I’ve been remiss with my blog because I’ve been laying out volume 41 of Steel Shavings, which will combine blog excerpts with student journals covering March of 2011. Entitled “Northwest Indiana Connections,” it will total 304 pages and sell for $12.50. To preorder, one can send a check for $15, covering postage and handling, made out to Indiana University and addressed to James Lane/History/IUN/3400 Broadway/Gary IN 46408. It is chock full of photos and should be out by the end of June.
Last weekend I interviewed 19 people at the annual IU FACET retreat. They also played a tribute to founder Eileen Bender that Aaron Pigors and I put together that was well received. Colleague Chris Young was inducted into the organization, and we had lots of opportunity to chat.
A couple weeks ago I was on Donald Evans’ radio show in Valpo. We talked about regional history and unions since the union rallies in Wisconsin and Indianapolis were in the news
Showing posts with label Eileen Bender. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eileen Bender. Show all posts
Friday, May 27, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
High Life
“I’ll be back in the high life again
All the doors I closed one time will open up again.”
Steve Winwood
About to pay Pat the Jewel cashier for a 30-pack of Miller’s High Life, I heard Steve Winwood’s “Back in the High Life Again.” “What an appropriate song,” I exclaimed. Pat didn’t get it until I told her Stevie was singing about the brand of beer I was purchasing. Sporting a white Afro, Pat was probably younger than I.
Aaron Pigors is making progress on the Tribute CD we’re doing on FACET founder Eileen Bender. At the May 2011 retreat her husband will be the keynote speaker. In all likelihood, parts of the CD will be shown that evening and the entire thing will be on a continuously playing loop near where we’ll tape more interviews. We’re soliciting still photos of Eileen to insert. Kim Olivares from the FACET office sent us some, and IU South Bend English professor Rebecca Torstrick contacted Eileen’s daughter Leslie and Archivist Alison Stankrauf, who both forwarded others.
Robert Blaszkiewicz sent several high-resolution Times jpegs of Sheriff Dominguez for use in “Valor,” his autobiography. I showed him this following email I sent to Times columnist Mark Kiesling “I understand that The Times is opposed to the walkout by Democrats at the Indianapolis statehouse but I believe it is over the top to use Joseph McCarthy-like tactics similar to FOX News (despite your protestations) against those speaking out against the Republicans’ union-busting programs. Danny Glover is an honorable man but you make him out to be anti-American because of some of the company he allegedly keeps, i.e., Jean-Bertrand Aristide and Hugo Chavez. You label these two leaders dictators, but both were elected by the people of Haiti and Venezuela. In fact, Aristide was twice ousted by military coups, the first strenuously opposed by the United States. Your view reminds me of those who criticized the 1963 March on Washington because a militant from SNCC spoke and to those who demonized the antiwar rallies during the Vietnam era because lefties like Pete Seeger performed.”
Karren Lee thanked me for dropping off “Maria’s Journey” and added: “I started it last night and am totally caught up in the story.” When Toni started it, she stayed up till three in the morning reading. Can’t wait for Ray and Trish Arredondo’s presentation on March 14 at Theo’s in Highland.
Republican pollster Frank Luntz, whose book “Win” is subtitled “How to Harness the Best Attributes of Your Business,” claims that the best way to get people to retain something is to preface it with, “If you only remember only one thing I’ve said today, it is this.” When I talk to Steve’s class about Gary and Portage during the Twenties, maybe I’ll use that line and then say, “The 1920s was an age of optimism. It roared!” Of course, it started with the crushing of the 1919 steel strike and ended with the Wall Street Crash.
Bowled a 542, including 220 in the third game, which helped the Engineers salvage two points. On the opposing team was former teammate Chris Lugo and always-cheerful Tony Buhler, who rolled a 274 in game one. Some bowlers wear the same garb every week, featuring, say, NASCAR drivers, Harley Davidson outlets or commemorating a tour of a hard rock band. One guy wore a Michael Jordan jersey; another had on Black Hawks apparel. I alternate between three or four t-shirts. Most of my teammates wore checkered shirts with buttons down the front, but Captain Bill Batalis wore a Purdue sweatshirt.
All the doors I closed one time will open up again.”
