tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18457028709282141352024-03-12T20:55:25.087-04:00Anything Goesby Bob RozakisBob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.comBlogger465125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-51971032876437939992023-10-07T13:32:00.003-04:002023-10-07T13:33:38.346-04:00Swimsover 2023<p>Well, the pool is not closed yet, but the forecast for the coming week is highs in the 60s and overnight lows in the 40s, so it would seem that yesterday was my last time in the water. I did get a full week of October swims, though, so I'm happy the original date for closing (this past Tuesday) was rescheduled.</p><p>Only about 30 weeks to First Dunk 2024!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yaq4Obhk8k67DS5VV8osFDjdu2yqGB1aB0WhRh5DMZyk4ntPmCM9EgY3bw3n6eHKUPazKp83KOkJ_zYO849wvu5Qgsto1CxDHSSJMkTUPs6VgnXZDXZBTeQ7gIrkIczSf9xXMUggpspmSG-AIr5Ur31PNaHIvZDnAsCNYtuNK5lccv8DlTYIBmbk4Okl/s1080/thumbnail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yaq4Obhk8k67DS5VV8osFDjdu2yqGB1aB0WhRh5DMZyk4ntPmCM9EgY3bw3n6eHKUPazKp83KOkJ_zYO849wvu5Qgsto1CxDHSSJMkTUPs6VgnXZDXZBTeQ7gIrkIczSf9xXMUggpspmSG-AIr5Ur31PNaHIvZDnAsCNYtuNK5lccv8DlTYIBmbk4Okl/w375-h500/thumbnail.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwS8zQ9ahdCsH88BvXAU8VJ6-sUBR6LayFg3QIzCk0fPIT8VnPjvoKskPnvDXRej2rLed1xjVhRRrOFQIhTkL0a_Fsaj56oBPiZADHU1J1pXJVpGkWQp000UJ3lzcqtbaqwWm8BoMGZBIAgqiw3WWkbl8_5ry2QB1OHfsCNzWwu0Bu8jYXFxnNsDvgH5_/s1080/thumbnail%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwS8zQ9ahdCsH88BvXAU8VJ6-sUBR6LayFg3QIzCk0fPIT8VnPjvoKskPnvDXRej2rLed1xjVhRRrOFQIhTkL0a_Fsaj56oBPiZADHU1J1pXJVpGkWQp000UJ3lzcqtbaqwWm8BoMGZBIAgqiw3WWkbl8_5ry2QB1OHfsCNzWwu0Bu8jYXFxnNsDvgH5_/w378-h504/thumbnail%20(1).jpg" width="378" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-12849562938663819292023-05-06T20:44:00.001-04:002023-05-06T20:47:05.466-04:00Where Does a Blood Donation Go? <p> </p><span style="font-size: medium;"> The young woman in the center of this photo is alive today thanks to twenty-four transfusions of whole blood, platelets, and red cells she received while fighting leukemia. People who receive transfusions rarely, if ever, know from whom they come nor do the donors ever learn who receives their donations.<br /> On May 3rd, however, at a New York Blood Center dinner, she got to meet six of the two dozen strangers whose donations saved her life. It was an amazing and emotional event for all.<br /> Only 2% of the population of this country donates blood and blood products. The need is constant and there is no substitute. Please consider becoming a donor; you may never know who you will save, but someone out there will benefit.<br /> By the way, the six donors in this picture, who were also strangers to one another, have together made more than 1,100 lifetime donations! (Four hundred and fifteen of them were by that familiar-looking guy third from <br />the left.)</span><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5J9E9t9RCdbD3IzYu1qcMXF9SKk5F6OpUAwWFK_rApwzklIFevrJcrIMd4cAUKVdTL6B9_t7qxpv36HIoOhj1So3AgoHVVMMlV1yBhYr8hO6yiLlq1FwBr1uhA2ik92ldqwoNFW1-la9WQWAabROyA0Rs8r_Vt_ObHTyh-oiHV8Z82EVEF0OklQbng/s624/Aliyah.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="624" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5J9E9t9RCdbD3IzYu1qcMXF9SKk5F6OpUAwWFK_rApwzklIFevrJcrIMd4cAUKVdTL6B9_t7qxpv36HIoOhj1So3AgoHVVMMlV1yBhYr8hO6yiLlq1FwBr1uhA2ik92ldqwoNFW1-la9WQWAabROyA0Rs8r_Vt_ObHTyh-oiHV8Z82EVEF0OklQbng/w590-h392/Aliyah.jpg" width="590" /></a></div></div>Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-82499411667818019872023-05-06T20:33:00.001-04:002023-05-06T20:44:17.943-04:00First Dunk 2023<p> After some morning volleyball on a warm sunny day, it was time for First Dunk!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrrrYHFSVIURsyy6GHusTiYwaVCMAeAy1fgAI-udQ9jVeI5E8kn9DWqEBNYUpH1eXzg56vB5NUlfNjTay_vOHxhpMI9lJuD1hnsDIi7Sw23F5kUpyIe9Tr38MMXuxZzJcn1mWofStjJFw7s7yKz80viI-n1-VQDmFxb5byhrU9MebNK5Af3N7PTgvxw/s695/first%20dunk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="391" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrrrYHFSVIURsyy6GHusTiYwaVCMAeAy1fgAI-udQ9jVeI5E8kn9DWqEBNYUpH1eXzg56vB5NUlfNjTay_vOHxhpMI9lJuD1hnsDIi7Sw23F5kUpyIe9Tr38MMXuxZzJcn1mWofStjJFw7s7yKz80viI-n1-VQDmFxb5byhrU9MebNK5Af3N7PTgvxw/w308-h548/first%20dunk.jpg" width="308" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-31602148016719539202022-10-18T01:44:00.000-04:002022-10-18T01:44:32.808-04:00Swimsover - 2022<p> The pool is scheduled to be closed this afternoon and with the chilly temperature today, there was no way I could get in one last swim. So, Swimsover is officially October 16th. </p><p> Looking forward to the reopening and First Dunk in May, 2023.