2 majestic isles news january 2021 · 2021. 1. 1. · january 2021 majestic isles news 7 please...

2 Majestic Isles News January 2021

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January 2021 Majestic Isles News 3


Editorial Policy We welcome articles by residents, whether or not you choose to join the newsletter staff (which we’d love you to do). We reserve the right to reject material that may be inappropriate for any reason whatsoever. For example, we do not print letters to the editor or opinion pieces. The staff also reserves the right to edit for content, length, clarity and accuracy.

MANAGER’S CORNER

Because no resident stepped forward to run for the Board, the annual election was a pro forma event. Each of the Board members will remain in the same

positions they held in 2020.

This past month, the Association painted the wall on Seashell Terrace and also along El Clair Ranch Road. New plantings have been put in around the

property and clubhouse beds.

The pickleball courts and pool are currently still open, but the clubhouse is closed until further

notice. Both Priscilla and I have been working out of the clubhouse since July. We ask that if you see us in the cart and you are not wearing a mask, please do not approach the cart. We are taking every precaution and do not want to take any chances at this time. If you need anything from the office,

please call us. We do respond promptly and will get back to you quickly.

The Board decided to grant a 30-day extension on shutter removal. If your shutters are still up as of Jan. 1, 2021 a letter will be sent out. Please make

sure to take care of this in a timely manner.

We ask that you please pick up after your pet. I have had a few calls from residents who have had to clean up after dog owners. If anyone sees a

resident not picking up after their pet, please let the office know.

We hope everyone had a great Holiday season.

Regards,

Jay Peskoff, Property Manager

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 561-734-8738

REMINDER

Copies of this newsletter are available for pick up at three homes in the community, (10601 Royal Caribbean, 5875 Grand Harbour Circle, and 5760 Seashell Terrace) as well as outside the front door of the clubhouse. You can also find it on our website MajesticIsles.com. You will find both current and past issues to peruse for your enjoyment.

EDITORS

Alene Kristal

Lois Kaish

STAFF

Edie Ballan

Barbara Berry

Steve Berry

Arlene Bloom

Larry Bloom

Phyllis Cohen Stan Davidson

Claire Deveney Jerry Fefferman Ellin Goldstein

Elaine Jay

Stan Kaish

Steve Karten

Ellen Nelson

Barbara Portnoff

Gail Shatzkamer Joan Sorkin

Joyce Stoudermire

Gloria Steingart

Barbara Van Asselt

Betty Wachtel

ADVERTISING &

Finance Management

Steve Berry,

Ellin Goldstein

For ad information

Call 561-413-5985



MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD By Bob Edinger

Happy New Year to all. I am hopeful that 2021 will be a better year than 2020. While we are waiting to sort out the year ahead, let me share with

everyone our thoughts from the Board.

2021 will continue as the year we are giving everything within our walls a look-see. The exterior walls around the perimeter of the property have been refreshed. The interior walls on some streets have also had the same treatment. Foliage that had grown beyond our guidelines has been taken care of. New plantings, where required, have

been completed.

Broken reflectors on our road service are being replaced for our safety when driving at night. We have moved up the inspection of our sidewalks to see if any are lifting because of tree roots; with everyone walking more, this is being done a year

earlier than scheduled.

The Board has given everyone an additional grace period to remove the hurricane shutters and that period is now over. Those individuals who cannot travel here to do it themselves must make the necessary arrangements with neighbors or outside vendors to get this done; if not, letters will be sent

along with the necessary fines.

We turn our attention to the homes themselves and ask all residents to please look at their driveway and determine whether or not it has to be cleaned or repainted. We want our community to look as good

as possible.

Bushes and shrubs by the clubhouse that have been there for 20 plus years will be replaced so we get a

fresher look.

A new website for our community is being built with the help of several of our residents,

spearheaded by Stephen Berry.

COVID vaccines will start to be available and we will keep everyone posted as to when they can be

vaccinated.

2021 MAJESTIC ISLES BOARD OF DIRECTORS NAME POSITION

Bob Edinger President [email protected] 738-0069 Mark Jaffie 1st V.P. [email protected] 733-2312

Joel Rosenthal Treasurer [email protected] 739-6439 Al Spampinato 2nd V.P. [email protected] 914-414-2843 Alan Stevens Secretary [email protected] 336-4223 Jerry Ehrlich Member-at-large [email protected] 737-7369

Joel Cohen Member-at-large [email protected] 742-9695

COMMITTEES

NAME CHAIR

ARC Al Spampinato

Calendar Jerry Ehrlich

Clubhouse Mark Jaffie

COBWRA Martin Goodman

Comcast Bob Edinger, Mark Jaffie,

Alan Stevens

Compliance Howard Siegel

Finance Ken Keller

Fitness Bob Luther

Grounds Stan Davidson

Insurance Ken Keller

Lighting Bob Rosenhouch

New Neighbors Maddy Rosen

Rules Sally Galan

Technology Nissim Attali

(If you wish to serve on a committee, call the

committee chair. – Ed.)



GOOD AND WELFARE

THANK YOU

Dear Majestic friends,

Thanks so much for your many calls, notes, emails and charitable donations in memory of my beloved, sweet Marcia. I appreciate your

thoughtfulness at this difficult time.

Harvey Vetstein

Please note: Notices are reserved for members

of the Majestic Isles community. We reserve the

right to edit for length and clarity. Submit items

to Gail Shatzkamer by email at

[email protected] with Good and

Welfare as the subject or call (561) 877-8914.

Acknowledgement of each email will be sent as

verification of receipt.

WELCOME NEW NEIGHBORS By Maddy Rosen and Arlene Koch

Michele and Ira Zaitz, 5785 Island Reach Lane

David Hollander, 10688 Royal Caribbean

Circle

Carrie and Dennis Lauer, 10609 Royal

Caribbean Circle

Wendy Jacobson, 10728 Royal Caribbean

Circle

Michele and John Caceci, 5783 Grand

Harbour Circle



PROPERTY MATTERS By Anne Gannon

I am excited to give you a sneak peek at our new self-service kiosks which will be installed at five Publix locations throughout Palm Beach County. As this newsletter goes to print, we are working with Intellectual Technology, Inc. to complete installation and testing. The kiosks are just one more way this agency is leveraging technology to expand our ability to conveniently provide motor

vehicle services to Palm Beach County residents.

Clients will be able to use the kiosks to renew vehicle registrations on the spot – no need to wait

for your decal to arrive by mail!

As we go to print, kiosks are planned for the

following locations:

Publix at Promenade Shopping Plaza, Palm

Beach Gardens

Publix at Greenwood Shopping Center, Palm

Springs

Publix at Boynton Lakes Plaza, Boynton Beach

Addison Centre Publix, Delray Beach

Publix at Garden Shops at Boca, Boca Raton

If you encounter any issues using a kiosk, support is provided by the vendor. Contact them directly at the phone number on the front of the kiosk. More information can be found at www.pbctax.com or by

following us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

SAFETY REMINDER

Attention residents! As we go through the early darkness of the winter months, please do your evening walking ON THE SIDEWALKS so that you are visible to

drivers.