Steve Winwood
About to pay Pat the Jewel cashier for a 30-pack of Miller’s High Life, I heard Steve Winwood’s “Back in the High Life Again.” “What an appropriate song,” I exclaimed. Pat didn’t get it until I told her Stevie was singing about the brand of beer I was purchasing. Sporting a white Afro, Pat was probably younger than I.
Aaron Pigors is making progress on the Tribute CD we’re doing on FACET founder Eileen Bender. At the May 2011 retreat her husband will be the keynote speaker. In all likelihood, parts of the CD will be shown that evening and the entire thing will be on a continuously playing loop near where we’ll tape more interviews. We’re soliciting still photos of Eileen to insert. Kim Olivares from the FACET office sent us some, and IU South Bend English professor Rebecca Torstrick contacted Eileen’s daughter Leslie and Archivist Alison Stankrauf, who both forwarded others.
Robert Blaszkiewicz sent several high-resolution Times jpegs of Sheriff Dominguez for use in “Valor,” his autobiography. I showed him this following email I sent to Times columnist Mark Kiesling “I understand that The Times is opposed to the walkout by Democrats at the Indianapolis statehouse but I believe it is over the top to use Joseph McCarthy-like tactics similar to FOX News (despite your protestations) against those speaking out against the Republicans’ union-busting programs. Danny Glover is an honorable man but you make him out to be anti-American because of some of the company he allegedly keeps, i.e., Jean-Bertrand Aristide and Hugo Chavez. You label these two leaders dictators, but both were elected by the people of Haiti and Venezuela. In fact, Aristide was twice ousted by military coups, the first strenuously opposed by the United States. Your view reminds me of those who criticized the 1963 March on Washington because a militant from SNCC spoke and to those who demonized the antiwar rallies during the Vietnam era because lefties like Pete Seeger performed.”
Karren Lee thanked me for dropping off “Maria’s Journey” and added: “I started it last night and am totally caught up in the story.” When Toni started it, she stayed up till three in the morning reading. Can’t wait for Ray and Trish Arredondo’s presentation on March 14 at Theo’s in Highland.
Republican pollster Frank Luntz, whose book “Win” is subtitled “How to Harness the Best Attributes of Your Business,” claims that the best way to get people to retain something is to preface it with, “If you only remember only one thing I’ve said today, it is this.” When I talk to Steve’s class about Gary and Portage during the Twenties, maybe I’ll use that line and then say, “The 1920s was an age of optimism. It roared!” Of course, it started with the crushing of the 1919 steel strike and ended with the Wall Street Crash.
Bowled a 542, including 220 in the third game, which helped the Engineers salvage two points. On the opposing team was former teammate Chris Lugo and always-cheerful Tony Buhler, who rolled a 274 in game one. Some bowlers wear the same garb every week, featuring, say, NASCAR drivers, Harley Davidson outlets or commemorating a tour of a hard rock band. One guy wore a Michael Jordan jersey; another had on Black Hawks apparel. I alternate between three or four t-shirts. Most of my teammates wore checkered shirts with buttons down the front, but Captain Bill Batalis wore a Purdue sweatshirt.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Kids Are All Right
I took Toni to see the R-rated “The Kids Are All Right,” which lived up to its hype, we both agreed, as the best movie of the summer. Annette Bening (Nic) and Julianne Moore (Jules) are very realistic as lesbians whose teenage son Laser and daughter Joni (named by Nic for Joni Mitchell) get in touch with Paul (Mark Ruffalo), their common sperm donor, a really cool co-op farmer and restaurant owner, an action that upsets the family dynamics in a variety of ways. Jules is trying to start a landscape business and goes to work on Mark’s backyard. There’s a great scene where she is bent over and he admires her thong panties under her work clothes. They end up in bed on her initiative, which, when discovered, threatens his burgeoning relationship with the kids. I understand that some lesbians (although not my friend Anne) don’t like that the two women like to watch gay male porn in bed to get aroused or the heterosexual affair (when Jules first takes a look at Paul’s penis, she makes a sound as if to say, “Where have you been all of my life?”). Some think Nic is portrayed as the heavy, but all the main characters are portrayed sympathetically, albeit with flaws. Joni has a friend who acts like a slut and Laser hangs around with someone who is reckless, out of control, and insulting if Laser questions his judgment. Both “kids” in the end resist being mere followers, and the implication is that their transition into adulthood, though never easy, will go all right and that at some point Paul will come back into their lives.
