Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2007, No.37 - Guest Blogmiester Tison Keel

Beta Pi:

Tison sent this piece and photo . . .

GUEST BLOGMIESTER TISON KEEL:

Inspired by the steady stream of Tic memories, fuzzy though they may have been, and impelled (by a recent unfortunate failure of a sump pump) to rummage through boxes of personal memorabilia, I have surfaced the attached photo prize. An "out take" from the photo session for the 1975 Commodore - the original Pirates of the Caribbean!

The theme was developed late one night after return from the first Eleuthra trip, perhaps subjected to creativity enhancement, listening to "A Pirate Looks at Forty" by J. Buffett. Schmeat, JD and I somehow embarked on a verbal fantasy of abandoning school, capturing a yacht, making the lubbers walk the plank, and embarking on a career of smuggling contraband between Columbia and Miami. We decided Schmeat, with long hair and a moustache at the time, looked very much the part of a debauched French pirate captain.

The idea took roots the next day and began to gather crowd appeal. We obviously referred back to the legendary 1971 (?) Biker Gang photo, which was the ultimate yearbook photo, and hoped to come somewhere close to that standard. We selected Tic initiate, inactive J. Clark Thomas as the photographer, since he had done the Biker job. The photo location was a former hilltop Civil War fortification near Music Row.

I recall encouraging friendly competition on costumes by suggesting that Engineering students, lacking creativity, should consult their A&S brothers for ideas of finery to wear. An appropriate number of young lovelies was recruited, mostly Tic girlfriends, but a few surprises showed up like the tall tool Miriam Staples. When I went to review the proofs, Clark had one he liked due to the effect and expression of Captain Schmeat, but the unruly and inattentive group obscured too many faces, and made it unsuitable for the yearbook. Clark cropped and printed a special version for me, and it held a proud position in my home during most of my single life after college, before disappearing into a box during one relocation. (I can name the partial face seen between the shoulders of Schmeat and Leapin' - can you? I don't think he has been found by the inimitable Blogmaster Bozo.) Unearthed - a seldom seen new version of an old favorite. Tison Keel"

EDITORIAL RESPONSE: The location is Fort Negley, which was the Union Fortress on high ground to the south of Nashville (famous for defending the Battle of Nashville, the last major battle of the Civil War).

BETA PI BLOG CONTINUES TO GROW: The Tick-a-lor roster now totals 80 Beta Pi brothers, 69 of whom have e-mail addresses, and are on this Blog. If you can help, get me the e-mail address of a Tic!

Check out Beta Pi Blog on the web! The blog address is

http://journals.aol.com/lasimons4law/beta-pi-blog/

VTL,

Larry Simons

Beta Pi, ‘72

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2007, No.36 - Fotch provides lead - Dr. Thomas McCown!

Beta Pi:

SHOCK THERAPY - BETA PI BLOG WELCOMES THOMAS McCOWN: So, I get this voice message from Fotch, and he sounds like he’s practicing law at warp speed - married 30 years, three kids, time flies! Fotch - I came to your wedding in Bolivar, I was there! Fotch said he’s kept in touch with Thomas McCown, Andrew Baird

speerlo@aol.com and Cheeks Reed m51reed@bellsouth.net .

And it hits me - I have no info on Thomas McCown, so I checked VU Alumni Directory, which led me to University of North Carolina Directory, where Thomas is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry. Let the shock therapy begin! Thomas’ last known e-mail is thomas_mccown@med.unc.edu .

POETRY SHACK: Letters to The Abominable Dr. Phibes (Continued)

My Dear Dr. Phibes:

I find myself again in contemplation on fame and honor among the brethren. A true Prince among men, in Wales Tales tradition, Ken Mansfield keeps popping up in photos. I recall when Doug "Fotch" Campbell dougcampbellsr@comcast.net
shared a really cool apartment on West End with Mansfield . . .

I, like Doug, was an English Major, and a poetry enthusiast. I was under extreme (so it seemed) pressure to write poems - more and more poetry (for Mr. Seay’s Poetry Writing class) and I was in constant search of a new "place" to "be" and "write."

The place had to be intuited, it was all about the "vibe", there had to be an ambiance. Creativity is bound by a desperate hunger, and I was a diviner, with a forked divining rod, set to vibrate violently, in search of a righteous spot to dig a well.

When I saw Villa Fotch-Mansfield, I knew it was such a "place." So, I finagled with Fotch to let me hang out there and write. I was right - the place was righteous. I can still see it, how the sunlight came over my shoulder as I sat in the easy chair - in contemplation.