Also, make sure you and your guests park on the correct side of the street; parking on both sides invites an accident. This is a

community rule and should not be ignored.

Thank you!



REMINDERS FROM THE

SOLID WASTE AUTHORITY Tuesday is Recycling Day

Please have your recycling

curbside by 6 a.m.

YELLOW BIN

Newspaper

Brown Paper Grocery Bags

Magazines

Catalogs

Beverage Cartons

Tissue Boxes

Unwanted Mail

School/office paper

Corrugated cardboard

BLUE BIN

Drink boxes

Milk and juice containers

Aluminum cans

Steel cans

Glass bottles and jars (all colors, no lids or caps)

Plastic containers up to 5 gallons

PLEASE

No light bulbs, mirrors or plate glass

Recycle plastic bags and Styrofoam at the store

For any questions or concerns with the collection of your recycling, contact SWA at 697-2700 or

866-792-4636.

To order new or replacement recycling bins, call

866-NEW-BINS.



renovated home. Basically, we just had to move in which was like a dream, but we also knew that you really don’t know a place until you’ve lived there for a while. I must say that if ever there was a test, it’s been during these challenging times. I will always remember what our son, Matthew, remarked during his last visit here in mid-March of last year when news of the virus had just started to sound serious but before our clubhouse and pool were closed and other restrictions put in place. He said, “I really feel safe here!” I do believe our low incidence of cases here can be attributed in large part to our Board’s rapid actions to help keep us safe…for which I am

so grateful.

As a result of being forced to stay at home for the most part, I’ve had some revelations. To begin with, although Steve and I have been married for over 51 years, we never could have imagined spending so much “alone time” together and actually survive as a couple! All kidding aside, I found that not being able to run around all the time has a calming, beneficial effect. It became “back to basics” for us and as a result we take advantage of the simple things that living here has afforded us. Even more than before the pandemic, we appreciate sitting outside in our lanai and taking walks around the community. At least we identified projects we need to tend to such as the endless boxes of photos. Suddenly there was more time for reading and discovering interesting and educational programs on television and the internet. TV has eliminated the need to “go to the movies” to a great extent, although I do feel bad for the movie theater business and so many other businesses that have been

impacted.

With restaurants initially being closed, we started to prepare meals at home and actually enjoy doing so. It was something we had always done but to a lesser degree. We find we are able to have healthier meals and spend less too. Even though restaurants have opened with outdoor dining, we know that it’s just not as safe as dining at home. Since we had the time and knew we’re not seeing the family for the holidays this year, I helped Steve prepare ten pounds of potato latkes for Chanukah and shipped most of them to our family in New Jersey. Along the same lines, these days Steve finally had the inclination and (Continued on Page 13)

GRATEFUL By Barbara Berry

There is no way to sugar coat anything about the unfortunate pandemic we’re in the midst of. However, I realized that on almost a daily basis I find myself thinking about how things could be worse, at least in my immediate world, so therefore I

am grateful.

I’m grateful that we moved to Florida from Cliffside Park, New Jersey when we did in June of 2019. I can’t help but think how much worse it would have been if we had to be mostly at home in our high-rise building. Even with strictly enforced distancing rules and limits, something as simple as taking an elevator to get the mail in the lobby would have

been risky.

Seeing our children and grandchildren who live in New Jersey would have been almost as impossible as it has been because we’re in Florida. It may have been even more painful if we couldn’t get together because they would have been “so near yet so far.” FaceTime and Zoom calls have helped to keep us feeling close and in touch so I am thankful for

technology.

A main feature of our prior location in New Jersey is the convenience for traveling to New York City by express bus, ferry or car. We took advantage of that proximity often for shows, museums, restaurants, etc. with and without our family and friends. After retiring, when we finally could truly enjoy all “the city” normally has to offer, we would have been confined to our apartment instead. We had a beautiful view of the skyline from our window, but actually it could have been depressing to look at as a constant reminder of how New York has been

impacted so negatively.

Had we stayed in New Jersey we would have missed going to our building’s pool which is much like the one we have here. The difference is that due to the virus they made the decision to close it completely for the entire season which runs from Memorial Day

through Labor Day.

Enough about the “would have beens.” We not only were able to sell our apartment when many others couldn’t but considered ourselves fortunate to have made it to Majestic Isles to a beautiful completely



Grateful (Continued from Page 10)

time to perfect one of his favorites—ricotta

cheesecake!

I can’t think of another period in my lifetime that has made simple things that we tend to take for granted right in our own community even more special: beautiful sunrises and sunsets, amazing wildlife and magnificent trees and flowers

everywhere you look.

When I consider what I’ve come to value so much especially during these times, it’s the people I’ve met and the friends I’ve made here in Majestic Isles. With limited access to activities, I’ve enjoyed walking as my mode of exercise. Before the pandemic when I hadn’t begun walking with friends, I would come up with every excuse to stay in bed in the morning rather than exercise. Now I look forward to meeting my pals, and it’s so much more social and enjoyable this way. In fact, I’ve never regretted getting out of bed early to meet,

walk and talk!

Other ways to socialize while distancing have been created such as happy hours on driveways. When I see this taking place, it evokes fond memories of much simpler times when neighbors sat on stoops, porches and park benches together without having

to meet at a restaurant or in someone’s home.

I also believe that within the community some good friendships have gotten even stronger and other relationships have improved. Hopefully people have learned to not sweat the small stuff and that life is too short to waste time on petty issues. I look at this period as an extended time out from regular activities so that when this situation finally ends, we can regroup and be better not only as individuals but together as a community. That being said, I look forward to staying positive and

grateful.

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year!

WELCOME TO MICHAEL BOUDAHER, NEW MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEE

By Claire Deveney

Michael Boudaher is our new maintenance employee with the team for Castle Management. He started here November 9 and says, “I like my job and I like it here. I love it. Everyone

is very nice.”

Michael came to the United States from Lebanon at age 15

with his parents and five brothers and sisters when his father, who worked for General Electric, was transferred to the U.S. They settled in Clifton, N.J. Michael graduated from Passaic High School. He became a U.S. citizen in 1986 five years after

moving to the U.S.

Michael moved to Pompano, Florida in 1993, 27 years ago. He earned an associate degree in management from Broward College. While in New Jersey, he qualified and worked as a paramedic and after Broward College, studied aviation management. He worked as a bus driver for 11 years

for the City of Broward mass transit department.

For the past 15 years, Michael has been working in home remodeling and repairs as an independent contractor for various companies and on his own. He is a self-described master tradesman who can do just about anything relating to maintenance. He enjoys

painting, plumbing, carpentry and electrical work.

He lives in a condo in Pompano with his younger brother, George. Michael enjoys going to the beach across the street from his home, walking, games and watching people. Of his five brothers and sisters, two brothers and a sister live in New Jersey; George

and a sister live in Pompano.

