Monday, September 9, 2013

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2013, No.06 - Reunion Update
















Beta Pi:

 

IS  BETA PI BLOG WITHOUT ANY REDEEMING SOCIAL OR ARTISTIC MERIT?:  

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YEA .   .   .   . or

 

 
NAY? 

 Beta Pi Blog’s purpose: to bring ATO, Beta Pi Chapter Brothers and ATO Gal-Pals together.  The blog is not to be taken seriously - it is meant for
 

fun. 

 

The Beta Pi Blog is non-political.  It includes

 

pictures, links, Archives of previous issues,

 

and other time-wasters.

 
To get there, go to web address: http://beta-pi-blog.blogspot.com

*      *      *

REUNION 2013 UPDATE:  as is our tradition, we will be having our Annual ATO Dinner this year, after the Homecoming Game, at the following place and time:

EVENT:  ANNUAL ATO DINNER

PLACE:  CABANA RESTAURANT, 1910 Belcourt Ave., Nashville, TN 37210

DATE:  Saturday, October 5, 2013

TIME:  8:00 p.m.

RSVP:  Larry Simons, lasimons4law@aol.com

 

CLASS OF 1973 ATO DINNER HEADCOUNT:

These are the “known-knowns” so far:


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CLAUDE CODY  -  YES!  Claude is bringing his awesome family!  (4)




 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GEORGE “ABER” ABERNATHY –  YES!  Larry, this year is my 40th Reunion. I will be joining my classmates and football jocks to the Class of '73 events, and we already have a couple of planned events this October.  Kimberly and I are attending Homecoming, and we might be able to show our mugs for a cocktail (but not dinner after the game).  My wishes and hellos go out to all the brothers, and especially Brother Stein.  He took on a huge task and his hard work appears everywhere on the '73 Class Reunion scene.  Aber”
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GEORGE JOE –  HALF-YES!  My situation is still a little fluid and I may need to be back in Birmingham that Saturday. Best not to include me in the dinner head count currently, but will let you know if the situation changes. In the meantime, thank you and all the other brothers involved in the ATO blog for bringing a little sunshine into so many of our lives!  Best regards, George aka "baby face" 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GEORGE “THE HEME” TOMLINSON– YES! Stag.  Just me, unless I pick up a beer wench along the way.” (1)
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JOHN “BOSS” STEIN – YES!  “Me and Beth . . .” (2)
 
 
 

 

 
MARK “CHEEKS” REED– no word yet

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MIKE “CLEVE” McCARTY–  YES!  Two me and my wife Jodie Emery”  (2)
 



 

TIM CUSACK– no word yet

 
However, several NON-73 Tics have already CONFIRMED their attendance, notably THE FOUR STOOGES:

FRANK “BUCK” BILLER, YES!  (2)

LARRY “BOZO” SIMONS, YES!  (2)

STEVEN “VINNIE” STARR, YES!  (1)

FRANK “MARTY” COLLINS, YES!  (2)

 

ALSO attending:

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHRIS “THE GREEK REGAS – yes,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 










CORY “STUBBS” CLARK – YES!   That's gonna be 2 for dinner!! Looking forward to seeing everybody! !”  (2)







*       *       *

CLASS OF 1978 HEADCOUNT:
 
JAMES QUALLS– no word yet

CHIP HEARTFIELD– no word yet

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DICK STONER- Dick reports that he is unable to attend, sends love.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DON “FUNKY” ENGLEMAN- “GREAT to get a personalized invite from you...unfortunately, it will not happen this time. I do hope our paths cross again soon! Sincerely, Don Engelman
 
 
 
ED OPPENEHIEMER– no word yet
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SEAN “HALF GUN” WALSH– no word yet
 
 

 
 
 
 
DON SCOTT– no word yet

D.R. FLOWER– no word yet
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JIMMY “THE GREASER” GRISSETT– no word yet
 
 
 
 
 
 

MARK ADAMS “FAMILY” – no word yet

 *      *      *     *

BETA PI BLOG IS CHANGING!
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We had a semi-successful Web site Member drive.  18 of you signed up.  This is roughly 20%, and enough to fly “e-mail fee.”  Announcing the “Maiden Voyage” of the “E-Mail-free Beta-Pi-Blog”.
 
