News From Fort Schuyler

August 27, 1999 - Volume 3, No. 37

WELCOME BACK, AGAIN - His first contact with SUNY Maritime College came in 1975 when ED TASSINARI sailed the first of two summers as Yeoman on the EMPIRE STATE IV. He then sailed as Purser during cruises between 1984 -1986. Since then, Dr. Tassinari, a Ph .D in Inter-American Studies (U. Miami), has often taught courses at Fort Schuyler on an adjunct basis for the Humanities Department. He noted in a recent e-mail that: "Between 1987 and 1994, I taught for ten semesters. I'll be teaching two sections of the American Civilization survey course this fall."

Ed is a talented chess player who ranks in the Candidate Master category. He has organized many chess tournaments aboard the EMPIRE STATE and on campus during his Fort Schuyler sojourns. Ed writes that in 1998 he authored an article that was: "was voted the best historical chess article by the Chess Journalists Association (yes, there is such a group!) of the United States Chess Federation at their annual meeting last summer. The subject was Henry Chadwick, probably America's first professional sports writer, who just happened to be a chess enthusiast and wrote avidly about the game for several New York newspapers."

EDITOR FAILS TEST? - As many of you pointed out, the correct acronym for last week's item, THIS IS A TEST, should have been NYMFAF. Your editor needs to improve his note-taking skills. Dave and Kathi had it right. (Thanks to GLENN UNFLAT, Class of 1986 and JOE GALARDI, Class of 1991 for setting the record straight.)

In an interesting sidelight, however, GERD GLANG, Class of 1984 wrote: "I recall ADM MILLER coining the acronym NYMFAF (and pronounced it 'nim-faf'), which stood for 'New York Maritime First and Foremost.' ADM Miller dropped NYMFAF after discovering that my classmate (BILL GILES) had ordered custom license plates from NY DMV w/ the same letters. I suspect Hoss dropped NYMFAF and devised MCFAF ... anyone else remember?"

DECLARATION OF INTERDEPENDENCE DAY ON JULY 3 - There was a celebration in Howard Beach, Queens by those attending the wedding of LT STEVE BLATUS, Class of 1991, to GINA GRIECO. The roster of former cadets included: 1958 - CDR RICHARD BLATUS (the groom's father), JOHN MITCHELL, CAPT HARRY RAUSCH; 1991 - BOB BOOTH, LT JOE FINN, RAY FLANNAGAN, LT ED GOUTINK, JASON NIMARK; 1992 - CHRIS ADAMS, PHILIP KENNEDY, and 1990 Kings Point graduate, LT. Rich Davis. Steve e-mailed that the event " ... was a great opportunity for new and old alumni to get together and reminisce about experiences at the Dome!"

DOING GOOD WHEREVER HE GOES - The summer issue of Academy Enterprise, the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Foundation newsletter, features a nice profile and interview with our own JOE R. GERSON, Class of 1947. Joe sponsored Sea Term Scholarships for two cadets who sailed aboard the EMPIRE STATE VI last Winter when Mass Maritime borrowed the ship for its Sea Term session. The interviewer quotes Joe as saying: "Frankly, if it were not for my Maritime Academy training I still might be peddling newspapers on the streets of Brooklyn or Detroit. It's payback time. Time to thank for institutions responsible for shaping, educating and training me to appreciate the true meaning of 'Loyalty and Valor' ' the words appearing on my class ring."

SPEAKING OF OTHER SCHOOLS - An e-mail from Webb Institute of Naval Architecture faculty member PROF. ALAN ROWEN, Class of 1965, brings news that Matthew Fristachi, the son of MARIO FRISTACHI, Class of 1966, is a member of Webb's entering Class of 2003.

DON'T THROW THEM AWAY! - The Luce Library magazine collection urgently needs the following back issues of Lloyds Shipping Economist: 1997 - June through December; 1998 - January to March, July to December; 1999 - January to date. If you can provide any of these issues, please e-mail the editor.

COLLISION COURSE - Earlier this week the cruise ship, NORWEGIAN DREAM, collided with the container ship, EVER DECENT, in the English Channel. As of this date, if you search by ship name in the search box at the foot of the BBC homepage you still come up with articles, pictures and audio clips about the incident at their fast loading and nice looking website. ( http://news2.thls.bbc.co.uk/default.htm )

MUSICAL DOUBLEHEADER - On Sunday, September 12th, the acoustic bluegrass/"newgrass"-oriented group, Skyline, will reunite for a concert, plus folksinger/songwriter Michael Smith will also perform here at the Maritime College. This free community concert, which will run from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., will take place at the Quadrangle in front of the Mess Deck. According to a Maritime College press release, the concert "... will be the prelude to a series of events starting on December 10 to mark the College's 125 years as a center for maritime and maritime-related studies. Besides being part of the anniversary celebration, the September concert is a way to show the college's appreciation to the community." Bring chairs and blankets and enjoy. Parking is free, refreshments will be sold.