Be sure to say “Hi” to Michael when you see him on

the property. Welcome Michael!



QUOTES FROM SEINFELD AT 30 “The Show About Nothing”

By Steve Berry

It’s hard to believe it started 30 years ago. Many of their lines became part of our everyday lingo. Here are some of the more memorable quotes. See if you remember which episodes they belong

to. Have fun!

Jerry said….

“He’s nice, bit of a close talker.”

“She had man hands.”

G e o r g e : “ I h a v e a s i x t h s e n s e . ”

Jerry: “Cheapness is not a sense.”

“I can’t be with someone like me. I hate myself!”

“Looking at cleavage is like looking into the sun. You don’t stare at it. It’s too risky. You get a sense

of it, then you look away.”

“Hello, Newman.”

“She’s a sentence finisher. It’s like dating Mad

Libs.”

George said this…

“My dream is to become hopeless.”

“Jerry, just remember, it’s not a lie if you believe

it.”

“I feel like my old self again. Totally inadequate, completely insecure, paranoid, neurotic. It’s a

pleasure.”

“You know I always wanted to pretend I was an

architect.”

“I can’t carry a pen. I’m afraid I’ll puncture my

scrotum.”

“Don’t insult me, my friend. Remember who you’re

talking to. No one’s a bigger idiot than me.”

Elaine said this…

“Yada! Yada! Yada!”

“I can’t be with someone who doesn’t break up

nicely. It’s an important part of the relationship.”

“He took IT out.” “I don’t know how you guys walk

around with those things.”

“Three squares? You can’t spare three squares?”

“Fake, fake, fake, fake”

“It’s not fair people are seated first come, first

served. It should be based on who’s hungriest.”

“I just couldn’t decide if he was really sponge-

worthy.”

“You’re through, Soup Nazi. Pack it up, no more

soup for you. NEXT!”

Kramer said…

“Giddy-up”

“Boy, these pretzels are making me thirsty.”

Kramer: “You think that dentists are so different from me and you? They came to this country just like everybody else, in search of a dream.” J e r r y : “ H e ’ s f r o m J e r s e y ! ” Kramer: “Yes and now he’s a full-fledged

American.”

Jerry: “Kramer, he’s just a dentist.”

Kramer: “Yeah, and you’re an anti-dentite.”

“Do you have any idea how much time I waste in

this apartment?”

“Boxers! How do you wear these things!! They’re baggin’ up, they’re rising in! And there’s nothing

holding me in place! I’m flippin’! I’m floppin’!”

Yev Kassem said…

“No soup for you!”

Frank Costanza said….

“Festivus for the rest of us.”

“At the Festivus dinner, you gather your family around and you tell them all the ways they have

disappointed you over the past year.”

“They don’t want us there, so why are we going”

“Serenity now!”

“I’m like a phoenix, rising from Arizona.”



PANDEMIC MUSINGS 5 By Betty Wachtel

I complained to my son Steve that I won’t go shopping for clothes until the pandemic is over, but I’m sick of my clothes, sick of wearing similar tops and similar pants day after day. His response was, “I wear similar shirts and similar pants all the time,

always have, always will.” Men!

*****

Shortly before each visit from members of our Israeli family, FedEx and/or UPS stop here almost daily and smaller soft packages fill our mailbox. Six family members, their friends and Steve’s clients send packages to us because the difference in sales tax saves them around 12% and some items are unavailable or more highly priced in Israel. Usually, the pile-up is manageable because with six family members, the time between visits has been short, but our oldest granddaughter, the last visitor, left here on February 25th, travelling with an infant, car seat, stroller and regular luggage, so the purchasers had kindly held back. And then came the pandemic. Steve left here December 7th with two stuffed 50-pound duffel bags plus a carry-on. His family, friends and clients must have him

confused with a pack mule.

*****

In the almost three weeks Steve was with us, we had seven family meals during which he and I were seated at one end of the Florida room while our daughter and son-in-law sat at a bridge table at the other end of the room. By the third meal, that began

to feel normal.

*****

As the pandemic gets longer, this article gets shorter. How much can I write about same old,

same old?

VIEW FROM ATOP A CAT TREE By Winnie and Misha K

It seems to us that humans seem determined to accumulate the latest gadgets and all the coolest clothes, but we felines demonstrate that we really don’t need those things to live a happy life. We are minimalists. Forget about those expensive toys, we lose our minds over the plain

cardboard box in which the toy arrived; even better, the brown wrapping paper inside is a huge treat! We slide on it, play on it, tear it, and have a great

time.

Teaching hoomans (that’s what we call our staff) history is a service we’re happy to provide; after all, you need to keep your brain active during this

pandemic, don’t you? So here goes:

Abraham Lincoln was a famous cat lover. He once let his cat Tabby eat on the table during a state dinner. He remarked later that if the gold fork was good enough for his predecessor James Buchanan it

was good enough for Tabby.

Throughout his lifetime, Pablo Picasso had cats as companions and sometimes painted or sculpted them with the human loves of his life. His painting, Dora Maar au Chat, is one of the world's most expensive paintings, and depicts a small black

kitten perched on the shoulder of his lover.

When the eminently quotable Ernest Hemingway wrote that “one cat just leads to another,” he could easily have been referencing his home in Key West, Florida. The grounds, now the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, houses between 40 and 50 felines, about half of whom have descended from Snowbell. The story goes that Hemingway met a sea captain at Sloppy Joe’s Bar one night, the two of them got drunk and then the sea captain gave Ernest a white multi-toed cat from his ship (Snowbell). Sailors believe polydactyls bring good luck. They have extra toes on their front feet and sometimes on their back feet as well. It looks as if they are wearing mittens because they appear to

have a thumb on their paw. Too cute!



MOVIES/STREAMING By Joan Sorkin

“Hillbilly Elegy,” familiar to many in the book club, was made into a Netflix movie starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams. It’s a true story of a young man growing up in a

dysfunctional family in hardscrabble USA.

“New Tricks” on Netflix features a group of retired detectives who band together to solve cold

cases in England.

“Uncle Frank” on Prime is an unusual story of a young girl coming to understand her beloved

Uncle Frank.

Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant star in an HBO limited series, “Undoing” that will keep your interest while you try to figure out the identity of

the killer in a gruesome murder.

“Perdida” is a Spanish series on Netflix. It deals with the lengths parents separately go to try to

find their kidnapped daughter.

A favorite of Penny Spinner, Barbara Rosen and Joan Greenwald, “Love Is in the Air” is a Turkish soap opera that goes on forever (regular TV). As much as they all agree it is very simple and predictable, they agree that it becomes addictive

and you cannot stop watching it.

Don’t miss the gripping movie “Official Secrets” on Prime. The story, based on true events surrounding the runup to the 2003 Iraq war, tells the story of a brave British whistleblower, played by Keira Knightley, who faces charges for breaching the Official Secrets Act. Ralph Fiennes

plays the lawyer who comes to her defense.

