May 2009 Alice Corey Gives Up Post as Newsletter Editor After 14 Years and 38 Issues

When you picked up this edition of the ble accomplishment,”said Harry Kawa- Alice was seriously injured in a fall sev- Retirees’ Newsletter, you probably had to hara, president of the association. eral months ago, but she hasn’t let that take a second look to confirm that it was The new name for the newsletter is stop her from attending to her duties as an indeed from the PCC Retirees’ Associa- “Staying Connected,” and that is exactly Association Board member. Although she tion. The format has changed and so has what Alice has been about all those years. has given up the newsletter editorship, the editor. She has managed to keep members in- she will still be working on the board and Alice Corey, who has served as the formed about their friends and colleagues helping the new editor learn all nuances newsletter editor for the last 14 years, has by getting people to write articles about of getting members to stay connected. decided to give up her position. Alice, their trips and the activities that are filling For those who like to get their news on- who produced 38 issues of this publica- up their days. Her newsletter articles have line, you will also be able to read the tion, officially passed her editing pen to encouraged retirees to attend the group’s newsletter on the group’s website. In ad- Mikki Bolliger, starting with this issue. excursions scheduled throughout the year dition to the new edition, the older “We owe Alice Corey a huge debt of and to attend mixers that allow friends to newsletters will soon be accessible in the gratitude for her exceptional years of stay in touch. Alice has also kept mem- archives section of the websites. service to the Retirees’ Association. bers informed about the happenings at the If you haven’t checked out the retirees’ Being responsible for putting out 38 is- college, along with a myriad of other website, it can be found at sues of the newsletter is truly an incredi- things. www. pasadena.edu/retirees. This Group Has Patagonia on Its Mind What happens when five teachers, beef, good wine and skillful gauchos Its stunningly verdant setting and al- four of them retired, travel to the far (cowboys). And what could be more most constant, thunderous calving were reaches of South America under the dramatic than the Perito Moreno, one of a challenge to the senses and made for leadership of the only one still working? the most active glaciers on the planet? one of the most beautiful glacial sights They have a well-planned trip one can ever hope to take in. full of fun, adventure and ex- Having spent five days in Ar- otic meals. gentina, we crossed the border Thanks to Jane Hallinger’s into Chile by public bus, much handling of the logistics, the safer and more comfortable than rest of us, including Rose- it might seem, except for the rig- mary Aragon, Pat Savoie, Jan orous customs check. Sutherland and me, Elvio An- Using Puerto Natales as our geloni, took tango lessons in base, we visited Torres del Paine Buenos Aires, rode horses on National Park, a UNESCO Bios- the pampas and marched with phere Reserve, with its Patagon- the Penguins in Patagonia. ian foxes, guanacos and condors, Argentina certainly lived up as well as Bernardo O’Higgins to its promise with its tasty Continued on Page 2 A Message From . . . Patagonia and Lots More President Harry National Park with its spectacular Ser- Santiago, a truly beautiful yet modern rano and Balmaceda glaciers, the latter city. From here we went to the Cura- Kawahara notable for its receding path which is cavi and Casablanca valleys for wine- Reflecting upon my 28 years of serv- clearly a result of global warming. tasting. We also visited the port cities ice at Pasadena City College, I feel a Moving on to Punta Arenas, situated of Vina del Mar and Valparaiso, the lat- strong sense of loyalty to the institution on the Straits of Magellan, we were able ter founded in 1536 in addition to play- that has been an important part of my to take a boat trip to Magdalena Island, ing an important historical role as a life. PCC al- home of the incredibly amusing, tame stop-over between the Atlantic and Pa- lowed me and hospitable Magellanic penguins— cific in the 19th Century. many oppor- about 130,000 in all, on an island that is Our last two days were spent in San- tunities for considerably smaller than Catalina. tiago itself, where we enjoyed the am- my profes- At Puerto Varas, that other “City of bience of the central market, visited one sional devel- Roses,” we learned about the German of the homes of the celebrated poet, opment and settlement of the town of Frutillar, had Pablo Neruda and attended an Easter Is- personal a lunch that included the best boar meat land-themed dinner show. growth. I one can imagine and scaled one of the Finally, my travel companions will not also made most active volcanoes—Osorno—in the let me end this without admitting to the many won- southern Chilean Andes. We also took fact that, for some reason, I was singled derful friends as we worked together to a trip to Chiloe Island, where we visited out to