 
 

 

 

Beta Pi Blog is about to go “E-MAIL-FREE”.  That’s right, beginning with the next issue, there will be no more “E-mail heads up” messages sent, for issues or comments.  We are


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“dumping” e-mail. 
 
 

 

This Blog has great features – you can “join” this site, and that enables you to receive all new issues, and comments automatically.  You may or may not want that.  The reason for the change is simple:  we do this Blog for free, there are now 131 people, e-mails have become time consuming.  So, how did the whole “e-mail” thing get out of hand?

 


 
A little history.  In 2005, at Reunion, Frank Biller first conceived of the idea, he said: 

 
“Hey Larry, there has got to be a way to get us all together on the internet.” 

 
I told Frank, let’s start by collecting everyone’s e-mail address, and make a list.  That was a one-name-at-a-time project.  We got a few names.  Then, I wrote to four prominent tics, to sound out the idea.  I referred to it – prospectively – as a “Blog” because in 2006, lots of people were using that word. 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
To my surprise, Marc "Biggie Rat" Darling wrote back (on actual letterhead) and said he’d be very interested to see this “blog.”  Well, I figured at that point I’d actually have to make it happen. 

At the time, AOL offered a free blogging service, and the Beta Pi Blog was born.  I have used the e-mail list as a way to alert folks of a new post, or comment.  Over the past seven years, the list has grown to 131. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A hundred-frickin-thirty-one! 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

If you want to receive the Beta Pi Blog automatically, you will need to “Join the Site”.  Or, you can just memorize the web address: http://beta-pi-blog.blogspot.com - and visit us, or not.

 
HERE'S HOW to “JOIN THIS SITE”: go to web address: http://beta-pi-blog.blogspot.com  - then, as you look at the Beta Pi Blog page, look over to the right, near the top, and click on "JOIN THIS SITE" or "BECOME A FOLLOWER" - follow the prompts.

You should be able to choose to receive either/or/both "Posts" and "Comments".
*      *      *

HOW TO POST, OR  READ COMMENTS: Just click the button - Comments - below.

BETA PI BLOG ROSTER STATS:   As of September 9, 2013, the Blog roster stands at 115 Tick-a-lo men online who have e-mail addresses (plus 6 Brothers who do not have e-mail), and 16 ATO Gal-Pals.  The blog needs e-mail addresses, please share!

VTL,

 
 
 
 
Larry Simons

Beta Pi, 72

10 comments:

cheartfield said...

Both our kids are at Univ of South Carolina and Parents Weekend there has trumped my Vanderbilt Reunion, so you guys have a few beers for me. Larry, I will send you a report on Randy Martin's wedding and other Tic interactions in August, including a rare sighting of JAGIII in Atlanta!

Beta-Pi-Blog said...

FROM RANDY MARTIN, regarding
STEVE KEITH, Beta Pi 1981

I got this from Randy Martin . . .

“Steve is the very successful track and cross country coach at VU. He was recently diagnosed with MDS, what used to be called preleukemia, and is in VU hospital undergoing 7 days of chemo in preparation for a stem cell transplant. There was an article in yesterday’s Tennessean about him with a video interview. I pass this along in case you want to feature it on the blog. The link to the article is:

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201309130210/SPORTS0602/309130105.

Call me at 919-357-8544 if you want more info/input.
Randy (Bumjam) Martin”

I will be keeping Steve in my prayers. Randy, thanks for this news, and please keep us informed.

Beta-Pi-Blog said...

BLOGSITE MEMBERSHIP DRIVE UPDATE! 25 of you have joined the site, awesome!! Thanks to everyone who answered the call. You should now get issues and comments automatically, and the site can begin to realize more of it's potential. If you've never posted a "Comment" - go the the blog page, scroll down to my sign-off "VTL, Larry Simons" and in small print, click on "Comments". Thanks again for your help. Larry

Beta-Pi-Blog said...

LATEST NEWS from Nashville, on the unfortunate rape case . . .

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013309180125

Beta-Pi-Blog said...

INVITATION FROM ACTIVES:

"Hello, sir-


We are all very excited to have everyone back next weekend for homecoming. We invite you to join us Friday evening for a band party from 10-2. (Note: they are a cover band that plays classic rock that everyone usually enjoys- not rap or anything of that sort). Additionally, we invite everyone to join us Saturday around noon for lunch and an open house before tailgating starts. All are welcome to tailgate with us before the game, too.

