1963

In case you doubt there were really guys named Doberman, Flea, Rat, Snot and so forth, you should have been at the Alpha Delta Phi mini-reunion last December in Healdsburg, California (wherever that is), where our own Ned "Huck Doody" Riley and Jeff "Rhesus Monkey" Lapic joined the throng for a screening of Animal House, a live performance by Otis Day and the Knights (who played in the movie) and an address by Bob "Otter" Anderson '61. They were buoyed by the review of Chris Millers TheReal Animal House by Christopher Buckley in TheNew York Times, which declares Chris a "genuinely witty writer" and "crackerjack storyteller." 'And to think," writes Buckley, "it all began with power-booting."

Speaking of power, check out this condensed cross-country e-mail exchange between TV education guru John Merrow and Africa aid exec Kevin Lowther when they tried to meet in Washington.

Kevin: John, October 18 happens to be the night of Africare's annual gala dinner....We expect well over 2,000 people to hear Bill Clinton speak and receive our annual humanitarian award. What windows of opportunity are you offering for coffee?

John: Another friend wrote to say "Dummy, it's October 19." He's right it's the 19th at 1 p.m. Maybe we can catch up later that day.

Kevin: John, when is the panel over? Thursday is my night to play hockey, so I have to be on my way to the rink by 4:45.

John: 2:30, but I will have some obligatory working of the crowd, which shouldn't take more than 10 or 15 minutes. That might allow a cup of coffee before you go off to the rink. That's so cool you're still in the nets. Is it all geezers except you?

Kevin: I have played senior hockey for the better part of the last 35 years. I play with two men's groups ages 40-70.1 also play for the Gerihatricks, an over-6os team. We play in Danbury in late October. I hope to see Bob Tucker, who plays for the host New York Olde Crabs.

When John Merrow is in New York, he tries to catch a show by his daughter Kelsey Jillette, a jazz singer, who's appeared at The Garage in the Village and at hot spots in Brooklyn. John Rose has bragging rights for his daughter Anika Noni Rose, featured in the recently opened Oscar-touted film, Dreamgirls. Peter Rollins knows about film. He's editor of a journal called Film & History, which recently hosted a conference on the Documentary Tradition in Dallas that attracted 500 scholars.

Rick Braddock knows about the Internet and its potential, as investor and chairman of Fresh Direct, a popular online grocery delivery service in New York. Rick, whose long career includes General Foods, Citicorp and six years as chairman of Priceline, believes the Internet has moved from being transaction-centered to a "golden age of marketing," he told The New York Times. Seattle lawyer Larry Bailey was awarded a 2006 distinguished alumnus award by University of Illinois College of Law.

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