dance with the tango advance the goals of an exceptional more penguins and saw otters, seals, teacher/choreographer in Buenos Aires community college. It was an honor to red-billed oyster catchers, cormorants and then, again, with all of the Easter Is- be affiliated with Pasadena City Col- and whales. land dancers in Santiago. Believe me, lege. Our final destination on this trip was I am a better gaucho. Those warm ties to PCC motivate me to remain connected to a place that is Sam Maloof Trip Impresses Attendees such a valuable resource to the larger Pasadena community. For me, the PCC Thirty-six members of the PCC Re- woodworker and artisan. Most were Retirees’ Association serves as a helpful tirees’ Association and their spouses surprised at all there was to see on this vehicle to maintain that relationship. spent April 2 touring the historic home, six-acre site nestled in the foothills of Thus, the nameplate for this newsletter, workshop, gardens and art collection of Rancho Cucamonga. “Staying Connected,” is perfect. Sam Maloof, the 93-year-old wood- The docent-led tours took the visi- One concrete way in which we sup- worker and furniture maker, considered tors through the beautiful gardens that port PCC is by raising funds for student one of the finest craftsmen of our time. were “designed to create a water-wise scholarships. Over the years we have Most people who signed up for the landscape that complemented the on- given many scholarships to deserving trip had no idea what treats were in site lemon grove of the compound.” students valued at thousands of dollars. store for them other than they were These newsletters keep us in touch with going to see the work of this master Continued on Page 3 former colleagues, both academic and classified. Many of our retirees are “big time” travelers and the newsletter is a means whereby we share in the experi- ences of our peripatetic friends. We also enjoy taking field trips together to places we may not go on our own, but going with an affable group of col- leagues makes for a “fun event.” Please join us on our next field trip. In short, the PCC Retirees’ Associa- tion enables us to meet new friends, keep up with old friends and enjoy shar- ing humorous stories and anecdotes Visitors got to spend time touring the Maloof home and gardens. about the adventure of growing older. 2 Maloof Trip Continued According to information provided about the Maloof Discovery Garden, the area “includes more than 350 varieties of native and Mediter- ranean climate plants. It is creatively organized into zones designed with different planting combinations of color, texture and form.” The garden is a Certified Wildlife Habitat. Next on the tour was a close-up look at Sam Maloof’s craftsmanship in a visit to his hand- built home and workshop which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house, which is now a museum, was relocated to the present site after the state decided to build the 210 Freeway right through Sam’s old homestead. Unlike most museums, this one allows visitors to touch the extraordinary wood furnishings. Nobody could resist running their hands over the tables, chairs and counters tops throughout the Staff Members Get Ready To house. Everything was smooth to the touch, even the undersides of the furniture. Door locks and latches were also handmade of wood. A lot of Move into Three New Buildings “wows and ahhs” could be heard throughout the Anyone walking through the V and T rector of facilities services, is putting to- house as people saw some unique items beauti- fully crafted from wood. In addition to Sam’s Buildings on campus can sense the excite- gether a schedule that will allow for an or- work, the home was filled with hundreds of derly and efficient move. ment as faculty and staff members get ready items from his personal art collection. to start packing up to move into their offices The Hill Street side of the campus, which Although visitors could touch as they walked in one of three new buildings. has always been rather nondescript, will through the house, they could not sit on the fur- Construction on the Campus Center, In- now have an imposing new face. niture. After hearing about people paying be- dustrial Technologies Building and the The Campus Center Building will include tween $25,000 and $45,000 for one of Sam’s Bookstore is scheduled to be completed on a student lounge with Wi-Fi access. Offices chairs, everyone wanted to sit in one. At the end June 12, and it looks like moving day will for student activities and journalism will be of the tour, one chair was available for just that be not long after that. located in that building, along with a food purpose. What a treat to ease down into that chair! It didn’t matter how tall the person was, “Things are really exciting around here,” services, which will include an all new and some were short and some over 6 feet, kitchen, service areas and dining rooms. said Jack Schulman, director of Measure P everyone commented about how comfortable construction projects. “All the furniture and The Bookstore will also house the PCC that chair was. Although everyone loved the feel