Presentation is via ZOOM

Wednesday

10:00am - 11:00am

Here's the Link to Join this ZOOM Meeting:

Theodore Clarke was born in Chicago and raised in Los Angeles. He joined the Navy after high school and served aboard the destroyer USS Leonard F. Mason, and the experimental research submarine USS Albacore. After the Navy he entered UCLA, where he received a bachelor’s degree in English Literature in 1961, and a master’s degree in Physics in 1964. While working on the missions of the Voyager, Galileo, and Juno space probes, he lectured internationally on the space program, including at the US Military Academy, the Naval Academy, and the Air Force Academy. He began teaching physics at Pasadena Community College in 2002, and began a Consultation Contract with NASA's Juno Project in 2006.

His global travels and lectures have always had a cultural and historical quality to them. Mr. Clarke has written books on the histories of the Voyager, Galileo, and Juno spacecrafts. He also wrote and published Reflections from Eden II, A Book of Sermons. Together with his cats Athena and Callisto, he lives in his home in the San Gabriel Mountains, which he has dubbed Eden II.

Presentation was via ZOOM

Tuesday

Topic: "Real to Reel Justice: Truth and Trickery in Courtroom Movies!"

Approximately 30 BMG members, guests, and interested persons packed the ZOOM courthouse on January 19th, to hear our guest speaker Paul Bergman present a fascinating program devoted to the topic of Law, Lawyers, and Justice as depicted in Hollywood films. Pointing out the influence of the infamous Motion Picture Production Code of the early 1930's (aka, Hays Code), Paul used excerpts from many films to illustrate how judicial reality and fantasy are often mixed to provide popular entertainment.

Paul began his presentation with a Three Stooges classic comedy short, "Disorder in the Court" (1936), and then moved over to the trial of the dancer Roxy Hart from the hit musical "Chicago" (2002). The defense lawyer in this case, as played by Richard Gere, was reputedly based on a real-life shady character who once swallowed poison during a trial to con the jury into believing that it wasn't actually poison! Once his client was declared innocent of murder, the lawyer quickly left the courtroom and immediately had his stomach pumped!

Another fascinating film tidbit came from the1959 movie, "Anatomy of a Murder", wherein the trial's presiding judge was portrayed by none other than Joseph Welch, the lawyerly figure who famously confronted Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Army-McCarthy hearings of 1954.

A few of the other films discussed were "My Cousin Vinnie" (1992); "Young Mr. LIncoln" (1939); "Bananas" (1971): and "Witness for the Prosecution" (1957).

Despite a few technical glitches, by the end of the day it was the unanimous opinion that this was another example of the excellent quality of speakers that the BMG continues to present to our members via ZOOM.

Tyler Hill is the recipient of the 2020 - 2021 BNC LA Men's Group Endowed Fellowship in Neuroscience.

"I chose Brandeis Neuroscience because I knew that the program and department put out world-class research and train world-class scientists, but still maintain a small-school setting. The Brandeis neuroscience program is special because it has such a wide range of projects, from molecular to behavioral, and a very collaborative environment that allows students to interact with and explore many scientific avenues."

"Receiving fellowship support means the world to me. It means that there are people who believe in me and the research that I'm doing, and are willing to give their monetary support. I do not take that lightly, and it inspires me to work even harder to answer the questions that fascinate me. It also means that my lab has more money to spend on making our research run smoothly. I really appreciate the support that I have been given. It is a true honor."

BMG is starting an Investment Special Interest Group. The meetings will be conducted via ZOOM with the inaugural meeting set for February 15th at 10:00am.

Members interested in joining can contact Myron Forst at 310-925-8996, or at email myronvending@yahoo.com

The History SIG is hosted by Arnie Geffner to discuss the topic of great battles in history. It temporarily is not meeting, but normally is a monthly ZOOM presentation consisting of a video presentation followed by discussion and commentary. For more information, check with Arnie at 1-310-839-3235, or email arniegeff@aol.com 

WESTSIDE WALKING GROUP

As a result of the recent lifting of local Covid-19 restrictions, the Westside Walking Group once again is back on track and resuming its weekly strolls in Santa Monica. The BMG posse saddles up each Thursday morning at 9:30am near the intersection of Ocean Avenue and Marguerita Avenue in Palisades Park. It then continues down to the Fairmont-Miramar Hotel near Wilshire Boulevard where members stop for coffee, conversation, and often pastries. Once the conviviality is exhausted, the members head back to the trailhead. The combined distance of these excursions is an easily doable 1.75 miles. For additional information please contact Gerry Sallus at phone 1-310-559-2536, or email gsallus@twc.com.

The Current Events Group meets via ZOOM at 10:00am, on the third Tuesday of each month. Discussion is moderated by SIG chairman Louis Bernstein. For additional information please contact Louis at phone 1-310-275-7736, or email at louislaw@aol.com.

The Legal SIG is currently in recess due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, members wanting more information, or who may be interested in joining the Legal SIG, can contact Bernie Schiffer at phone: 1-323-855-1789, or email: schiffer_b@yahoo.com

Myron Forst and members of the Chess SIG have been meeting and playing chess via ZOOM. Members interested in joining this group are encouraged to contact Myron at 1-310-923-8996, or email at myronvending@yahoo.com.

