same denomination.  Charitable redemption ended on 12/31/1961

And now if all things work out I will include scans of the various Punchcards and stamps.

Now you have MUCH more than any of you wanted to know.

Joe                                                            

David Mitchell

Pretty cool Joe. I am reminded of another definition of the initials "MPC". In Vietnam it stood for "Military Payment Certificates", our local military currency, but we just called it "MPC". Not to be confused with "P" or "Piasters", the local Vietnamese currency. I think I still have one MPC bill with a pictue of one of our astronauts during a space walk. 

Joseph D. McCarthy

For your information Dave, and all who might be curious about MPC's

Fred Schwan has written and illustrated a 256 page book called "Comprehensive Catalog of Military Payment Certificates"; now in it's 4th or 5th edition.  It includes a discussion of A.M.C.'s (Allied Military Certificates) used after the second world war.  It then  discusses each and every series/release of the fifteen different MPC's used by our troops in foreign countries.  Many may remember the "MASH" show where Frank Burns tried to make a killing in MPC's only to be stopped at the gate to the camp because the MPC exchange to a new series was already underway in the camp.  The first issue used iin Vietnam was series 641 which was issued August 31, 1965 and withdrawn October 21, 1968.  The face contained different allegorical faces of women.  The (fractional) .05, .10, .25. and .50 denominations had the same eagle in flight on the back side.  The $1, $5, and $10 had different backs.  These were replaced by Series 661, issued October 21, 1968 and withdrawn August 11, 1969.  The face and backs were somewhat similar to series 641 in the TYPE of designs.  Series 681 was issued August 11, 1969 and withdrawn October 7, 1970,  The .05, .10, .25, and .50 all showed a submarine on the face and an Astronaut on the reverse.  The $1 had a helmeted Pilot on the face and a flight/squadron of planes on the reverse.  The $5 had a Sailor on the face and an eagle centered on the reverse.  The $10 Showed a soldier wearing a beret with a tank on the reverse.  And the $20 showed a helmeted soldier on the front and (I believe) a B52 bomber on the reverse.  The final series used in Vietnam was Series 692, issued October 7, 1970 and withdrawn in two events.  The dollar denominated was withdrawn March 15, 1973 and the Fractional denominations June 1, 1971.  Many are available for just a few dollars each in used/worn conditions.

One last thing.  Fred Shwan the Author, operates BNR Press and lives in Port Clinton, Ohio.  Every year around February or March  he holds a festival, named "MPCFEST" for about a week in Port Clinton, Ohio where individuals from all over the world congregate in a "Camp" like atmosphere to Buy, sell, and discuss all forms of Miltary currency and related currency.

David Mitchell

For pete's sake Joe!  Have some sense of propriety!

Don't you realize this kind of blatent display of detailed factual information could fall into the hands of Russian hackers?  

Or at the very least, you could be threatening Fred's role as "Dr. Factoid -in-chief" of the class. Think about what you may have already done to the new world order! 

Joseph D. McCarthy

I most Humbly apologize; mea culpa, mea culpa, mea Maxima CULPA.

Mary Anne McMahon (Herbst)

Speaking of music, the late Casey Cassam (sp) is on Sunday mornings on WNCI  or NPR here in Columbus at 11:00 a.m..  Not sure when it comes on or for how long it is on, but I enjoy hearing his voice and the oldies.  I hear it when I am going over to my mothers before church.  Yes, I am one of the lucky ones to still have my mother.  Lorraine just turned 101 May 5.  She has her mind still, but has some physical problems besides hearing loss and bad eyesight.  I consider myself very fortunate and wonder if any of you still have your mothers (or fathers).

John Maxwell

James Hamilton, M. D.

Janie Albright (Blank)

Jim, I have a friend, a Nephrologist who has one of the preeminent medical antique collections in the United States. He got my husband started on collecting things about 40 years ago. We have a pretty complete collection of Uraguyan Artesiana Rinconada ceramic animals. Dennis collected David Winter cottages a fairly common collectible. We collected nutcrackers. We have a collection of masks and I still collect nativity scenes.

David Mitchell

​So many thoughts on music and what it does to/for us - says about us. I think my favorite contemporary song was "If you Could Read My Mind", by Gordon Lightfoot. But early in life I got into classical and fell in love with the likes of "Bethoven's 5th Symphony', Mussorgski's "Pictures at an Exhibition", and Tshaikovski's "1812 Overture". But this has to be my all time favorite, considered by many to be the single most beautiful piece of orchestral music. Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a theme of Pagannini. (if I can just get it to load on the page)

Sorry, I cannot get it to load -    https://youtu.be/MNJVXI8DNJQ

David Mitchell

Took me only 6 tries. I guess yoy have to wait on it.

Janie Albright (Blank)

Yay, Dave!!  

I am listening to a playlist I have created for Celebration of Life for Dennis. Right now I have 26 songs that last 1 hr 40 minutes. So would play through twice for the 3 hour party so I think is about right. Some of his favorites. Many very upbeat, some reflective. A very eclectic mix. Things you can easily talk over. Not making me cry. Makes me feel good.  But Dave your list of classical reminds me I need to add Nessum Dorme with Pavarotti and maybe some others he loved. 

David Mitchell

Wow, Janie

I almost included Nessum Dorma. I think that may be the all time greatest peice of vocal music. I can listen to that over and over.

(that and "Alley Oop, boop - boop, oop")

James Hamilton, M. D.

Janie Albright (Blank)

Jim, this is the book he published. A lot in it is from his collection. Beautiful book. He has an amazing quackery collection