equipment has been ordered and will start Campus Police station and Student Busi- and the comfort, nobody took out a checkbook arriving soon,” he said. ness Services. The Industrial Technologies to buy one. However, even if someone wanted Workers are finishing up all the detail Building will be home to the electrical and to own one of Sam’s chairs, there is a three-year work on the projects now. Not only will the electronics departments, drafting, building wait time. buildings be finished on time, they came in construction, automotive, welding, and ma- The day’s outing ended with delicious meal on budget as well. chine shops. at Antonino’s Italian Restaurant and a bus ride Although staff members are anxious to get The construction dust will barely be set- back to Pasadena. into their new offices, not everyone will be tled when the next phase of the Measure P The following members and friends attended projects begins. Construction on the Center moving at once. Because the move involves the Maloof trip: Rosemary Aragon, Mikki and so many people and departments, the logis- for the Arts is scheduled to begin in the late Dave Bolliger, Joan Brandlin, Stephanie tics are quite complicated. Rick van Pelt, di- Fall. Schmidt, Suzanne Bravender, Martha Burkard, Dick and Carol Chamberlain, Jon Clute, Wayne Peppler, Laura Davis, Wanda Drown, June O’Brien, Carter Gengler, Martha and Robert Hager, Doris Hart, Evelyn Jandegian, Anne Holland, Dorothy Walleck, June and Harry Kawahara , Sheila and Alan Lamson , Drew Emm, Bob Levis, Mary McQuire, Skip Morkisch, Jeanne Porush, Sylvia Ryan, Patri- Work on the buildings is down to the cia Savoie, Marjorie and Mike Vickers, Al finishing touhes. Photos by Jesus Gomez 3 DuPonte and Brenda Adams. The Carters Experience ‘Darkness in the Desert’ During the 2008 China Eclipse

By Bruce Carter north side of the mountains into As the dark cloud moved rolling foothills with groves of across the sun, abruptly shut- scattered conifers, a few small ting off all light, people clusters of yurts and broad screamed, groaned, cursed, swaths of green grasslands. An- prayed and even began madly other 75 miles through increas- running in a futile attempt to ingly arid hills, a 2-hour reach a nearby hillside still in interlude at the military camp sunlight. This ultimate disas- where all equipment cases were ter came crashing down on unloaded and inspected and fi- the throng of travelers who nally we arrived at our destina- had devoted years of plan- tion near the small Uygur village ning, traveled thousands of of Wipu where we settled in for miles from all across the the grand event. globe and deployed millions wwwwww of dollars of equipment here We had begun the adven- on the high arid grasslands of ture 2 weeks before in Xian, the central Asia in the Xinjiang rocky desert slope climbing upward to- ancient capital of China and the Autonomous Province just west of the wards the barren desert mountains ris- beginning of the fabled Silk Road of an- border with Mongolia. ing to the north. tiquity. Bicycling the massive walls of All through the long afternoon we had The surface gravel became boulders the imperial city, visiting the Neolithic wiled away the time on the arid plain, as we approached the dark mountains, village where the Han people began huddling under a few small umbrellas the harsh gravel and rock landscape thousands of years before, and mar- trying to escape the searing August sun, softened only by long rows of small veling at the massed ranks of terra cotta setting up elaborate equipment or just poplar trees planted along the roadside warriors, we prepared for the arrival of snapping photos of our huddle of a few and a few distant green patches marking our tour group. thousand people almost lost in the vast springs where faults cut along the The group journey began as we surrounding plain. To the west the mas- mountain front. And then the road en- boarded the Orient Express and began sive jagged peaks of the Tian Shan tered the mountains, following a river the long trek out into the far western Range, clad in brilliant white glaciers that slashes a deep gorge between high deserts of China. wrapping around their upper slopes slopes exposing black and grey rocks Ours was the first tourist group to ever loomed over the harsh landscape, grass- contorted by massive forces that up- ride the train that had previously been lands in the spring, but now dried out to lifted one of the planet’s great mountain reserved solely for high party officials, a barren rocky desert. ranges. military officers or foreign dignitaries. wwwwww Following the twisting gorge above Comfortably ensconced in our private Rousted out of bed at 4:30 that morn- the raging waters of the stream, we compartment, waited on by the 24 hour ing, we had stumbled sleepily out of our crossed short bridges spanning numer- attendant, surrounded by polished ma- hotel carrying only water bottles, day- ous side canyons, each bridge guarded hogany and shiny brass, we had the best packs and equipment cases. City streets by a small group of red army soldiers, possible conveyance as we rumbled were beginning to stir as