September meeting: Wednesday September 2nd - Social Hour 11:30AM, lunch 12:30 PM 

August Highlights:   It was a fine, warm day (in the low 80’s) as 34 men gathered for the MOB lunch at Lombardo’s. Lots of laughter and good cheer could be heard as the salads were passed out by the excellent wait staff.   Phil Skelly, Scott Scholle and Bob Hardcastle shared M.C. duties.  There was no speaker at the luncheon, but Bob Hardcastle regaled the MOB with a number of “blonde” jokes. Bob also discussed the current investment environment, and pointed out that stocks (as a group) are lower in price today, than they were in October of 2014. Phil Skelly noted that there was a tie for the August trivia quiz, with both Tom Dowd and Jack Lite answering 9 out of 10 questions correctly.  We received thank you notes from the families of Jim Hassinger, Wayne Bishop and Pat Wichman; all of whom passed away within the last 60 days. We are hoping to have a speaker at the next meeting in September, so start saving your quarters and dimes for next month’s lunch! 

SEPTEMBER MOB TRIVIA  (this month’s trivia questions submitted by Jack Lite)

1.  Who signed the bill creating the U.S. Marshals Service ?
2.  Which president signed the bill creating the Secret Service ?
3.  In what year did Edgar Allen Poe publish “The Raven” ?
4. What river did General George Washington cross at the Battle of Trenton ?
5. Name the first female Supreme Court Justice.
6. Unscramble these letters (it’s magical) …. SERPITIGTRATIOD
7. What is the tallest mountain in North America ?
8. Which college player won the Heisman Trophy 2 years in succession ?
9. What player won the MLB home run title in 1904 (how many did he hit) ?
10. In five-card draw poker, what are the odds of 4 Royal Flushes being dealt in one deal ?

THIS MONTH:  Send your trivia answers to Scott Scholle at …………..  sscholle@sbcglobal.net

Answers to the August Contest:  (1) Gary, Indiana  (2) John Davis in 1951  (3) Timothy Dempsey, a catholic priest  (4) Washington Senators  (5) MNEMONICS  (6) LaGuardia  (7) 8  (8) A “put”  (9) 47/48  (10) Lucky Strike

DID  YOU  EVER  WONDER  ? ? ?   

     Why political positions are referred to as “left” and “right”?   

Over two hundred years ago, King Louis XVI of France was forced to convene a form of parliament for the first time in more than a century.  At the assembly, the more radical delegates took up seats to the left of the King, while their more conservative counterparts sat on his right.  Ever since that time, liberal views have been referred to as coming “from the left”, and conservative ideas as “from the right”.

Why do people in mourning wear black?

Today, mourners wear black as a symbol of respect and sadness for their lost loved ones. But, it did not start out that way.  Many years ago, it was believed that the spirit of the departed, fearing harsh judgement, would attempt to remain on earth by inhabiting a familiar body.  The mourners wore black, and stayed indoors or in the shadows, to hide from the departed spirit who sought to possess them.

Why, when someone dies, do we say “he bought the farm”?

During the second World War, airman introduced the term after a pilot was shot down.  The expression caught on with all of the armed services and meant that if you gave your life for your country, your impoverished family would receive insurance money after your death, which could help pay off the mortgage on the family farm.  Dying for your country meant you were buying the farm for your parents.

SOME INTERESTING QUOTES :

American women expect to find in their husbands a perfection that English women only hope to find in their butler ……………W. Somerset Maugham

Never tell people how to do things.  Tell them what to do, what goal you wish to reach, and they will surprise you with their ingenuity…. ……. George S. Patton

There is a thin line between genius and insanity.  I have erased this line ……… Oscar Levant

The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind, in other men, the conviction and the will to carry on…………   Walter Lippman

I never said “I want to be alone”.  I only said “I want to be left alone”!  There is all the difference ……………… Great Garbo

“The Happiest Place on Earth”?    (you be the judge)

Buckle up.  Fasten your seat belts.  No matter how it is worded, it’s there for a reason.  When one tempts fate by not following this directive, the results can be messy.