Let us know what your think!

JANUARY NOTABLE BIRTHDAYS Submitted by Lois Kaish

January 1 - Paul Revere (1735-1818)

January 1 - Betsy Ross (1752-1836)

January 4 - Louis Braille (1809-1852)

January 6 - Joan of Arc (1412-1431)

January 8 - Elvis Presley (1935-1977)

January 9 - Richard M. Nixon (1913-1994)

January 11 - Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804)

January 12 - John Hancock (1737-1793)

January 13 - Horatio Alger (1834-1899)

January 14 - Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965)

January 14 - Hal Roach (1892-1992)

January 15 - Martin Luther King (1929-1968)

January 16 - Andre Michelin (1853-1931)

January 17 - Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

January 17 - Muhammad Ali (1942-2016)

January 18 - Daniel Webster (1782-1852)

January 19 - Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)

January 19 - Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849)

January 20 - Ethan Allen (1738-1789)

January 20 - Stonewall" Jackson (1824-1863)

January 22 - Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

January 24 - Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

January 26 - Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964)

January 27 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

(1756-1791)

January 27 - Lewis Carroll (1832-1898)

January 27 - Samuel Gompers (1850-1924)

January 27 - Kaiser Wilhelm II (1859-1941)

January 28 - Henry Stanley (1841-1904)

January 29 - Thomas Paine (1737-1809)

January 29 - Anton Chekhov (1860-1904)

January 30 -Franklin Delano Roosevelt

(1882-1945)

January 31 - Jackie Robinson (1919-1972)

(From the internet)

Laughter is the best

medicine. Or wine.

It might be wine.



Looking

forward to

2021

May it be a year of new beginnings, fun

gatherings and

rekindled

friendships.



The New Year 2021 gives us in Majestic Isles an opportunity to reflect on the past and provides dreams for the future. Maybe the New Year’s Resolutions given below help you be the best

gardener that you can be!

*Apply a 2-3-inch layer of mulch to improve the appearance of a planted bed and provide a highlighted background for the plants. Over time, the mulch will decompose adding valuable nutrients to the sandy soil found throughout our

community.

Look for pest free and disease resistant plants when adding annuals and perennials to your garden. In the summer select plants that will

tolerate the heat.

When purchasing new plants inspect the plants carefully to find any evidence of invading insects such as mites, scale insects or mealybugs. The new plant should not have any yellowing or wilting

foliage.

Spread a circle of mulch or stone around your trees, especially the palm trees to prevent lawn

mowers and trimmers from damaging the trunk

Inspect your landscape periodically to spot pests and diseases. Use contact pesticides such as dish soap and water for immediate control and systemic

chemicals for long term control of pests.

Irrigate new trees and shrubs well for the first two months, especially during dry weather to establish

good root development.

*Trim all shrubs periodically to maintain their shape and to stimulate growth. However, an occasional hard pruning is required to keep the shrub healthy and to stimulate further growth and

flowering.

*Fertilize the landscape turf with granular fertilizer three times a year in February, May and November. Apply a disease/pest control in July/August. Fertilize your shrubs and trees three times a year in March, June and October. Also, spray weeds with an environmentally safe weed control with pre- and post-emergent weed killers in February and in November. Also apply spot weed

killer as needed.

*Check the irrigation system periodically to ensure it is programmed correctly, that sprinkler heads are being maintained and that cut out areas are

made around the sprinkler heads.

The Resolution for this New Year of gardening is that “Old gardeners never die they just spade

away.”

* The items marked with an asterisk are performed

by our landscaping company.



“DEAD WAKE” BY ERIK LARSON By Stan Kaish

“Dead Wake” is the story of the last voyage of the Lusitania, the biggest, fastest, costliest passenger liner of its day. Its days ended on May 7, 1915. On that day, the British liner bound from New York to Liverpool, encountered Unterseeboot 20, an enemy submarine during a time of war. It took just 18 minutes for the Lusitania to be torpedoed

and sunk, killing 1,195 passengers and crew. Among the deceased passengers were 123 Americans. The United States was not at war with Germany at the time, but President Woodrow Wilson had declared the killing of any American on the high seas would change that. And it did-- two

years later.

It’s the story of the Lusitania and much more. If

you’re a little vague on the origins of World War I,

this will brush away some of the cobwebs. It seems

Archduke Franz Ferdinand, inspector general of the

Austro-Hungarian army, was shot dead by a

Serbian assassin. While an exchange of diplomatic

notes might have calmed things, Austria chose to

declare war on Serbia instead. Larson tells us

“within a week that brush fire gusted into a

firestorm, spiking fears, resurrecting animosities,

triggering alliances and understandings and setting

long-laid plans in motion.” Among the long- laid

plans was a German scheme to attack France by

going though Belgium. And among the alliances

was a treaty England had to defend Belgium. Soon

Russia, Turkey, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania and Japan

got involved and became literally a world war with

one major exception. The United State declared its

neutrality. President Wilson was resolute in

wishing to avoid involvement. Unfortunately, his

wife, Ellen, had died within days of Britain

declaring war and clinical depression had

descended on the president. It would last a year,

until Wilson met Edith Bolling Galt, who was

destined to be the second Mrs. Wilson and a figure

of some notoriety in Presidential history.

As the war progressed, submarines emerged as the Germans’ most effective weapon. A good deal of attention is given over to U-20, its Captain, Walther Schreiger and crew. The U-boats were quite primitive, carrying seven torpedoes and a deck gun for their offensive weaponry. Underwater, propelled by batteries, they had a top speed of 8 knots. On the surface, propelled by diesel they could muster perhaps 15. Stealth was their weapon. Not speed. Otherwise, the Lusitania with a top speed of 26 knots would have sailed the seas with

impunity.

But it was not to be. At the time of the sinking, and

indeed for years before, British intelligence had

decoded German messages in a center known as

Room 40 and had tracked the movements of their

naval vessels. Thus, it was known that submarine

U-20 was in waters through which the Lusitania

had to pass. But no warning was given to its

Captain, William Turner, nor were military escort

vessels sent to prevent the German submarine from

attacking. The cracking of the German codes was a

secret the British were desperate to keep, and still

suspicion surrounds British behavior. It is known

that they were anxious to see the United States

enter the war. Winston Churchill, at the time First

Lord of the Admiralty, in a message to England’s

Board of Trade wrote “It is most important to

attract neutral shipping to our shores in the hope of

embroiling the United States with Germany…For

our part we want the traffic, the more the better, and

if some of it gets into trouble, better still.” That

was quite likely to occur. The Germans had earlier

declared that they considered ships carrying neutral

country flags to be fair game since they would be

carrying supplies to Britain, and more significantly,

British ships were flying neutral country flags in an

effort to deceive. On the eve of the Lusitania

sailing a notice had appeared in the shipping pages

of New York’s newspapers cautioning that “vessels

flying the flag of Great Britain, or of any of her

allies, are liable to destruction and travelers do so at

their own risk.” Few passengers saw the notice and

those that did were given assurance that they would

(Continued on Page 21 )



“VISIONS” OF THE FUTURE Submitted by Edie Ballan

In the next 10 to 20 years:

Most traditional car companies will doubtless become bankrupt. They will try the evolutionary approach and just build a better car, while tech companies (Tesla, Apple, Google) will take the revolutionary approach and build a computer on

wheels.