the busses perhaps part of the same unit that had through tunnels, over bridges and across drove through the outskirts of Hami, manned the security checkpoint as we the dusty yellow fields up the Wei He capital city of Genges Khan. As the climbed the alluvial fan leaving Hami. River, across the Yellow River and up dreary petrol stations, repair shops, After a few miles, occasional stunted the Gansu Corridor to the desert fortress small nondescript apartment blocks and cottonwood trees appeared clinging to city of Jiayuguan and the western end occasional unidentified government the rocky side of the river, then a few of the Great Wall. Except for the first buildings became more widely scat- isolated yurts on benches above the night on the train, we rode by day and tered, the countryside gave way to a dry, river, and then we emerged out on the Continued on Page 5 4 Donations Needed for Scholarships The downturn in the U.S. economy has hit that donations from members will ensure that close to home and taken a big bite out of the won’t happen. Retirees’ Association Scholarship Fund. With Donations to the scholarship fund are tax de- the latest account information in hand, the ductible. Make the check payable to the PCC board decided to appeal to members to make a Foundation. Please be sure to write Retirees’ donation to the fund if they can. Scholarship Fund on the memo line of the With the amount of money currently in the check to ensure it goes in the correct ac- account, the scholarship committee would count. either have to offer fewer awards or cut the An envelop addressed to the foundation is at- scholarship amounts in half. The board hopes tached to the newsletter for your convenience. wwwwThe Adventure in China Continues stopped for sightseeing and hotels in the a turbulent gurgling river of icy water after such a perfect journey (only one of afternoons and nights. rushing off of the glaciers on the heights our group had died, and he really didn’t When the railroad ended we transferred of the nearby mountains. much care at this point). to busses for the later parts of the jour- The valley is almost completely cov- Cursing, praying or running, most of ney. ered by grape vines growing on exten- us just watched our clocks in despair Through the Jade Gate and on out into sive arbors extending for miles along and stared at that black (evil) cloud, the vast western desert, we visited the the valley and providing a cool space hoping for even a glimpse of the tiny Mogao Caves of Dunhuang with their sheltered space from the 100-degree crescent of the sun as our time ran out. incomparable wealth of Buddhist man- days. And then—— a tiny speck of light— uscripts, wall paintings and statuary. wwwwww —- then a few more, and all of a sudden Riding camels through the dunes and Our long bus trip from Hami had ——-miracles of miracles——- the viewing the famous Wupu mummies re- brought us to the vast plains of Wipu by thinnest of crescents was back in view, minded us that we really were at the early afternoon. As we killed time wait- less than 30 seconds from totality. Just ends of the Earth. ing for the great event, scattered fluffy in time to fully enjoy the entire drama: We passed through the famous Flam- clouds lazily drifted through the blue first Bailey’s Beads and the Diamond ing Mountains, a riotous palate of color sky without much threat, but were care- Ring, then full dark and the unbeliev- as if the red cliffs of Zion had been up- fully watched by all eyes. First Contact able show of the solar corona and mas- ended and superimposed on Arizona’s came right on schedule at 4:35 and the sive red prominences. Superstition Mountains rising up out of excitement rose as the shadow of the For one minute and 58 seconds we the desolate desert of central Asia. moon slowly advanced across the face had the full experience of viewing a star This is the locale of the famous fight of the sun. up close, one of the great experiences of between the Monkey King and the fire For more than an hour the shadow a lifetime. goddess during his great journey to the swallowed more and more of the sun as Previously Kathy and I had shared the west to bring back the sacred Buddhist the light began to dim. And then, about 2006 eclipse in Turkey, immediately texts to China, probably the only leg- 5 minutes before totality, the thin re- after our marriage at the Temple of endary epic journey familiar to even maining crescent of the sun was blotted Artemis in Ephesus. more people than Homer’s Odyssey. out! This July, we will be joining a cruise As we passed the scorching depths of We all reacted differently. Everyone into the western Pacific where, some- the Turpan depression (second in depth had known of the real possibility of where northeast of Iwo Jima, we will only to the Dead Sea), we sampled the missing the eclipse. Some of our com- again have the opportunity to view an- famous Hami melons and visited the panions had missed previous eclipses, other eclipse, this time a full 6.5 min- Valley of Grapes. perhaps even more than one. utes of totality. But we will never forget Surrounded by high desert mud walls, We had all