Those moments glow, even now, my Dear Doctor. My regards to our beloved brethren, and I remain,

Lorenzo Bozino

(For previous Letters to Dr. Phibes, see Archives,

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2007, No.23 - MUENCH ON VONNEGUT)

KEN MANSFIELD LOCATED, BUT NO E-MAIL:

Fotch confirmed that Mansfield is living in New Bern, North Carolina, and a phone number 252-636-5547. I tried the number, no answer, no voice message. His e-mail is unknown. Mansfield graduated VU Class of 1968, so its fair to look for him at the 2008 Reunion.

BETA PI BLOG IS "INTER-ACTIVE" - GET A SCREEN NAME!: I enjoy posting your various and nefarious comments - but did you know you can get a screen name (user name) and post comments directly to the annals at Beta Pi Blog? Here is a list of brothers (including a "mystery-man") who have signed up:

Anonymous brother: username - powales

Matt Blankenship: username - mattsb

Frank Collins: username - collinzes

Pierce Hodnette: username - ramboogie

Doug Martin: username - moesyzlak17

Greg Qualls: username - jgq1

Van Sayler: username - vsayler

Steve Starr: username - stevenstarr88

Thanks to these brothers for taking time to sign up and get a username.

Check out Beta Pi Blog on the web! The blog address is:

http://journals.aol.com/lasimons4law/beta-pi-blog/

VTL,

Larry Simons
Beta Pi, ‘72

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2007, No.35 - Heartfield Reports Tick-a-lor Action in D.C.

Beta Pi:

HEARTFIELD REPORTS TICK-A-LOR ACTION IN D.C.: In all the excitement over newly discovered man-o-yore David Haines, I get this note from Chip Heartfield, with a great photo:

"Hi Larry, The attached was taken on the dock of Greg Qualls' Alabama lake house, probably in the summer of 1979, when some of us '78 grads made the return trip to help the '79 grads celebrate. This highly-trained bottle rocket weapons crew is preparing to fire at Bald Qualls and a similar crew bearing down on us in his speedboat - one of the typically safety-conscious activities undertaken at the lake house. From the left: Randy Bumjam Martin, Sean Mr. Potatohead Walsh, Chip Give Me Some More French Dressing to Chug Heartfield, David The Prince of '79 Haines and a friend of mine and Stoner's, Hank Check Out My Package Rempe. Feel free to use as you see fit. P.S. The baseball outing with Smoot and McGann yesterday was a success, and Mr. Smoot took some pics which he promises to send your way. And last night, we had some last-minute (11:35 pm) house guests in the form of Don Orca Scott and his son Greg, who will be attending George Mason Univ on a wrestling scholarship this fall and was here for orientation. Carrying on in the fine family tradition of Don, whose own father referred to him as "Load," Greg managed to put his overnight bag in the wrong car and so arrived at our house with no clothes, toothbrush, etc. Don handled the situation well by telling Greg he did not have most of that kind of stuff when he was in college either... So - plenty of Tic action in the DC area! Visitors always welcome. Chip Heartfield 301-320-7523 home 301-320-7431 home fax 410-290-0667 office"

BETA PI BLOG IS A HUMANOID MEAT PROCESSING PLANT: The Tick-a-lor roster now totals 79 Beta Pi brothers, 68 of whom have e-mail addresses, and are on this Blog. Do something "green" for the environment - process a Brother at Beta Pi Blog (in other words - get me the e-mail address)!

Check out Beta Pi Blog on the web! The blog address is:

http://journals.aol.com/lasimons4law/beta-pi-blog/

VTL,

Larry Simons

Beta Pi, ‘72

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2007, No.34 - Wharton unearths David Haines!

Beta Pi:

WHARTON UNEARTHS DAVID HAINES: I was having lunch at Rotiers with an attorney friend of mine named Trip Aldredge - and we’re meeting to discuss a music business project. We hadn’t talked in years - I’d forgotten he went to VU. I asked if he was in a fraternity, and he says "No, but I was best friends - and shared an apartment with a couple of ATO’s." I go "Oh yeah, who?" "Chuck Wharton and David Haines."

Small world. So I get out my Blackberry, and scroll down to sub-humanoid Chuck Wharton crwharton@aol.com , to give the number to Trip. Just for kicks, I tried to call, and left a voice message making the "Trip" connection. Next day, I get this from Chuck:

"Larry:

How cool that you're having lunch with Sawnie Robertson Aldredge III - one of the best humans on the planet in my opinion!!

David lives in Clarksville, w/his wife of almost 28 years Kathy Grainger Haines - also VU class of '79. He's recently taken a new job as general counsel with the State Administrative Office of the Courts - down in Nashville. I think they're planning on moving down there soon. He'd been the City Attorney for Clarksville for a number of years.

