Be aware, the "Message Forum" is NOT password protected.  Unlike profiles that are password protected, anybody who gets to this webpage can see what is written here.  Nobody can contact you directly based on this forum unless you reveal your personal contact information.  Use the "Message Center" for sharing personal contact information with another classmate.

This message forum is an ongoing discussion about anything and just about everything ... within reason.  One thing our class was good at was having opinions.  Almost 70 years of life experience certainly qualifies us as experts on most everything!   Ask a question ... give an opinion ... share some insights ... it's our web site, it's our forum.  That said, it's probably not a good idea to get into arguments about politics, religion, and the like.  While we're experts on everything, we also have a wide range of values and beliefs. This site belongs to all of us ... the whole range ... and we are not here to isolate, alienate, or subjugate anybody.  Of course insults, humiliation, sophomoric barraggadocio, and demented humor is expected behavior among some of us less mature people.
 

Garry Sellers

Barbara Blair (Brenzel)

I had a house visiting doctor when I was a Sophomore - I think that he was the last one!!

Barb

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Wow! You described today's medical scene to a "T", Garry. There's one exception, though - 3 days ago I received an "invitation" to get jabbed with the latest Covid booster, and I'm actually going in today. I guess when it prevents you from having to avail themselves of their services, they're happy to see you.

Jim Cejka

OK, Where’s Dr. Welby when we need him. But, you guys are right.

I was fortunate, in some previous life, to work for a medical company and teach in hospitals around the world (I taught Dr. Barnard, the guy who did the first heart transplant in South Africa, how to do an EKG.) They were often good, state-of-the-art, places, dedicated and knowledgable staffs. I couldn’t help thinking at that time (1980s), that the U.S. had all these big, beautiful hospitals, super doctors and nurses, technology galore, . . . and one of the worst delivery system in the world. In just about every country, the people had universal health care, the only roadblocks were distances and transportation. Some had combination of basic universal care and insurance, any way, any how, the care was there. 

Not us, not even today, 40 years later. We have to have INSURANCE. When we were young and working, we had, if we were lucky, a job that provided it. We never thought about the fact that our employer, or union, gave us coverage from the lowest bidder. We had INSURANCE. Of course, you could always buy your own, which could be a choice between INSURANCE or food. Then we got old, we qualified for Medicare. Some kind of basic INSURANCE, that was good, but we still have to pay deductibles, and a deduction from our Social Security income, and buy an alphabet of extra coverage plans for the really bad stuff, drugs, etc., and still pay for whatever isn’t covered. And again, coverage or Corn Flakes.

And, with the demise of the family doctor, we have to navigate between HMOs and PPOs, in/out of networks, and whether the doctor we want to see, or the closest facility, accepts whatever plan(s) we may have. 

One of my sons, when he was teaching in Japan, needed major surgery on his knee. Total cost, hospital, surgery, rehab = $75. Another son, and his wife, who now live in Norway, can easily and quickly get a medical appointment, see the doctor, be treated, and no costs. Both got excellent care.

Somehow, somewhere, in our U. S. rights of “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. . .,” 

we have subtracted the expectation of good health from the “life” and “happiness” part.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Jim Cejka

Yeah Nancy, 

Our system is a mess. It's like wrestling octopuses (octopi). The problem with the problem is that we don't trust anybody, i.e., the government, to fix the problem. Systems work in other countries, they're plenty of good models out there, but the octopus creature has way too many arms and fingers, and politicians, in the pot to work together for a solution.

Jim Cejka

Hey - really cool

Turner Classic Movies (one of the few tv channels I watch) is about to show "The Muppets Take Manhattan."

Now that's a classic - take that Maltese Falcon, take that Bogie, take that Orson. . . 

Jim Cejka

Is my age or stick-in-the-mudness showing? Memorial Day is May 30 - no matter what day they say it is. 

I remember (At least I think I remember - not too sure of that nowadays either.) being in Custer’s band, and the CONNtinentals, and marching/playing at various cemetery and Memorial Day events. March up, play a song or two, maybe the trumpets would play taps, then hustle unto the busses and off to do it someplace else, and someplace else, and someplace else. Never got to see or hear much of the other ceremonial stuff, all I remember of them was a bunch of old guys (the veterans) with their flags and shooting the gun salutes.

Then, 25-30 years ago, I was commander of the American Legion post in East Troy, and I had to give the Memorial Day speech. I suddenly realized, now I was one of those old guys, I was a real veteran. Memorial Day became much more meaningful, personal then, and has stayed that way with me ever since. 

I still have that speech (the local paper actually published it later). I made a program a bit ago that I’ve now shown at the USS Hornet Museum in Oakland, and several Vet Centers, and showed it at my church last Sunday. It still gives me goosebumps. .