known the odds, but it was that all of this is “weather permitting.” the half mile wide valley is bisected by heartbreaking to have our hopes dashed 5 The National Geographic tour group poses with the Ankor Wat ruins in the background. At right, Alan braces himself as Mr Vuth, manager of Grand Hotel spa, works his magic on a very painful wrist. Although Alan looks very relaxed, the photograph doesn’t show that he is actually grit- ting his teeth. Trip To Cambodia Offered More than Ruins By Alan Lamson he asked. Strain as I might, I was unable ist’s desk outside the spa. Occasionally, Anyone going to Cambodia will cer- to clench my fingers to make a fist or I would notice patrons looking with tainly visit the famed Ankor ruins, move my wrist in any direction without some alarm at the pained expression on which have become Cambodia’s prime considerable pain. my face, perhaps wondering if my treat- tourist attraction. My wife and I did When I told the receptionist at the spa ment was some novel variation of the on a recent National Geographic tour to that I needed a special kind of massage, usual soothing spa massage. Cambodia (and Vietnam), a trip that in- she said, “wait a moment,” and called As I sit at my computer, typing eas- cluded a stay of several days at the the manager, Mr. Vuth, a muscular guy ily with both hands, images of the Grand Hotel in Siem Reap, the modern- who spoke good English. He listened solidly built Mr. Vuth come to mind day city near Angkor Wat, the famous to the tale of my bicycle accident, along with those of the giant kapok 12th century complex built in honor of looked at my wrist, felt it with his thick tree roots that wind through the doors the Hindu god Vishnu. fingers, and said, “Yes, I can help you. and windows of a temple in the Ankor As memorable as the ruins were, I I worked as a physical therapist in Wat area. I’ll remember him far must admit that my most vivid memo- refugee camps. I’ve seen worse than longer than I will the names of the ries are of my daily visits to see Mr. this. Are you free now?” temples and those who built them. Vuth, manager of the spa at the Grand For the next thirty minutes, Mr. Vuth Hotel. Ordinarily, I would never visit a applied his strength to forcing fingers, New Directory hotel spa, not wanting to spend the extra one by one, to touch my palm. Not all The updated Retirees’ Association money or appear to be a pampered sen- of them complied. He also massaged Directory is ready, and if you ior citizen. However, my visit to this the muscles of my forearm, explaining haven’t received your copy yet, it spa was occasioned by my left wrist, that the muscles were stuck together shouldbe arriving shortly. Also, for the first time, members which I had inconveniently broken a and needed to be separated. After thirty can get an electronic version of the minutes, Mr. Vuth said that it would be month before the trip. new directory. Before leaving on this trip in early best to continue the treatment tomor- A special thank you to Hollis January, Dr. Barnhart, my orthopedic row. “The pain is part of the treatment,” Stewart, chairman of the directory surgeon, said that the smashed bones in he said. I readily agreed. committee, Marion Murphy and my wrist had healed satisfactorily, but For the next four days, I faithfully saw Mary McGuire for all the work they that the bigger problem would be get- Mr. Vuth, who vigorously worked my did to get the new directory updated ting my fingers and wrist to move as fingers, wrist, and forearm while I sat and ready for mailing. they once did. “Can you make a fist,” squirming in a chair near the reception- 6 Marj and Mike Vickers Visit the Middle East In January, Marj and Mike Vickers was spent wandering through these re- left for Cairo to meet 40 fellow travelers mains, viewing the ruts in the pavement on an introductory trip to the Middle left by chariots nearly 2,000 years ago. East. Mike had been in Egypt in 1946, Not many people in the western world and he always wanted to go back. The seem to know about Jerbas, but stories area never seemed to settle down polit- about it could fill an entire issue of Na- ically, so in spite of Gaza, it was now or tional Geographic, but even that would never. cover just part of it. They spent three weeks with two su- One of the members of the group who perb guides, satiated with Paranoiac, had degrees in Ancient Art and Ancient Nabatean, Islamic, Christian, Jewish, Architecture had never heard it men- Greek, Roman and modern history. tioned in a single lecture. In Egypt, the Great Temple in Luxor The final high point of the trip was at night must be seen to be believed, as five nights in Jerusalem in a hotel room well as the Pyramids, the Sphinx and looking out over the old city with the the Valleys of the Kings and Queens. Dome of the Rock and the Mount of The new library of Alexandria is an ar- Olives in clear view. chitectural marvel to rival the Sidney Here the 20 who opted to go changed Opera House. guides from an Egyptian Moslem, This was all new to Mike who had led Hazem, to a Palestinian Moslem, a convoy of three-ton trucks from Freddy. The new guide, like