In 2018, the first self-driving (autonomous) cars were already here. In the next few years, the entire auto industry will start to be disrupted. You won’t want to own a car anymore as you will call a car with your phone, it will show up at your location and drive you to your destination. You will not need to park it; you will pay only for the “driven distance.” Very young children of today will never get a driver’s license and they will

never own a car.

This will change our cities because we will need 90% to 95% fewer cars. We can transform former

parking spaces into green city parks.

About 1.2 million people die each year in car accidents worldwide. We currently have one accident every 60,000 miles driven. However, with autonomous driving that will drop to one accident in about six million miles, saving a

million plus lives, worldwide, each year.

Look at what Volvo is doing right now. No more internal combustion engines in their vehicles starting with the 2020 models. They are using all-electric or hybrid only, with the intent of phasing

out hybrid models in the not-too-distant future.

Many engineers from Volkswagen and Audi are completely terrified of Tesla. Look at all the companies offering all-electric vehicles. That was

unheard of, only a few years ago.

Insurance companies will have massive trouble, too, because, without accidents, the cost of insurance will become cheaper. Their car

insurance business model will disappear.

FYI… UBER is just a software tool (they don’t own any cars) and are now the biggest taxi company in the world. (Ask any taxi driver if they

saw that coming!)

COOKING CORNER By Joan Sorkin

SHRIMP and

ARTICHOKE SALAD

2 1/2 TB light mayo

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 lb medium shrimp cooked

1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped

2 TB red onion

2 TB minced parsley

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Combine mayo and lemon juice and mix well. Add shrimp and remaining ingredients. Toss gently to coat. Cover and chill at least 30

minutes. Yields two servings, 227 calories.

“Dead Wake” (Continued from Page 19)

be safe on the Lusitania. After all, it was

virtually unsinkable.

In the end there were but 764 survivors. Nearly

1200 perished. Captain Turner heroically

remained on the bridge as the ship sank, only to

pop to the surface, survive, and continue to

command Cunard ships until reaching the

mandatory retirement age of 64. Captain

Schweiger continued to sink allied shipping,

received the German Navy’s highest award for

having sunk 190,000 tons, but in 1917, while

being chased, steered his submarine into a

British minefield, and neither he nor his ship

were found.



1/12/92: Highest scoring NCAA basketball game; Troy State Trojans defeat DeVry Hoyas 258-149 in Troy, Alabama.

1/13/85: 99-year old Otto Bucher of Switzerland becomes oldest man to record a hole-in-one at Spanish GC La Manga's 130-yard 12th hole.

1/14/32: Jockey Eddie Arcaro wins his 1st race.

1/15/42: Pres. Franklin Roosevelt sends his famed “Green Light Letter” to MLB Commissioner encouraging baseball to continue playing during World War II.

1/16/81: Boxer Leon Spinks is mugged. His assailants even take his gold teeth.

1/16/60: Fastest Haftorah reading during Bar Mitzvah of Steve Berry.

1/18/83: Int’l Olympic Comm. restores Jim Thorpe’s Olympic medals (Pentathlon & Decathlon) 70 years after they were taken from him for being paid $25 to play semi-pro baseball.

1/20/68: Houston Cougars defeat the UCLA Bruins 71-69 to win basketball's “Game of the Century” and end UCLA's 47 game winning streak.

1/21/86: 100 participate in Nude Olympics race in 38°F Indiana.

1/22/83: Houston is 1st NBA team to be held scoreless in an overtime. Portland Trail Blazers outscore them 17-0 & win 113-96.

1/23/89: NBA New Jersey Nets begin a 32-game road losing streak.

1/25/2003: Australian Open Women’s Tennis: Serena Williams wins 5th Grand Slam singles title and 4th straight; beats older sister Venus 7-6, 3-6,6-4 for her first Australian title.

1/26/1924: American skater Charles Jewtraw claims the first ever Winter Olympic gold medal; wins 500-meter speed skating event in Chamonix, France.

1/27/56: NFL’s NY Giants switches games from Polo Grounds to Yankee Stadium.

1/28/69: 1969 NFL Draft: O.J. Simpson from USC first pick by Buffalo Bills.

1/29/36: 1st players elected to Baseball Hall of Fame: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson & Walter Johnson.

1/31/58: “Jackpot Bowling” premieres on NBC with Leo Durocher as host.

THIS MONTH IN SPORTS By Steve Berry

January is arguably the most exciting month of the year for football. Colleges compete in the biggest bowl games ending with the national championship. The NFL has a full slate of playoff

games. These crazy times also have the NBA starting on 12/22 and hockey’s opening day is New Year’s Day.

1/1/1902: 1st Rose Bowl, Tournament Park, Pasadena, California: Michigan beats Stanford, 49-0.

1/2/1912: Brooklyn Superbas Baseball Club president Charles Ebbets purchases 4.5 acres of land to build a new stadium to seat 23,000. Ebbets Field opens in 1913.

1/3/73: A 12-man syndicate led by Michael Burke & George Steinbrenner buys NY Yankees from CBS for $10 million.

1/4/2000: A day after accepting the head coaching job with the NY Jets, Bill Belichick resigns and goes to the New England Patriots.

1/5/71: Globetrotters lose 100-99 to NJ Reds, ending 2,495-game winning streak.

1/6/1681: 1st recorded boxing match - Duke of Albemarle's butler vs his butcher.

1/8/2012: "The 3:16 Game": AFC Wild Card Playoff, underdogs Denver Broncos defeat Pittsburgh Steelers 29–23 with Tim Tebow connecting with Demaryius Thomas on an 80-yard touchdown pass on first scrimmage play of overtime.

1/9/91: Baseball officially bans Pete Rose from being elected to Hall of Fame for betting on baseball.

1/10/82: NFC Championship San Francisco 49ers beat Dallas Cowboys, 28-27. One of the most iconic moments in NFL history, “The Catch”- Dwight Clark makes fingertip catch for a TD from Joe Montana with 58 seconds left.

1/11/2004:"4th and 26", trailing Green Bay Packers by 3 in NFC Divisional Playoff Game, Philadelphia Eagles face 4th and 26 on their final drive, Donovan McNabb hits Freddie Mitchell for 29 yards. Eagles tie the game and go on to win in overtime.



JANUARY IN HISTORY Submitted by Lois Kaish

January 1, 1776 - During the American Revolution George Washington unveiled the Grand Union

Flag, the first national flag in America.

January 1, 1892 - The Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves in

the states rebelling against the Union.