I wonder too, if my son, who’s a CPO in the Coast Guard, will someday realize that he’s one of those “old guy” veterans, and appreciate Memorial Day for what it is supposed to be. 

William Nelson

Our daughter forwarded this yestereday via Facebook. I recall an earlier article about this project, but it was still in the planning stages, as I remember. It appears to have come to fruition now. We just hope the neighborhood has reverted to its relatively peaceful past. 

https://www.fox6now.com/news/milwaukee-school-affordable-housing-senior-apartments?

utm_campaign=trueAnthem%20Manual&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source

=facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3iKWg0TlI6JwK4k9

HjJQ6TiX5Op2y3RAs49I9Q4x3FpUhQjdxm-OO1J5E_aem_Aczn1HX0X

_smHOxqw2srQwJzdtCJAuhsYC3s-CdM9SzXVsax3Sld4AdKP-mt-k-

eP_xnHR727SqHqO9Jqk-0CB7G

Jim Cejka

OK, Bill. That sounds cool - in a way.

Somehow I just can't imagine living in Miss Kapp's room. A class hour was enough. 

Garry Sellers

Some of my older brothers and sisters went to the "old Custer", a.k.a. Edison (I had 8 of them!).  You mention Miss Kapp, who underneath it all I believe was a very caring person.  But you just wonder what residual energy could exist in a building that saw so many "stories" and experiences as a high school/ jr. high building.  It's like today, June 6th, D-Day.  In my trips to Normandy you'd think you'd feel something related to what terror the spirits of the young boys and who knows how many civilians experienced that day.  I certainly think there is some form of energy in the American cemetery at Normandy ... but is it just energy coming from within me?  Well ... we have a guideline that says let's not discuss religion but it's an interesting conjecture, is there anything in the idea of a location having an "energry"?  I'd nominate any "Custer" building as having "something" we left behind.

Jim Cejka

Garry,

May the Force be with you.

Garry Sellers

Thank you Yoda!

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Here's another interesting news video and article about the transformation of Edison into senior housing. Sent to me by Sally Strand.
https://www.cbs58.com/news/its-been-a-waste-of-space-former-mps-middle-school-transformed-into-housing-for-seniors

Jim Cejka

Is there any link or conspiracy theory or anything that it seems more than coincidence that they're converting OUR old school into SENIOR housing in the year that we all reach 80?

Garry Sellers

The last time I saw fireworks on the 4th was with my little sister the year she died.  I was back in Milwaukee because we knew she didn't have long.  She was like a kid who never saw fireworks before, oooing and awwwing at every little flicker.  She was adorable.  Hadn't felt the need to go to fireworks since.  But last night, amidst our 100+ degree heat wave, decided it'd be a good night to go out on a little nature preserve that juts out into SF Bay, about 1/2 mile across the water from a SF symphony concert with fireworks.  My wife asked me if I was going to take a jacket.  Ha!!!  It's close to 90 degrees at 8:30, why would a good Wisconsin boy need a jacket?  So we get out there (along with a few thousand of my closest friends who had the same idea) and we could see firworks from no less than maybe 10 differernt communities up and down the SF peninsula, starting at 8:30 before it was actually dark.  Awesome!  Except for the fact that the Bay water temperature is about 51 degrees on 3 sides of me with a breeze that made it feel like 31!  And there I am in my shorts and 4th of July t-shirt ... while my wife snickered wrapped in her furry jacket!  And the main attraction was still over an hour away!!!  The concert's fireworks were in fact magnificent ... breathtaking ... from what I could see from my car where I was with the engine running and heater on full blast!  Where's this, "with age comes wisdom" crap?

Jim Cejka

Happy Shark Week.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

No way.

Great Lakes: no salt, no sharks, no worries.

Jim Cejka

Nancy,

The Shark Week programs and associated hoopla are to show you fresh water folks what you're missing. 

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

And I am grateful.

Jim Cejka

At the clinic today, I noticed one of the nurses talking into her wrist phone thing. When I mentioned that that made me feel really old, because I remembered the comics and Dick Tracy's wrist radio as being ultra-future sci-fi stuff. Felt even older when I had to explain who Dick Tracy was, and that comics like that appeared in newspapers. 

Art Perez

what was the name of that dirty kid in the cartoons that always had a black cloud over his head ?

Jim Cejka

I remember 2 "dirty" characters - 

Joe Btfsplk - a character from Li'l Abner

Pigpen - from Charlie Brown

Jim Cejka

R .I. P. Dr. Hartley

Jim Cejka

Hello Jeopardy Fans,

For those of us who revered "Jeopardy," the good one, not the new one, the Post Office has announced that they are issuing a new forever stamp in honor of Alex Trebek. 

Nice.