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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.
 

Jim Cejka

Agreed Terri,

The poking and prodding I can do without, although the drugs they give you for some of those things are worth it.

My complaint is the way they suddenly personalize it - "At YOUR age - blah blah blah." They. make it sounds like it's MY fault. "YOUR" age - there's other people the same age - greater powers than me have let me live this long, it's HIS fault (problem?), I only went along for the ride. 

I never heard that reference when I was growing up for other milestones - "At YOUR age, you can get a job, drive a car, go to Vietnam, . . . ." The magic number was never pointed out so bluntly. 

Or maybe it was, and I was too young to realize it.

And Garry, when I saw that cartoon mentioned "clean living," I of course thought of you right away. 

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.

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?

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. 

Jim Cejka

On the subject of games, has anyone been watching the grand show of - is that really a sport - Olympics?

Yeah, the normal stuff is cool, but I was watching fencing this afternoon - Hey, that didn't look anything like a Zorro, or Robin Hood, sword fight. 

Garry Sellers