The Sports Discussion SIG held its first meeting via ZOOM on Monday, September 7th. Members interested in joining should contact John Harris at phone 1-323-650-0664, or email jdhesq@sbcglobal.net.

The Brandeis Men's Group has a number of "Special Interest Groups" (SIG) which are either meeting via ZOOM, planning to meet via ZOOM, or anticipating an eventual return to normalcy. To find out more about the various groups, or to suggest adding new ones, contact Bernie Schiffer (1-323-855-1789), or the individual group chairman below.

1. At 10:06am, the ZOOM meeting of the BMG Steering Committee (BSC) was

called to order by President Louis Bernstein. A quorum was established.

2. Attendees were: Randy Barnes, Louis Bernstein, Tony Borwick, Al Dubin, Sheldon Ellis, Myron Forst, Howard Green, Phil Greenwald, John Harris, Richard Hirschkoff, Harold Katzman, Murray Kornblit, Gerry Sallus, Bernie Schiffer, Bernie Schneier, Bernie Schweitzer, and Stan Weinberg.

Excused absences were: Marvin Alperin, Arnie Geffner, Bernd Givon, Mel Miller, and Jerry Weinstein.

3. The Minutes of the Wednesday, December 23, 2020, meeting of the BSC were approved.

4. Treasurer Bernie Schneier gave his report. Details of this report were sent to each BSC member as two attachments to his January 26, 2021, eMail message. Bernie reported 60 active members. Last year, there were over 70. The Treasurer’s report was then accepted. Later, there was an extended discussion about the control of the Brandeis National Committee (BNC) of our funds and the exact uses to which those funds could be put without prior BNC approval.

5. This discussion led to more exchanges of information concerning the support BNC provides to BMG. Harold Katzman spoke about his suggestion for professors from Brandeis University to be BMG General Meeting speakers, but this proposal was rejected by BNC representatives in Waltham. Harold also told us of his request to have a BNC speaker, Dr Anthony Fauci, as a fundraiser for one of our General Meetings, but this suggestion likewise was disapproved by BNC.

6. Murray Kornblit mentioned his request for BMG to have its own

BMG Facebook page, but this request has not been responded to. President Bernstein mentioned a forthcoming ZOOM meeting of Chapter Presidents with BNC in which these topics should come up.

7. President Bernstein discussed the need for BMG to have wider publicity. He lauded the efforts of Tony Borwick and Sheldon Ellis in getting announcements of General Meetings into the "Beverly Hills Press" and the "Beverly Hills Courier." Randy Barnes will facilitate the www.bncla.org website being updated with correct information for the next ZOOM General Meeting, to include the scheduled speaker. Myron Forst graciously offered to donate money toward purchasing ads to promote BMG membership.

8. Bernie Schiffer, chairman of the SIG committee, reported that our Current Events, Opera and Chess Groups are functioning. The Walking Group will get going again on Thursday, February 11, 2021, at 9:30am. The History, Legal

and Sports SIG are currently inactive. Myron Forst expressed an interest in reestablishing an Investment SIG. It will meet on Monday, February 15, 2021, at 10:00am. Marv Alperin asked Bernie Schiffer to take over as chairman of our inactive Legal SIG, and Bernie agreed to do so.

9. Myron Forst, chairman of the Membership Committee, announced a ZOOM meeting of his committee on Monday, February 1, 2021, at 10:00am. President Bernstein mentioned a possible new member, Mike Goldberg, whom Myron will contact and invite to join BMG.

10. The chairman of the Telephone Committee, Stan Weinberg, was asked by President Bernstein to have his committee promote the BMG by inviting each member to join a SIG. Stan is also going to investigate why several members are not getting BMG phone calls.

11. No Old Business.

12. New Business Information concerning the current status of COVID-19 vaccinations was exchanged. President Bernstein and Treasurer Bernie Schneier started a conversation about the financial donations to Brandeis University, the growth of these donations through investment, and the uses, such as for scholarships, to which those funds are applied.

13. Good and Welfare. Glaucoma as a frequent illness of older men was discussed. Harold Katzman generously shared some of his professional experience as an opthomologist treating glaucoma.

14. President Bernstein adjourned the meeting at 11:28 AM.

BNC Mission – The Brandeis National Committee is dedicated to providing philanthropic support to Brandeis University, a distinguished liberal arts and research university founded by the American Jewish community. Its membership is connected to the university through fundraising and through activities that reflect the values on which the university was founded: Academic Excellence, Social Justice, Non-sectarianism, and Service to the Community.

BNC membership is July 1 - June 30 of each year. Membership dues can be paid by writing a check made out to BNC for $60 (single) or $100 (couple) and sending to Treasurer Bernie Schneier (address below in BMG section). National dues can also be paid by forwarding the BNC check to Brandeis University at their below address, or by going online (link is below).

Annual dues in the amount of $30 are also expected for Los Angeles Brandeis Men's Group (BMG) members. If there are any questions please contact Treasurer Bernie Schneier. If you haven't paid yet, please remit a check made out to BMG for the sum of $30, and send to Bernie. 

And for each SIG, the yearly amount is $10, paid to the appropriate SIG chairman!