Hazem in Alexandria to Cairo in 1946 when the Egypt, was a walking encyclopedic his- road was only one lane each way, and it tory from the point of view of the He- was only fit for camels and donkeys. brews, the Muslims, and every branch In Suez, Marj and Mike boarded a of Christianity (all of which have their motor yacht, their home for seven days own Bishop of Jerusalem). as they went around the Sinai Peninsula. Freddy would hardly go more than Marj never got used to Middle Eastern Bedouin tribe in a goat skin tent with two steps in the old and new cities with- security—an armed car in front and be- beautiful Egyptian rugs on the sandy out pointing out something that oc- hind with two police officers with Uzis ground. curred there. He always quoted chapter in each and an armed guard with the Leaving their sleek yacht at Elata, the and verse of either the Old or New Tes- coach driver. group traveled through Jordan. The first taments or the Koran. At Sharm al Sheik, they went by stop was Petra, the Nabatean city not The tour group was able to touch the coach through rugged mountains to visit built, but carved out of sandstone cliffs. bark of an olive tree in the Garden of the highest fortified monastery, St. One enters Petra through a gorge in Gethsemane. The tree was 2,000 years Catherine’s, where legend has it that places only a meter wide, and down al- old when Christ was born, and it is still Moses was instructed by God from a most 1,000 feet into the Treasury, an bearing fruit today. burning bush to lead his people into the enormous temple the use of which was They had to walk down steep steps promised land. The bush still survives! lost in the sands of time. below the Church of the Nativity to visit Marj and Mike were part of the first Legend says that the urn over the main the stable where Christ was born. They purely tourist group to be given visas entrance contained the treasure of also walked the whole of the Via Do- into Saudi Arabia, so they were able to Solomon, but no amount of Bedouin lorosa and visited the site of the Last sail up the Eastern Fork of the Red Sea bullets fired at it has yielded anything. Supper. to Dubai, where th ladies had to dress in The faint hearted either rode in a The tour group was even able to touch a traditional black abyla with black horse-drawn cart or on a donkey. Marj the remains of the wall of the Temple of veils covering their heads (not a hair and Mike walked both ways, but the Solomon. However, they could only showing). Marj swore that if men had hike back after lunch was hard work. wish for peace in separate areas since to wear such dresses for five minutes, The second highlight was Jerbas, a men and women are strictly segregated the law would be changed over night. Roman city embedded in the modern at the so called “Wailing Wall.” The next leg of the journey was a 150- Jordanian capital of Amman, with more One day was taken up driving down mile trip to Taube for lunch with a remains than Rome itself. Most of a day to the Dead Sea, past Qumram where Continued on Page 8 7 Beware of Initiative on Pension Reform Proposed Constitutional Amendment Would Renegotiate Retirees’ Pensions By Hollis Stewart may not be passed, except that undue influence by means of cam- A proposed state constitutional public-employee pension contracts paign contributions paid to public amendment meant to destroy the may be renegotiated, including re- officials who made the promises for provisions and benefits of ducing vested benefits for existing the pensions. The public believes PERS/CalSTRS and other public and prospective retirees, for the that there was no meeting of the employee retirement programs for limited purposes enumerated here- minds between the taxpayers and present and future retirees may be inafter. the public employees and therefore circulating in your area. Do not sign (1) To enable the state govern- no contractual obligation ob- any petition for an initiative called ment, local governments and taxing tained.” “Renegotiation of Public Em- districts to meet the essential public Remember, this is not reform. ployee Pension Contracts. Consti- services of fire and police protec- The sponsors of these initiatives tutional Amendment. tion, public health, education and are trying to trick people into You may also find it referred to as prisons. thinking they are going to improve the McCauley Public Employee (2) To enable California and its pensions when the opposite is true. Pension Reform Act.” No matter political subdivisions to meet long- Please Beware. Do not sign any what it is called, this is not a pension term public investment needs to petition that calls for the “Renego- reform act; it is an attempt by Certi- provide for fire and police protec- tiation of Public Employee Pen- fied Public Accountant Paul Mc- tion, public health, education, pris- sion Contracts.” Cauley to vent his anger at currently ons, transportation and energy employed and retired public work- needs as well as to make an urgent The Vickers Finish ers. response to global warming effects While this petition is couched in on the environment. Telling The Tales of “crocodile