Watched the Coen brothers’ zany 1987 comedy “Raising Arizona” on cable. A young childless couple, H.I. and Edwina McDunnough (Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter), kidnap one of Nathan Arizona’s quintuplets. When asked by a policeman to describe the kids’ pajamas, Arazona says, “I don’t know – they were jammies! They had yodas ‘n’ shit on ’em.” Questioned by a suspicious FBI agent why he changed his name from Nathan Huffheins, the furniture storeowner says, “Would you stop at a store called Unpainted Huffheins?” My favorite line of Nathan’s: “If a frog had wings, it wouldn’t bump its ass a-hoppin’.” Pure Coen brothers. I also caught the end of “The Insider,” about a tobacco industry whistle blower who comes under attack and how CBS News caves in and shelves the planned “60 Minutes” segment out of fear of a lawsuit. Christopher Plummer does a nice imitation of Mike Wallace.
At a White House function celebrating the onset of Ramadan, Obama declared that Muslims have the same religious freedom as anybody else, including the right to build a mosque on private property near “ground zero,” the site of the 9/11 tragedy. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who had been my choice for Barack’s running mate, applauded Obma’s “clarion defense of the freedom of religion.” Predictably Republicans, led by Sarah Palin, are trying to make political hay over the issue. The President didn’t actually say whether or not he favors the mosque being at that location. Palin is demanding a clarification, but Obama has emphasized that it is a local matter. As John Updike wrote in “Terrorist,” “racism, a dozing giant, lulled by decades of liberal singsong, [is] stirred anew.” The novelist was referring to WASP airlines passengers reacting to being stopped and searched by black and Hispanic TSA inspectors. One of the main characters in “Terrorist” is from Philadelphia and recalls with nostalgia the display windows in Wanamaker’s department store and Frihofer bread. One sign of decline: pencils made in China with useless erasers. Updike paraphrases Ralph Waldo Emerson’s comment on dying, that at least you’re done with the dentist.
Won two of four board games and might have triumphed in Stone Age but for a stupid move. Tom and Dave play on line, while I am still a novice. We opened Brass, set in England at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, and played half a practice game. Players build such things as cotton mills and coalmines and then try to sell their products. I was totally confused but kept the game so I could read the rules. On YouTube I found a two-part instruction video. The title of the game is from the English expression, “Where there’s muck there’s brass (meaning money).”
The Northwest Indiana Times ran my “Maria’s Journey” article as the lead story in Sunday’s “Lifestyle” section, using three photographs, including the cover photo. In another Maria is flanked by her ten offspring with a photo of her late husband Miguel in the background. A headshot of Maria appeared on page one of the front section along with a blurb on where readers can find the full story. At my suggestion they included excerpts from IU historian John Bodnar’s introduction. The key to Maria’s measure of success, we both agreed, was her resilience. Ray and Trish Arredondo were thrilled and bought multiple copies. Thanks to The Times’ website people can comment and discuss it. Karen T wanted to know why the children spoke Spanish at home. I replied: “On page 63 of “Maria’s Journey” the Arredondos write: “Miguel insisted that the children speak only Spanish in his presence” because of his dream “that he and his family would eventually return to his homeland.”
I learned that FACET founder Eileen Bender suffered a fatal heart attack. Her daughter found out from my blog that I had interviewed her last December and requested a copy. Aaron agreed to burn two DVDs for the family.
I ran into former vice-chancellor of academic affairs Kwesi Aggrey in the library/conference center hall along with his wife and youngest son. After a warm hug, Kwesi mentioned that they had placed flowers at Robin Hass Birky’s gravesite and that they were headed to Savannah Center to take photos at the Robin Hass Birky Women’s Studies seminar room. He has hired several IU Northwest faculty or administrators since taking a job in North Carolina and I jokingly asked whether he was on a recruiting trip. He told me he received the “Retirement Journal” Steel Shavings issue I sent him. In it he comes off smelling like a rose. In five or six years when our new chancellor reties, Kwesi would be the perfect successor.