January 1, 1892 - Ellis Island in New York Harbor opened. Over 20 million new arrivals to America

were processed until its closing in 1954.

January 1, 1959 - Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba, establishing a Communist dictatorship, after leading a revolution that drove out Dictator

Fulgencio Batista.

January 5, 1925 - Nellie Taylor Ross of Wyoming

became the first female U. S. governor.

January 5, 1972 - President Richard Nixon signed a bill approving $5.5 billion over six years to build

and test the NASA space shuttle.

January 6, 1941 - President Franklin Roosevelt’s State of the Union address to Congress asked for support for the lend-lease program aiding Allies fighting the Axis powers. Roosevelt also defined four essential freedoms worth defending; freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want,

and freedom from fear.

January 7, 1999 – The Senate convened the first presidential impeachment trial in 130 years to decide whether President Clinton should be removed from office based on two articles of impeachment delivered by the House charging

Clinton with perjury and obstruction of justice.

January 8, 1918 - Amid the ongoing World War in Europe, President Woodrow Wilson proposed his Fourteen Points, calling for a reduction of arms, self-determination for governments, and the

creation of a League of Nations.

January 10, 1878 - An Amendment granting women the right to vote was introduced in Congress; the amendment did not pass until 1920, forty-two years later.

(Continued on Page 24)

EVERYONE NEEDS A LAUGH By Elaine Jay

“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its

limits.” – Albert Einstein

“War is God’s way of teaching

Americans geography.” – Ambrose Bierce

“It would be nice to spend billions on schools and roads, but right now that money is desperately

needed for political ads.” – Andy Borowitz

“At every party there are two kinds of people – those who want to go home and those who don’t. The trouble is, they are usually married to each

other.” – Ann Landers

“My opinions may have changed, but not the fact

that I’m right.” – Ashleigh Brilliant

“Have you noticed that all the people in favor of

birth control are already born?” – Benny Hill

“The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to

contact us.” – Bill Watterson

“As a child my family’s menu consisted of two

choices: take it or leave it.” – Buddy Hackett

“My favorite machine at the gym is the vending

machine.” – Caroline Rhea

“All right everyone, line up alphabetically

according to your height.” – Casey Stengel

“Never under any circumstances take a sleeping pill

and a laxative on the same night.” – Dave Barry

“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from

its government.” – Edward Abbey

“How many people here have telekinetic powers?

Raise my hand.” – Emo Philips

“If you live to be one hundred, you’ve got it made. Very few people die past that age.” – George

Burns

And my favorite: “Trouble knocked at the door, but, hearing laughter, hurried away.” – Benjamin

Franklin

From the Internet



VOCABULARY QUIZ Submitted by Alene Kristal

(From Merriam-Webster)

In this era of seemingly endless self-quarantining, it’s more important than ever to keep your brain active. A few of these words were new to me, and quite challenging! See if you can find the best

synonyms below.

1. Vitiate

a) prohibit b) tarnish

c) avenge d) blend

2. Preceptor

a) king b) forefather

c) teacher d) antagonist

3. Calumniate

a) authorize b) accelerate

c) smear d) heat

4. Pusillanimous

a) audacious b) spineless

c) bellicose d) contentious

5. Profligacy

a) criterion b) lucrative

c) rhetoric d) extravagance

6. Gormless

a) obese b) translucent

c) unstructured d) stupid

7. Cynosure

a) continuation b) schism

c) focus d) conclusion

8. Pabulum

a) food b) iconoclast

c) insipid d) plaudit

9. Mulct

a) synthesis b) penalty

c) policy d) lassitude

10. Puissance

a) avarice b) cowardice

c) power d) qualified

(See Answers on Page 31)

January History (Continued from Page 23)

January 10, 1946 - The first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly took place in London

with delegates from 51 countries.

January 12, 1932 - Hattie W. Caraway, a Democrat from Arkansas, became the first woman elected to the Senate, after being appointed to fill

her husband’s unexpired term.

January 13, 1990 - Douglas Wilder of Virginia became the first African American governor in the

U.S. as he took the oath of office in Richmond.

January 18, 1966 - Robert Clifton Weaver was sworn in as the first African American cabinet member in U.S. history, becoming President Lyndon B. Johnson's Secretary of Housing and

Urban Development.

January 20, 1942 - During the Holocaust, 15 top Nazi bureaucrats in Berlin convened the Wannsee Conference to coordinate the Final Solution (Endlösung) in which the Nazis would attempt to exterminate the entire Jewish population of Europe,

an estimated 11 million persons.

January 21, 1954 - The USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear powered submarine, was launched at

Groton, Connecticut.

January 22, 1973 - Abortion became legal in the U.S. as the Supreme Court announced its decision in the case of Roe vs. Wade striking down local state laws restricting abortions in the first six months of pregnancy. In more recent rulings (1989 and 1992) the Court upheld the power of individual

states to impose some restrictions.

January 24, 1848 - The California gold rush began with the accidental discovery of the precious metal near Coloma during construction of a Sutter's

sawmill.

January 25, 1959 - An American Airlines Boeing 707 made the first scheduled transcontinental U.S.

flight, traveling from California to New York.

January 29, 1919 - The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Prohibition Amendment) was

ratified.



HOW EACH DAY IF THE WEEK GOT ITS NAME

Submitted by Lois Kaish

As times have changed, so have our names for the days of the week. Dating back to the Babylonians, the system was fairly simple: they gave a day of the week to each of the seven celestial bodies they knew of — the sun, moon, and five planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn). Our current naming system comes from an amalgamation of the Babylonian, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse mythologies for those seven main celestial bodies — one of the last remaining vestiges of Norse mythology in our regular vernacular. There’s also a good reason why there are seven days in a week: that’s roughly how long

each phase of the moon lasts.

In A.D. 321, Roman emperor Constantine the Great made the seven-day week part of the existing Julian calendar. (This threw the Julian calendar, which had been in effect since 45 B.C., out of whack, but the net effect was positive.) While the days of the week were initially numbered rather than named, this new seven-day system did away with the Kalends, Nones, and Ides distinctions and

gave greater clarity to each individual day.

Monday

The first day of the work week got its name from the first object we see in the night sky: the moon. Formerly spelled monedæi, which comes from the words mōnandæg and mōndæg (literally “moon's day” in Old English), it's traditionally considered the second day of the week rather than the first. That links it back to our Nordic friends, who reserved the second day of the week for worshipping Máni, their personification of the moon. The name Mona is also part of a related tradition: it’s the Old English word for “moon,” and girls born on Monday in Ancient Britain were

sometimes given this name as a result.

Tuesday

Whether you consider it the second day of the week or the third, Tuesday is named for the god of war. For the Anglo-Saxons it was Tiu, while the

Vikings called him Tyr; split the difference and you come up with something close to Tuesday. That also explains why romance languages have similar-sounding names for the day: mardi (French), martes

(Spanish) and martedi (Italian) all come from Mars,

the Roman god of war.

