Everett Jenkins Birthday Blog

  Over the weekend, the New York Times published a detailed article with great photos on Bruce's Beach.   Bruce’s Beach Was Hailed as a Reparations Model. Then the Family Sold It.  https://nyti.ms/3IjT38m There was not much added to what has been previously discussed except for a few bits of information that I found of interest.  First, it was interesting to read the comments of Amherst's own MacArthur Fellow, Thomas Mitchell, chiming in on the issue of Bruce's Beach as a case study of reparations. I suggest that everyone read the article for the significance of those comments.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_W._Mitchell The second bit of information is the number of heirs who will be sharing in the proceeds from the restoration of Bruce's Beach to the family.  According to the article, there are only four heirs and one of the heirs is 65 years old. The negotiated rent for the Bruce Beach parcels is a little over $400,000 per year meaning that, i...

In my study of history, I occasionally read about an individual whose life story is exemplary.  When I read such life stories I find that I am forced to stop for a while and meditate on my own existence and what my own life path means.  The story I ran into today is the story of Greg Bell, the 1956 Olympic long jump champion.  If you go to wikipedia you will find this all too short biography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Bell_(long_jumper) However, if you look up the reference note, you will find a much more detailed account of the struggles of this man and the obstacles that he had to overcome to become what he eventually became. https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2020/06/13/1956-olympic-gold-medalist-greg-bell-retires-after-50-years-dentist-indiana-iu-track-and-field/5328944002/ I wish I  had the ability to share with everyone the magnificence of Greg Bell's example.  However, for today, I shall simply continue to cherish Black  Hi...

  I just turned on the television and began watching a documentary on Shaquille O'Neal, when at the bottom of the screen it began to list the nominees for induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.  To my surprise, the name of my Amherst College track teammate, Dave Hixon, appeared. I then went on line and sure enough there he was https://nba.nbcsports.com/2023/02/17/wade-nowitzki-popovich-headline-hall-of-fame-2023-finalists/ Congratulations Dave, you have had a charmed life indeed! Peace, Everett "Skip" Jenkins Fairfield, California February 18, 2023

I am watching the fascinating 13 part documentary entitled Hitler's Bodyguard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler%27s_Bodyguard_(TV_series) In episode 9, an unusual scene appears in the form of a woman test pilot who makes a remarkable flight in and out of Berlin in Hitler's last days.  The pilot was Hanna Reitsch and I became curious about her, so I read this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanna_Reitsch If you read it, you will undoubtedly read one of the most remarkable stories around.  But what I found especially intriguing was to see the Heroine of the Third Reich be resurrected as the personal pilot of Kwame Nkrumah and the founder of the Ghanaian flying tradition. https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Hanna-Reitsch-The-German-woman-who-flew-Kwame-Nkrumah-1478879#:~:text=History%20indicates%20that%20she%20became,Ghanapedia History can be quite amazing. Happy Black History Month everyone! Peace, Everett "Skip" Jenkins Fairfield, California February 17...

  I am nearing page 200 of  Autobiography of a Yogi  and find myself increasingly irritated by the rather hearsay accounts set forth in the book about the extraordinary powers exhibited by the gurus who inspired Paramahansa Yogananda.  Perhaps it is the forty years of legal experience coming to fore, but I am not buying this.  As fate would have it, my other historical readings led me to the following wikipedia listing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basava_Premanand The lifework of Basava Premanand further clouds my perception regarding the contents of  Autobiography of a Yogi  especially after reading about one of the guru godmen who was the subject of Premanand's ire. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sathya_Sai_Baba I suppose my continued reading of the book may be considered to be a waste of time.  However, there are still two hundred pages to go.  I will let you know my final assessment once the book is done. Peace, Everett "Skip" Jenkin...

It is Black History Month and yesterday I went to Costco and bought some eggs.  For most, there may be no connection between celebrating Black History and purchasing eggs.  However, by "coincidence" I stumbled on the wikipedia listing for Jessie Isabelle Price this morning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessie_Isabelle_Price and I then was compelled to read the Ebony magazine article from almost 60 years ago about this scientific wonder https://books.google.com/books?id=JaT6tBKGK3sC&q=doctor+to+long+island+ducks#v=snippet&q=doctor%20to%20long%20island%20ducks&f=false They say that the scarcity of eggs is due to the outbreak of avian flu that has killed millions of chickens https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/23588340/egg-prices-expensive-bird-flu-shortage-price-gouging Perhaps, Dr. Price still has a lot to teach us about avian flu prevention even now, long after she has been gone https://www.vet.cornell.edu/animal-health-diagnostic-center/programs/duck-research-lab/...