“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” with Michael Cera was so terrible I walked out and into “Eat Pray Love,” which was very slow moving until the Julia Roberts character hooked up with Javier Barden (Felipe) in Bali. I wouldn’t recommend it, but perhaps any movie would pale after “The Kids Are All Right.” I almost chose to see it a third time when “Scott Pilgrim” took a turn toward the ridiculous.
Watched the Coen brothers’ zany 1987 comedy “Raising Arizona” on cable. A young childless couple, H.I. and Edwina McDunnough (Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter), kidnap one of Nathan Arizona’s quintuplets. When asked by a policeman to describe the kids’ pajamas, Arazona says, “I don’t know – they were jammies! They had yodas ‘n’ shit on ’em.” Questioned by a suspicious FBI agent why he changed his name from Nathan Huffheins, the furniture storeowner says, “Would you stop at a store called Unpainted Huffheins?” My favorite line of Nathan’s: “If a frog had wings, it wouldn’t bump its ass a-hoppin’.” Pure Coen brothers. I also caught the end of “The Insider,” about a tobacco industry whistle blower who comes under attack and how CBS News caves in and shelves the planned “60 Minutes” segment out of fear of a lawsuit. Christopher Plummer does a nice imitation of Mike Wallace.
At a White House function celebrating the onset of Ramadan, Obama declared that Muslims have the same religious freedom as anybody else, including the right to build a mosque on private property near “ground zero,” the site of the 9/11 tragedy. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who had been my choice for Barack’s running mate, applauded Obma’s “clarion defense of the freedom of religion.” Predictably Republicans, led by Sarah Palin, are trying to make political hay over the issue. The President didn’t actually say whether or not he favors the mosque being at that location. Palin is demanding a clarification, but Obama has emphasized that it is a local matter. As John Updike wrote in “Terrorist,” “racism, a dozing giant, lulled by decades of liberal singsong, [is] stirred anew.” The novelist was referring to WASP airlines passengers reacting to being stopped and searched by black and Hispanic TSA inspectors. One of the main characters in “Terrorist” is from Philadelphia and recalls with nostalgia the display windows in Wanamaker’s department store and Frihofer bread. One sign of decline: pencils made in China with useless erasers. Updike paraphrases Ralph Waldo Emerson’s comment on dying, that at least you’re done with the dentist.
Won two of four board games and might have triumphed in Stone Age but for a stupid move. Tom and Dave play on line, while I am still a novice. We opened Brass, set in England at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, and played half a practice game. Players build such things as cotton mills and coalmines and then try to sell their products. I was totally confused but kept the game so I could read the rules. On YouTube I found a two-part instruction video. The title of the game is from the English expression, “Where there’s muck there’s brass (meaning money).”
The Northwest Indiana Times ran my “Maria’s Journey” article as the lead story in Sunday’s “Lifestyle” section, using three photographs, including the cover photo. In another Maria is flanked by her ten offspring with a photo of her late husband Miguel in the background. A headshot of Maria appeared on page one of the front section along with a blurb on where readers can find the full story. At my suggestion they included excerpts from IU historian John Bodnar’s introduction. The key to Maria’s measure of success, we both agreed, was her resilience. Ray and Trish Arredondo were thrilled and bought multiple copies. Thanks to The Times’ website people can comment and discuss it. Karen T wanted to know why the children spoke Spanish at home. I replied: “On page 63 of “Maria’s Journey” the Arredondos write: “Miguel insisted that the children speak only Spanish in his presence” because of his dream “that he and his family would eventually return to his homeland.”
I learned that FACET founder Eileen Bender suffered a fatal heart attack. Her daughter found out from my blog that I had interviewed her last December and requested a copy. Aaron agreed to burn two DVDs for the family.