Wednesday

Another day, another mythological god. Traces of the Latin term dies Mercurii, or “day of Mercury,” can again be found in the Romance languages: mercredi (French), mercoledì (Italian)and miércoles (Spanish). “Wednesday'” itself is derived from the Old English Wōdnesdæg and Middle English Wednesdei, which means “day of Woden” — another form of Odin, the god of all gods in Norse mythology. (Anglo-Saxon paganism owed some of its practices to Nordic culture, hence

the crossover.)

Thursday

If you’re familiar with a certain hammer-wielding god of thunder, you already know for whom Thursday is named: the Norse god Thor. Thursday was called Þūnresdæg in Old English, whereas the Romance languages (like French, which has it as jeudi) deriving from Latin (dies Iovis) named the day after Jupiter. That’s no coincidence, as Jupiter was the Roman god of the sky and thunder, not to

mention the king of all gods.

Friday

The last day of the traditional workweek derives its English name from a Norse deity, but its origin is a bit murkier than the others. Coming from the Nordic goddess Freyja and the Germanic goddess Frigg, it was called Frīġedæġ in Old English. Confusion sets in when you delve into the theory that the two goddesses are actually one and the same. In any case, both are tremendously important: Frigg was known to be wise and have the power of foresight, while Freyja rode a chariot led by two cats and personified everything from love and beauty to fertility and war. Suffice to say,

she’s the most important Nordic goddess.

(Continued on Page 28)



Weekdays (Continued from Page 27)

As for Friday's names in the Romance languages (viernes in Spanish and vendredi in French), they derive from the Latin dies Veneris and are named in honor of Venus — who, much like Freyja, is the

goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.

Saturday

This one’s simple: Saturday is named for Saturn. That's because, according to second-century astrologer Vettius Valens, the ringed planet controls the day's first hour. The heavenly body itself is named after the Roman god of wealth and agriculture, and various languages’ names for the day are more similar than most: Sæturnesdæg in Old English, dies Saturni in Latin, samedi in French. A slight exception is German, which has two terms for Saturday: Samstag is the more commonly used, but Sonnabend (“Sun-evening”) is sometimes used

in northern and western Germany.

Sunday

You guessed it: Sunday is named for the sun. In German, Sonntag is Sunday, which derives from sonne, their word for sun. In Latin, dies

solis translates as “day of the sun” or “day of Sol,” a Roman sun god. Similarly, Norse mythology personified the sun in the form of Sól, a goddess also known as Sunna (who happens to be the sister of

Monday’s Máni, the moon).

From the Internet

ANAGRAMS Submitted by Elaine Jay

PRESBYTERIAN: When you rearrange the letters:

BEST IN PRAYER

ASTRONOMER: When you rearrange the letters:

MOON STARER

DESPERATION: When you rearrange the letters:

A ROPE ENDS IT

GEORGE BUSH: When you rearrange the letters:

HE BUGS GORE

THE MORSE CODE: When you rearrange the letters:

HERE COME DOTS

MOTHER-IN-LAW: When you rearrange the letters:

WOMAN HITLER

SLOT MACHINES: When you rearrange the letters:

CASH LOST IN ME

ANIMOSITY: When you rearrange the letters:

IS NO AMITY

ELECTION RESULTS: When you rearrange the letters:

LIES - LET'S RECOUNT

SNOOZE ALARMS: When you rearrange the letters:

ALAS! NO MORE Z 'S

A DECIMAL POINT: When you rearrange the letters:

I'M A DOT IN PLACE

THE EARTHQUAKES: When you rearrange the letters:

THAT QUEER SHAKE

ELEVEN PLUS TWO: When you rearrange the letters:

TWELVE PLUS ONE

I like to make lists.

I also like to leave

them laying on the

kitchen counter and

then guess what’s on

the list while at

the store.

Fun Game!



DID YOU KNOW?? Submitted by Betty Wachtel

1. WHY

Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left?

BECAUSE

When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. Because maids dressed wealthy women, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right! And that's where women's buttons have remained since.

2. WHY?

Why do ships and aircraft use “mayday” as their call for help?

BECAUSE

This comes from the French word m'aidez - meaning “help me” - and is pronounced, approximately, “mayday.”

3. WHY?

Why are zero scores in tennis called 'love'?

BECAUSE

In France, where tennis became popular, the round zero on the scoreboard looked like an egg and was called “l'oeuf,” which is French for “egg.” When tennis was introduced in the US, Americans (naturally), mispronounced it “love.”

4. WHY?

Why do X's at the end of a letter signify kisses?

BECAUSE

In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.

5. WHY?

Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called “passing the buck?”

BECAUSE

In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate

whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility of dealing, he would “pass the buck” to the next player.

6. WHY?

Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?

BECAUSE

In earlier times it used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would only touch or clink the host's glass with his own.

7. WHY?

Why are people in the public eye said to be “in the limelight”?

BECAUSE

Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and theatres by burning a cylinder of lime, which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, a performer “in the limelight” was the center of attention.

8. WHY?

In golf, where did the term “Caddie” come from?

BECAUSE

When Mary Queen of Scots went to France as a young girl, Louis, King of France, learned that she loved the Scots game “golf.” He had the first course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure she was properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when she returned to Scotland (not a very good idea in the long run), she took the practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced “ca-day” and the Scots changed it into caddie.

9. WHY?

Why is someone who is feeling great “on cloud nine?”

BECAUSE

Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud. If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares.



MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE LIBRARY

By Joan Sorkin

I just finished "Lions of Fifth Avenue," the fictionalized version of a family living in the main branch of the New York Public Library. It brought to mind my own memories of libraries.

My first experience with a library was going to the Brooklyn Public Library on Grand Army Plaza. I’m not sure why my mother took my sister and me on such an outing, because it was quite far from our neighborhood. I was so impressed with the massive size and beautiful art deco design. I loved seeing so many books I could borrow.

In order to get a library card, you had to be able to print your name on a small line. I was only five or six, but this became a goal .... to get my very own card. When I accomplished this, I was so proud. Thus began my love affair with books and libraries.

In high school, when my friends were getting part-time jobs in Woolworth’s, I applied to our local branch of the library. I had gotten to know the branch manager since I went there so often. As luck would have it, I was away for the summer working as a mother’s helper and my friend who also applied said Mr. Byam had called her to offer her a job and she turned him down. Despite the fact that I was a very shy teenager, I marched down to the library and told Mr. Byam that I was away when he called, and it was not fair as that I did not have a chance at the position. He completely agreed and hired me on the spot. I had to get working papers before I could start and could only work till 6 p.m. That sounded great, and at 90 cents an hour, I was on my way.

Obtaining working papers was quite an experience. I had to go to downtown Brooklyn to some official office. Dressed in my conservative high school outfit of the time, I was met with girls with their hair in pin curls, tight sweaters and much too much makeup. “Quitting school honey” they smirked at me. In my timid voice, I responded, “no, I'm getting a job.” They thought that was the funniest. I crawled out of the office.