His new e-mail is: david.haines@tscmail.state.tn.us

I love brew!

Chuck

Charles R. Wharton

Trial Attorney Office of the U.S. Trustee 101 W. Ohio Street, Suite 1000 Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 226-5709"


BETA PI BLOG WELCOMES DAVID HAINES! I recall David as being 100 times more acerbic and jaded as Vinny - David I have fond memories of you. Almost motivates me to "unbosom myself" and do a tap dance! David and Chuck, my year books only go up to 1975 - I need pictures of you guys from days-o-yore and the present! The only picture I found of David is "Mansfield Tales 1975" in which David is pictured above.

BETA PI BLOG IS A BEAST HUNGRY FOR NEW HUMANOID MEAT: The Tick-a-lor roster now totals 78 Beta Pi brothers, 65 of whom have e-mail addresses, and are on this Blog. If you can help, get me the e-mail address of a Tic!

Check out Beta Pi Blog on the web! The blog address is:

http://journals.aol.com/lasimons4law/beta-pi-blog/

VTL,

Larry Simons

Beta Pi, ‘72

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2007, No.33 - FUAD LIVES!

Beta Pi:

FUAD LIVES! So, I’m vacationing in Tulum, Mexico, and I was reading The Miami Herald, Cancun Edition on June 11, 2007, and there is this story from the Washington Post News Service, about Fouad Ashkar - and the dude is a 58 year-old Arab American living in D.C. - and I think . . . this guy is 58 years old, and back in days of yore, when Buck and I and Vinny went to Fuad’s party - we were mere lads age 19 - and Fuad was older . . . maybe several years older, and he was an actor who looked very mature because of his gotee beard.

So I’m thinking, is it possible that this 58 year-old Fouad Ashkar living in D.C. is the one and the same Fuad Ashkar, a.k.a. George Ash that the Stooges encountered in 1972?

Buck, let me know what you think after you read the story. I mean, it fits - this must be the guy. And besides, what better excuse could there be to retell the story of Vinny’s near de-flowering, from which Buck and I rescued him? (See, Archives, Vol.2007, No.14). So here is the actual news story:

"ARAB AMERICANS AIR CONCERNS

By Omar Fekeiki, Washington Post Service

Fouad Ashkar brought the youngest of his four sons from Detroit to Washington this weekend to attend a convention of Arab Americans and to "learn about the issues affecting us as Arab Americans."

Rami, who is 14 and was born in the United States, told his Lebanese-born father that he had not encountered any problems so far in his life.

"Not even in Ramadan?" the 58-year-old Ashkar asked incredulously, referring to the holy month when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. "You feel comfortable telling people, ‘I am Muslim and Arab?"

When Rami replied that he did indeed feel comfortable acknowledging his identity, his father replied, "I disagree. Especially when it comes to culture and religion issues."

Their different takes on what it is like being an Arab American in a post-Sept. 11 world reflect a dichotomy experienced by many of the roughly 1,000 people attending the conference sponsored by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. They spoke of having to face stereo-types of Arabs as terrorists. Yet they also spoke of feeling at home in a country that gives them the freedom to live as they wish.

"We kind of feel like we live a dual life," said Lena Seikaly, a 21-year-old musician here. "There is the American life in the interaction with friends and colleagues in school and with the neighbors, and there is our Arab life back home with our families and heritage."

According to the Arab American Institute, at least 3.5 million Americans are of Arab descent.

The largest concentrations live in Michigan and California.

Seikaly was one of four panelists who discussed what it is like "growing up Arab American," as the discussion was named. It was dedicated to students at Virginia Tech who were killed by a fellow student in April. At least four of the dead were of Arab origin.

The panel was one of many scheduled during the four-day convention which ends today. Monday. The convention’s theme, "Toward a More Perfect Union," reflects the success with which most Arab Americans have assimilated in the United States.

"Being Arab American is just like being American or any other ethnicity," said panelist George Salim, an advisor for the Department of Homeland Security. "It is just a little bit better," he added, bringing laughs from the audience.

After the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Arabs in the United States worried about the impact of stereotypes Passing through airport security has become so onerous for many Arab Americans that several comics at the Convention said the experience had become a standard part of their repertoire.

Several people at the Convention said some Arab Americans decide to change their names hoping that it will make their lives easier.

"I would implore you to not even think about changing your name," Salim told a young Woman in the audience who asked for his advice. "It’s unique. It gives you something you are proud of.

"We don’t only do things that are Arab," he said. "We do things that are American."

* * * *

Check out Beta Pi Blog on the web! The blog address is:

http://journals.aol.com/lasimons4law/beta-pi-blog/

VTL,

Larry Simons

Beta Pi, ‘72