I ran into former vice-chancellor of academic affairs Kwesi Aggrey in the library/conference center hall along with his wife and youngest son. After a warm hug, Kwesi mentioned that they had placed flowers at Robin Hass Birky’s gravesite and that they were headed to Savannah Center to take photos at the Robin Hass Birky Women’s Studies seminar room. He has hired several IU Northwest faculty or administrators since taking a job in North Carolina and I jokingly asked whether he was on a recruiting trip. He told me he received the “Retirement Journal” Steel Shavings issue I sent him. In it he comes off smelling like a rose. In five or six years when our new chancellor reties, Kwesi would be the perfect successor.
“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” with Michael Cera was so terrible I walked out and into “Eat Pray Love,” which was very slow moving until the Julia Roberts character hooked up with Javier Barden (Felipe) in Bali. I wouldn’t recommend it, but perhaps any movie would pale after “The Kids Are All Right.” I almost chose to see it a third time when “Scott Pilgrim” took a turn toward the ridiculous.
Monday, February 1, 2010
My Vietnam Your Iraq
Ronald J. Osgood of IU’s Department of Telecommunications sent me a screening copy of his documentary “My Vietnam Your Iraq.” It’s a documentary about eight parents whose sons or daughters have served in Iraq. Earlier, Osgood, a Vietnam vet, had requested a copy of “Brothers in Arms” and especially liked the interviews with E. Everett McFall and Omar Farag. I watched Osgood’s 61-minute film on Saturday and found it to be awesome. One guy talked about going berserk upon hearing that his son had been killed, knocking down a wall full of awards and plaques. Osgood did such a good job I’m hoping to interest him in helping me put together a documentary about IU’s FACET program and its charismatic founder Eileen J. Bender. Tome and Aaron from Instructional Media Services have finished editing the DVD of my December interview of Bender in South Bend.
Played a board game called Small World with Dave and Tom Wade that I had played once before at Halberstadt Game Weekend. You try to conquer territory with a combination of races (dwarves, trolls, ghouls, sorcerers, etc.) and abilities such a flying, pillaging, and the like. It has potential to join out three favorites, Amun Re, St. Petersburg, and Acquire, in heavy rotation.
Looked at a book Kim and Terry Hunt sent us called “The Art of Frank V. Dudley” featuring his Dunes paintings as well as four interesting essays, including one by “Sacred Sands” author Ron Engel and his wife about Dudley’s efforts to save the Northwest Indiana dunes. The book served as a catalogue published simultaneously with a 2006 exhibition at Valparaiso University’s Brauer Museum. In my retirement journal I talked about Dudley being honored with a plaque at the Lake County Tourist Bureau’s Wall of Fame along with boxer Tony Zale and actor Karl Malden. Coincidentally the Post-Trib had an article about a Miller resident, Jim Nowacki, who wants to retrieve a 1927 Dudley painting entitled “Landing the Fishing Boat” from the Indiana State Museum. Evidently it was donated to the city of Gary (I think to the Gary schools and was part of the art collection at Emerson School) but somehow got waylaid and ended up in Indianapolis.
The Sunday Post-Trib has a Jeff Manes SALT article about 80 year-old retired East Chicago librarian Gloria Dosen. Her dad worked for Inland Steel, and when she was eight years old she witnessed Chicago police firing at picketers in front of Republic Steel, something that became known as the Memorial Day Massacre. She’s lived in the same house on Olcott Avenue since 1951 and told Jeff, “My son and daughter know they’ll never get me out of here. I’ll stay here till they wheel me away.”
The GRAMMY awards show was worth staying up for even though Phoenix (winners of the best alternative album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix) didn’t perform. What got most attention was a Cirque du Soleil-like performance by scantily-clad Pink doing “Glitter in the Air” and a 3-D tribute to Michael Jackson after which his kids Paris and Prince spoke. My favorite moments were Lady Gaga and Elton John teaming up to her song “Speechless” and Taylor Swift doing a few bars of “Rhiannon” with Stevie Nicks, even though the 20 year-old, perhaps awed by her duet partner, appeared to be a little off key.
Interviewed Lake County’s sheriff for almost two hours. He has patched up relationships with two old political enemies, both of whom are seeking his support in the upcoming election. He might want some of the criticism of the two softened in the nearly completed autobiography am helping him with. George Bodmer is getting around campus with a walker after being hit by a car crossing Broadway on his way to a parking lot last December and having his knee all smashed up. He thanked me for sending him the Anne Tyler book "Digging to America" while he was in the hospital.