I loved my job. I had a section of the library to “read” every day. I had to make sure all the books were in order and pushed forward on the shelves. I

also worked the check-out desk where we photocopied the book card and your library card. I believe the fines were two cents a day for overdue books after one month. I was constantly amazed how middle-class patrons would argue over a four-cent fine.

When I had to decide what I would do after high school, I voted against being a librarian because of the five years of schooling. This is a decision I have always regretted.

ANSWERS TO VOCABULARY QUIZ (From Page 24 )

1. Vitiate: (b) tarnish

2. Preceptor: (c) teacher

3. Calumniate: (c) smear

4. Pusillanimous : (b) spineless

5. Profligacy: (d) extravagance

6. Gormless: (d) stupid

7. Cynosure c) focus

8. Pabulum: (c) insipid

9. Mulct: (b) penalty

10. Puissance: (c) power



BOOK TALKS By Claire Deveney

The Book Talks meeting on Wednesday, January 13 at 2 p.m. will feature a discussion of “The Book of Lost Friends” by Lisa Wingate and will be presented by

Felice Rockoff.

The description on the front inside cover of this book states: “From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of “Before We Were Yours” comes a new historical novel: the dramatic story of three young women searching for family amid the destruction of the post-Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who learns of their story and its vital

connection to her students’ lives.

Bestselling author Lisa Wingate brings to life startling stories from actual “Lost Friends” advertisements that appeared in Southern newspapers after the Civil War, as newly freed slaves desperately

searched for loved ones who had been sold away.”

Here are some excerpts from reviews of “The Book

of Lost Friends.”

“In 1875, Hannie, in hopes of finding her family, follows the daughters of the man who once owned her to Texas, where he disappeared. In 1987, Benny Silva arrives in Augustine, LA., to teach at a high school with an apathetic student body. As a ploy to capture their imaginations, she researches Goswood Grove and finds records about Hannie’s journey to

Texas.” Publishers Weekly

“The stories of Hannie Gossett and Benedetta Silva connect beautifully, forming the best example of a split time novel I've seen from Lisa Wingate. The stories feed into each other, showing how the past informs the present and the present influences past choices so that future generations can have positive experiences. Within that, the diversity of human experiences shines more than in most books I've read

lately.” Stephanie McCall

Lisa Wingate is the author of over 30 novels and a nonfiction book. Her award-winning works have been selected for state and community One Book

reads throughout the country.

John Grisham’s latest novel “A Time for Mercy” is the selection at the Book Talks meeting on

PAP CORPS By Renee Stitchel and Marilyn Chermak

As we enter the new year with much hope, our wishes for health and happiness go out to all our members and neighbors.

The Pap Corps continues fighting cancer through funding research. To this end we ask that you help support its efforts through the

following:

Mah Jongg Cards! Order your 2021 cards through Majestic Isles PAP. The price of a card with standard size print is $9.00; a large print card is $10.00. Your check, along with your name, mailing address, quantity and print size, can be mailed or dropped off at the homes of the following members: Suzanne Skinner, Dolores Edinger, Renee Stitchel or Marilyn Chermak. Your card(s) will be sent to the mailing address you’ve indicated and should be received in March. Happy playing days are

coming!!

Masks! You can't have too many! Two beautiful cotton masks with the Pap logo are yours for a donation of $10. One mask is white and one is purple, each with two layers. Please call Suzanne Skinner or Dolores Edinger to place your order.

Help fight COVID-19 and CANCER.

Many thanks!

Wednesday, February 17 at 2 p.m. via Zoom and it

will be presented by Stan Kaish. Save the date!

An email notice of the January meeting will be sent to 26 Book Talks members in early January and a day before the meeting with the link to Zoom. To sign-up, email [email protected]. Contacts are: Claire Deveney, 742-7869, Judy Markowitz,

733-1992 and Allan Topolosky, 301-335-2288.



NEWS AND VIEWS

By Bobbie Rosenfeld We talked of rigged elections, COVID vaccines, Biden cabinet picks, lawsuits galore, and other transitions taking place in the House and Senate. We also discussed concerns about how

Florida is dealing with COVID-19 and how much

truth we hear from our Governor.

The Pfizer vaccine may well have been injected into the arms of many by the time you read this, and, with any luck, by summer we may be emerging from our global nightmare. We discussed the vaccines and what we knew of them. Some use a bit of the live virus and some use a created artificial DNA-RNA chip, so no part of the virus is used. We noted that Bill Gates contributed to the development of the vaccine and is helping with the

delivery of the vaccine.

We have also gotten word on the medical front, of Crispr, which has successfully altered the gene in some patients with sickle cell anemia, enabling healthier blood cells to form and reduce the need for medications. This could lead to help for other genetic illnesses such as Down’s Syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, and so many others. Science is having a

breakthrough year in 2020.

Our group covered a lot of “tidbit” subjects, such as Social Security giving a 1.3% raise for 2021, the rise in COVID cases from Thanksgiving and fear of Christmas spikes taking us into January. We all cheered the Space Shot; one member stepped out of

his house and saw the rocket’s blazing trail.

We took note of the death of Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and his moral leadership, and some are awaiting his last book, finished just before his death. We also noted the David Brooks article in the “New York Times” which dealt with morality and our need to listen to each other and find better ways to connect in a more expanded way, which we

all need now.

We discussed the projected plans for development on the SE corner of Woolbright and Military Trail, part of the Village of Golf, which is to house an Amazon warehouse, a Publix, with other shops to be determined. Some voiced objections to the

scheme because it will mean less green area, and more traffic, noise and congestion; others were in

favor of progress.

We heard comments on Trump’s language and the threats of violence from his followers on the “rigged election” and are concerned about our democracy

surviving.

We were reminded that this is the 75th Anniversary of the Nuremburg Trials, and of the fact that Jonathan Pollard is now in Israel. Most of us felt his punishment was too severe and unfair. We also noted that at least five people on Biden’s cabinet list are Jewish. We also believe Michael Flynn should not have been pardoned and feel President Trump should not call himself the law-and-order President as he

clearly does not follow the law.

We took some time at our last meeting to express what we were thankful for at Thanksgiving, with family, Zoom, Crispr and vaccines big winners. We also want folks to know that the library disinfects books. Lastly, we discussed a need for a new WPA, so people can perform needed jobs and get paid a salary with their dignity intact instead of getting what feels like a handout during this tough time. We have a long road to go and invite you to join us in our search for understanding the issues of the day. Call

Irene Solomon for an invite to our Zoom meetings.

MEN’S CLUB By Joel Cohen

It is very difficult to write this, but it has to be done. The time has come for me to retire from the Men's Club board after all these many years. Arranging the events has gotten a little too much for me now. It is time to give someone else the opportunity to carry on. I am sure there are many capable and interested men here that could do a great job. I will be around (hopefully) to lend a hand in the background, if

needed.

Thank you all for being members and keeping the

Club going.

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