In the summer of 1964, fifteen-year-old Mark Maples was out with his friends having a great time at Disneyland.  Their next adventure would come on the Matterhorn roller coaster.  They jumped in, buckled up, and enjoyed the climb to the summit. Mark figured, somewhere along the way, that the ride was not fun enough.  As the cars approached the summit, Mark unbuckled himself and stood up. Most riders are scared to death on these rides, even when strapped in, and here’s Mark, standing up at the ride’s highest point.  Well, Evil Knieval he was not. Mark did not get a chance to buckle himself back in his seat, as he lost his balance and plummeted onto the tracks below.  Mark would perish from his injuries four days later.  It appears that seatbelt wasn’t there simply for decoration.

President James Garfield: shot by a lawyer, killed by his doctors…..

In July of 1881, President Garfield set out for his college reunion. But, as he walked through Washington’s railroad station, he was gunned down by Charles Guiteau, a mentally unbalanced attorney who was angry with Garfield for denying him a diplomatic post.  Doctors spent the next 8 days trying to remove the bullet from the president.

Dr. Willard Bliss stuck a probe into the wound, creating a path that misled other doctors.  Then he compounded his error by inserting his unwashed finger into the hole, introducing infection.  Another doctor stuck his hand in, wrist deep, and accidentally punctured the liver.  Together, the 16 doctors attending to the president (poking and prodding at the wound)  turned a three inch bullet hole into a twenty inch infected canal.

The president lingered on in severe pain throughout the summer, finally dying on September 14^th.  An autopsy revealed that the bullet had lodged in a spot that was not life threatening.  Garfield might have survived, if only they had left him alone.

[editor’s note:  Dr. Willard Bliss had the dubious distinction of being the only doctor attending the deaths of both President Garfield and President Abraham Lincoln.  He, and the other doctors treating President Garfield, were publicly accused of malpractice.]

Some fascinating “tid-bits” about some of our members follows:

Frank Finklang:  Flew into Berlin, Germany in 1952, during the blockade, to attend an intelligence briefing.

Walter Floyd:  Sang at the Grand burlesque house with Rose La Rose inn the 1950’s.  Also sang at the Municipal Opera in Forest Park for 7-8 years, as well as with Opera Theatre of St. Louis.

Bob Hardcastle:  got caught kissing a girl in the first floor closet at BHS by principal, Mr. Kottkamp.  Also claims to be the only “white guy” pictured on the Wall of Fame at Beaumont.

Tom Dowd:  has been an alderman, a city attorney and a mayor.  But, he is most proud of having won a National Tennis Championship at the Senior Olympics in 1994.  Also served as captain of the 1995 Senior Tennis team.

A young, attractive, blonde walked into Walgreens to purchase some stick deodorant.  She previously used spray deodorant, but a friend recommended she try the “stick” variety.  She purchased the deodorant and headed for home.  She lived with her mother since she was just out of college, new in her job, and didn’t have the money to strike out on her own.

A few days later her mother asked the young woman “how she liked the new, stick deodorant”?   The young lady answered thusly …………..  “I guess it’s OK;  I followed the directions on the container which said REMOVE CAP AND PUSH UP BOTTOM.    It’s kind of uncomfortable when I walk, but when I fart, the room smells lovely”!  

GOING TO TRY SOMETHING HERE…..

Bring this page with you when you come to the September MOB lunch on September 2^nd.   How good is your memory about St. Louis high schools?   Below I’ve listed a number of high schools from our past.  Can you remember the respective school colors, and the team nickname?   (example: Beaumont; blue & gold; Bluejackets)

Let’s see how you do. 

CENTRAL                                          CLEVELAND                                              SUMNER

VASHON                                            McBRIDE                                                   HADLEY TECH

SOUTHWEST                                    SOLDAN                                                     O’FALLON

McKINLEY                                          ROOSEVELT                                              CBC

RIVERVIEW                                       JENNINGS                                                 UNIVERSITY CITY