I’ve been helping Eva Mendieta, who teaches in IUN’s department of Foreign Languages, edit a long articles she did about an East Çhicago mutual aid society named after Mexican-American hero Benito Juarez. In 1957 it was one of three organizations that merged to form the UBM (Union Benefica Mexicana), which is still in existence even though its clubhouse burned down a couple years ago. Came to find out that Eva has a new book out called “In Search of Catalina de Erauso: The National and Sexual Identity of the Lieutenant Nun.” The seventeenth-century Basque heroine was a swashbuckling transvestite who led an unbelievable life. Must check it out. It was once my goal to teach a summer course at the Basque university of Bilbao where Eva is from, which is a kind of sister school to IUN.
Played a board game called Small World with Dave and Tom Wade that I had played once before at Halberstadt Game Weekend. You try to conquer territory with a combination of races (dwarves, trolls, ghouls, sorcerers, etc.) and abilities such a flying, pillaging, and the like. It has potential to join out three favorites, Amun Re, St. Petersburg, and Acquire, in heavy rotation.
Looked at a book Kim and Terry Hunt sent us called “The Art of Frank V. Dudley” featuring his Dunes paintings as well as four interesting essays, including one by “Sacred Sands” author Ron Engel and his wife about Dudley’s efforts to save the Northwest Indiana dunes. The book served as a catalogue published simultaneously with a 2006 exhibition at Valparaiso University’s Brauer Museum. In my retirement journal I talked about Dudley being honored with a plaque at the Lake County Tourist Bureau’s Wall of Fame along with boxer Tony Zale and actor Karl Malden. Coincidentally the Post-Trib had an article about a Miller resident, Jim Nowacki, who wants to retrieve a 1927 Dudley painting entitled “Landing the Fishing Boat” from the Indiana State Museum. Evidently it was donated to the city of Gary (I think to the Gary schools and was part of the art collection at Emerson School) but somehow got waylaid and ended up in Indianapolis.
The Sunday Post-Trib has a Jeff Manes SALT article about 80 year-old retired East Chicago librarian Gloria Dosen. Her dad worked for Inland Steel, and when she was eight years old she witnessed Chicago police firing at picketers in front of Republic Steel, something that became known as the Memorial Day Massacre. She’s lived in the same house on Olcott Avenue since 1951 and told Jeff, “My son and daughter know they’ll never get me out of here. I’ll stay here till they wheel me away.”
The GRAMMY awards show was worth staying up for even though Phoenix (winners of the best alternative album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix) didn’t perform. What got most attention was a Cirque du Soleil-like performance by scantily-clad Pink doing “Glitter in the Air” and a 3-D tribute to Michael Jackson after which his kids Paris and Prince spoke. My favorite moments were Lady Gaga and Elton John teaming up to her song “Speechless” and Taylor Swift doing a few bars of “Rhiannon” with Stevie Nicks, even though the 20 year-old, perhaps awed by her duet partner, appeared to be a little off key.
Interviewed Lake County’s sheriff for almost two hours. He has patched up relationships with two old political enemies, both of whom are seeking his support in the upcoming election. He might want some of the criticism of the two softened in the nearly completed autobiography am helping him with. George Bodmer is getting around campus with a walker after being hit by a car crossing Broadway on his way to a parking lot last December and having his knee all smashed up. He thanked me for sending him the Anne Tyler book "Digging to America" while he was in the hospital.
I’ve been helping Eva Mendieta, who teaches in IUN’s department of Foreign Languages, edit a long articles she did about an East Çhicago mutual aid society named after Mexican-American hero Benito Juarez. In 1957 it was one of three organizations that merged to form the UBM (Union Benefica Mexicana), which is still in existence even though its clubhouse burned down a couple years ago. Came to find out that Eva has a new book out called “In Search of Catalina de Erauso: The National and Sexual Identity of the Lieutenant Nun.” The seventeenth-century Basque heroine was a swashbuckling transvestite who led an unbelievable life. Must check it out. It was once my goal to teach a summer course at the Basque university of Bilbao where Eva is from, which is a kind of sister school to IUN.
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