tears” and words about That’s it. Now, you might ask, Their Middle East Trip the taxpayers’ ability to afford the “Why are only public employee pen- Continued from previous page pension system, it is actually di- sion contracts to be renegotiated?” the scrolls were found, and on to Mas- rected at public employees and their Why not business contracts, credit sada, which for two years was the strong- unions. contracts, contracts between cus- hold of the Jewish rebels fighting against Taxpayers and taxes pay no direct tomers and Certified Public Ac- their Roman conquerors. When the Ro- costs of the Public Employee Retire- countants. mans finally entered, they found all of the ment system—employees contribute The reasoning behind making pub- defenders dead. They had committed mass suicide rather than accept Roman to the system as do the employers lic employees targets becomes clear slavery. through an assessment based on the in the “14 Findings made by the Today, the swearing-in oath of the mod- number of employees, prior contri- People of California” to justify the ern Israeli army is “Massada shall not fall butions and so forth. The public em- need for this change. again,” and Israel is a nuclear nation! ployee retirement boards invest the These specious and dangerous The Vickers’ final day was on their own, accumulated savings and multiply findings denigrate public employees because the travel agency was unable to the funds through returns on the in- in a many-faceted portrayal of re- get them out of Tel Aviv with the rest of the group. They spent that day climbing vestments. tired public workers as greedy, over around those portions of the walls of the Following is the wording of this compensated piranhas eating on the old city that were open (it was the junc- very short amendment with the corpse of the public during hard tion of Mohammedan and the Jewish Sab- changes in italic and bold type. times. bath, so much of the wall was off limits). Section 3: California Constitu- The first of the 14 findings fol- The picture shows Marj negotiating some tion Article 1, Section 9 is lows: “Past promises made to pub- of the 18 steps with the railing at a full amended to read: A bill of attain- lic employees for future pension stretch above her head. Jerusalem has to be seen to be appreciated. Anyone who der, ex post facto law, or law im- entitlements were excessive at the gets the chance to go, should grasp it with pairing the obligation of contracts time made and were based upon both hands. 8 In Memoriam Walter T. Shatford Passes Away at 94 Walter T. Shatford, a member of the about education. Shatford believed that “the law was a tool to help those who college’s Board of Trustees for more were less powerful. “He lived his life than 30 years, passed away on May 5. working to make sure that everyone had He was 94 years old. an opportunity to succeed. Shatford was much beloved by the The campus library now bears his college’s faculty and staff for his level- name. The college chose that as a last- headed decisions, fairness, wisdom and ing memorial to honor his many years his sense of humor. Shatford spent his of service to Pasadena City College. life advocating for those less fortunate. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests He believed that everyone regardless of that donations be made to the Pasadena race, color or creed deserved a good ed- City College Foundation in memory of ucation. He devoted his life to educa- Walter T. Shatford. The family intends tion and the law. He practiced law for to establish a scholarship in his name. more than 60 years, and he was as pas- Condolences for the family may also be sionate about civil rights as he was sent to the foundation.

Board of Directors for 2009 Walter T. Shatford Joseph Barnes Pasadena Custodian Paul Mikki Bolliger, newsletter editor Burbank Carlson Passed Bruce Carter Monrovia Alice Corey Altadena Away in March Dick Chamberlain, secretary Altadena Paul Carlson, who worked as a cus- nd Al De Ponte, 2 vice president Pasadena todian at the college for more than 10 Bill Goldmann, past president La Canada years, passed away on March 10, Meta Holcomb Altadena 2009. Harry Kawahara, president Pasadena Paul decided to take an early retire- ment last November because of health Jim Kingman, treasurer San Gabriel issues. Alan Lamson, web editor Pasadena He will be missed by his many Terry Marsala Pasadena friends and coworkers at the college. Mary McGuire Pasadena Marion Murphy, membership/historian Arcadia Stay Connected Skip Morkisch Pasadena If you enjoyed reading about Rick Neumann, 1st vice president Altadena your friends and colleagues in the newsletter, there is a good chance Bessie Radcliff-Darden Pasadena they are anxious to hear about Sylvia Ryan Sierra Madre what you are doing these days. Pat Savoie Altadena Consider dropping a note to the Sally Shuster Pasadena PCCRA or sending an e-mail to Mikki Bolliger at Joe Spiro Sierra Madre [email protected]. The Hollis Stewart Los Angeles news you share will be included Marj Vickers La Canada in the next issue. 9 Scholarship Donation

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