I know 2-3 of us plan to join at Cabana as well.

Would you mind forwarding this info to your email list? Hope all is well.

Best,
Austin"

Beta-Pi-Blog said...

ATO UPDATE:

Kick-off time is at 6:30.

Therefore we have changed the time for the ATO DINNER as follows:

DATE: October 5th
TIME: 9:00 p.m. (or immediately after the Game)

PLACE: CABANA

NOTE: Since the Game is so late, the popular Tailgate will be as well (practically dinner-time). So, if you pig-out at Tailgate, that's fine, the ATO DINNER will be more like a cocktail party, food optional - THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO COME, even if you don't want dinner. GO DORES!

Beta-Pi-Blog said...

VANDERBILT RAPE CASE, latest news story, in Tennessean Sept. 25, 2013:

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130925/COLUMNIST0101/309250121

Beta-Pi-Blog said...

TIC SOCIAL CALENDAR 2013

Friday, October 4th – 7:30 p.m. Class Parties: ATO’s will dominate the Class of 73 Party.

Friday, October 4th – 10:00 p.m. Band Party at the ATO House. I got this invitation from Active Austin:

"Hello, sir-

We are all very excited to have everyone back next weekend for homecoming. We invite you to join us Friday evening for a band party from 10-2. (Note: they are a cover band that plays classic rock that everyone usually enjoys- not rap or anything of that sort). Additionally, we invite everyone to join us Saturday around noon for lunch and an open house before tailgating starts. All are welcome to tailgate with us before the game, too.

I know 2-3 of us plan to join at Cabana as well.

Would you mind forwarding this info to your email list? Hope all is well.

Best,
Austin"

Saturday, October 5th – noon - Lunch at ATO House

Saturday, October 5th - before the Game – TAILGATE PARTY

Saturday, October 5th – 6:30 p.m. Homecoming Game, Vanderbilt vs. Missouri

Saturday, October 5th – 9:00 p.m. ANNUAL ATO DINNER
PLACE: CABANA RESTAURANT, 1910 Belcourt Ave., Nashville, TN 37210
RSVP: Larry Simons, lasimons4law@aol.com

* * *

Want to get the latest ATO news, Beta Pi Blog issues and comments automatically?
go to web address: http://beta-pi-blog.blogspot.com - and click on "JOIN THIS SITE”.

VTL,
Larry Simons
Beta Pi, 72

Beta-Pi-Blog said...

VANDY RAPE CASE news. This is a hopeful story:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/sec/2013/09/24/austyn-carta-samuels-doesnt-flinch-in-face-of-vanderbilt-commodores-rape-case/2864295/

Beta-Pi-Blog said...

I just got this troubling e-mail from WYNN SMILEY:

"Dear Beta Pi alumnus,

During the last 48 hours an email sent by a Beta Pi undergraduate to potential recruits has resulted in the young man being suspended from the chapter and the National Fraternity and University investigating the situation.

The email content was abhorrent in its description of specific sexual activities in an apparent and extremely misguided effort to get the reader's attention. The email became fairly widely distributed and found its way to the National Fraternity and Vanderbilt administration.

The incident has highlighted potential recruitment issues with the chapter prompting the National Fraternity to immediately suspend the chapter. The University has indicated it will likely issue its own suspension of the chapter.

Given the content of the email and recent campus sexual assault issues (not related to this incident or to the chapter), it is possible that the email incident will prompt attention from the campus community on the chapter.

This weekend is Homecoming and many of you reading this may be preparing to head to campus. I wanted to make you aware of a rapidly evolving situation prior to this weekend's game. Because the chapter is suspended it is prohibited from conducting, hosting or sponsoring any ATO activities. Certainly, any alumni who have planned tailgates or other event with alumni should go on as they see fit. However, you need to be aware that the chapter is in a very tenuous situation and any additional negative light generated by ATO undergrads or recent graduates will put the chapter in an even more difficult position.

The National Fraternity is working with the chapter and administration. The current chapter president has his hands full at the moment. This letter is intended to make you aware of a situation. It remains to be seen what the investigation will discover, if anything more than what we currently know. We will keep you informed as the process moves forward.

Feel free to respond to this email with any insights or suggestions you have that will help us move the process forward.

Sincerely,

Wynn R. Smiley
Chief Executive Officer
Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity"