pictures?

Cindy, I remember that you were always taking pictures. Do you still have those?

Let the Embarrassing Pictures Commence

 

The Conference Call

After over 30 years for some of us seeing each other, the gang held a conference call (organized by Cindy, thank you very much) on December 14, 2009, to begin reconnecting and, perhaps, organizing a more physical reunion.  The call, which lasted about an hour and ten minutes, started slowly, with many of us trying to associate new voices with old memories.  An initial awkwardness, perhaps caused by the wonder of how people might have changed, quickly dissolved into warm and friendly revelations of where people are in their lives, their children, their grandchildren (if you can believe it), and their future plans.

Present on the call were Dave W., Steve, Cindy, Bev (who arrived a little bit late), Dave V., Bob, Tim, and me (Brett).  Notable absences were Joe, John (nee Akim), Lucia, and Cliff, whom we all hoped would be part of our next call.  It was great hearing from everyone and to learn what they have been doing during all of these years.

It was agreed that we would all register for Skype and make this our conference call provider of choice.  Our next conference call is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, January 23, 2010, at 5:00 p.m., EST, with the hope of arranging some time and place for a physical reunion which most of us might be able to attend.

Anyway, I hope we all use this blog to post our photographs and memories of those years back in the 1970's.  I'll try to post some pictures tonight (maybe our yearbook pictures...that would be vicious...bwhahahahahaha!).  In the meantime, here are a few events which took place in 1976:

• Soweto uprising in South Africa
  
  
• First artificial gene
  Capable of working in a living cell, it was the first living cell created entirely in a test tube without any other gene as a template.
  
  
• Apple Computer is launched
  
  
• Legionnaire's disease strikes 182, kills 29
  The first appearance of the flu like disease struck at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia.
  
  
• Tall Ships celebration in New York Harbor
  To celebrate the bicentennial of the country.
  
  
• CB radio popularity peaks
  656,000 CB radio applications were filed each month 1976.
  
  
• Courts allow removal of life support
  Karen Ann Quinlan had been in a coma for over a year before her parents won the right to remove the life support equipment keeping her alive. It took 9 years for her to die afterwards.
  
  
• First Cray Supercomputer
  
  
• Betamax and VHS VCRs released
  
  
• Doctors protest increase in mapractice insurance
  
  
• Mao Tse-tung died
  The communist leader of China died in 1976 after over 25 years of rule.
  
  
• Concord Supersonic Airliner
  First Concord (Supersonic Airliner) to make trans-Atlantic commercial flight.
  
  
• Entebbe Air Raid
  Israeli commandos stormed hijacked Air France plane in Uganda's Entebbe Airport, releasing 103 hostages held by a pro-Palestinian terrorist group.
  
  
• Ebola Outbreak
  First Ebola outbreak in Africa, marked beginning of an epidemic that still plagues African countries today.
  
  
• Bicenntenial
  The United States of America's 200th Birthday.
  
  
• The Viking Probe lands on Mars
  In July the Viking Probe set down safely on Mars and sent back pictures of rocky terrain.
  
  
• West Point admits women
  West Point military academy started accepting women.