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYqH9MQ64vyDrhPBW633kr7X0fsWrBk0-KZmkF-KlOaHw544Ec88GT2-5qSbFElGLvANmFEkFpsU2RYioPHw0jGMlpaE99L913eaIHqR_yhl7Y3WDVKXtfndrRBjReKu3N5MAHVjdhRyZ64baUpHo0MTmUH3g8ZRFd-yCrWtuapp4_rwsaiQBgpf4jw/s1080/pool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYqH9MQ64vyDrhPBW633kr7X0fsWrBk0-KZmkF-KlOaHw544Ec88GT2-5qSbFElGLvANmFEkFpsU2RYioPHw0jGMlpaE99L913eaIHqR_yhl7Y3WDVKXtfndrRBjReKu3N5MAHVjdhRyZ64baUpHo0MTmUH3g8ZRFd-yCrWtuapp4_rwsaiQBgpf4jw/w339-h452/pool.jpg" width="339" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaeqP1kjN0K0fRqqzycge2-CG9WOBI-fHJqlqvnB8aVgF-EnvNaknLIr1KOiuVngZ0koaOE3mbzt4rEWTsC4up6d-O9-2Dx39OeVX3lFsqM6R7fsxvKnAuHP-jGp0K2KtBWSlbicjiD_JM8b7CXRgM0lR4pQp-3kCT6hrmoAqdiVzPkUrM4r-nDRRimw/s1080/pool2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaeqP1kjN0K0fRqqzycge2-CG9WOBI-fHJqlqvnB8aVgF-EnvNaknLIr1KOiuVngZ0koaOE3mbzt4rEWTsC4up6d-O9-2Dx39OeVX3lFsqM6R7fsxvKnAuHP-jGp0K2KtBWSlbicjiD_JM8b7CXRgM0lR4pQp-3kCT6hrmoAqdiVzPkUrM4r-nDRRimw/w328-h437/pool2.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-17704451841401787092022-05-21T19:39:00.003-04:002022-05-21T19:59:19.010-04:00First Dunk -2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZJiiKASL1gXfK_xBgfaomErGfklhJL6df0epPAUGmDfbDj09rBk1PrjuuQ91FatSe54JVEQ5D5ESY5OlmoGmPWNcAYqfgpFh-xJSZfpVMFG7kcaUsoNr4N6Z5zCgvx8yp9ZhxfXov2Yn5aCdGuAclztrmplMuEoAo38_juGq6_fTlWlc4d9uTLnoDA/s748/first%20dunk%202022%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="562" height="455" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZJiiKASL1gXfK_xBgfaomErGfklhJL6df0epPAUGmDfbDj09rBk1PrjuuQ91FatSe54JVEQ5D5ESY5OlmoGmPWNcAYqfgpFh-xJSZfpVMFG7kcaUsoNr4N6Z5zCgvx8yp9ZhxfXov2Yn5aCdGuAclztrmplMuEoAo38_juGq6_fTlWlc4d9uTLnoDA/w341-h455/first%20dunk%202022%20(2).jpg" width="341" /></a></div><br /> We opened the pool quite early this year -- April 6th, in fact -- because we needed the cover out of the way so the new patio could be installed. Despite that, it was not warm enough for my first dunk until May 17th. (Sorry, no photo available.)<p></p><p> With temperatures in the 80s today, Alex joined me for his first dunk of the season. He has been looking forward to being back in the pool since his last swim of 2021.</p>Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-58215598600042723332021-10-15T23:27:00.006-04:002021-10-15T23:27:49.663-04:00Swimsover 2021<p> Another pool season came to an end with my final swim yesterday. I had hoped for one more today but the pool guys showed up before I got home. </p><p> Oh well, only about 28 weeks till we open it up again.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-aPtrXjqLkhGpNRJL8akj2BNzgUSVJoSz3gcvXMOFkrSzFjK6EZSA8GecGJhBL_50TlI_V1IyyutrEl2dbsRL8QcNMidKyrT8MLJZu0-OEl4FwB98v1rSc8fEE4VDiWeFXIDhM9I8104/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="418" height="433" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-aPtrXjqLkhGpNRJL8akj2BNzgUSVJoSz3gcvXMOFkrSzFjK6EZSA8GecGJhBL_50TlI_V1IyyutrEl2dbsRL8QcNMidKyrT8MLJZu0-OEl4FwB98v1rSc8fEE4VDiWeFXIDhM9I8104/w576-h433/pool.jfif" width="576" /></a></div><p></p>Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-72585088370496349252021-05-15T19:31:00.001-04:002021-05-15T19:31:25.202-04:00First Dunk 2021<p> The pool is open and the Temperature Team and I were ready for this year's First Dunk. The water was 73 degrees, so it was a refreshing dip after volleyball and some yard work.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uV8Rev66QvlnVn-29xCOqG9sMR7GFgmgrE70_7UX48yP4W70OLDWWisSg29Ny6RJhwJqsmx_z-oiDAjUPg3Mc1_SPDuC5rVrkOqRn7w5TaJDtcBajsrFw9VEB6NKI9ydDG38LycuAplz/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="342" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uV8Rev66QvlnVn-29xCOqG9sMR7GFgmgrE70_7UX48yP4W70OLDWWisSg29Ny6RJhwJqsmx_z-oiDAjUPg3Mc1_SPDuC5rVrkOqRn7w5TaJDtcBajsrFw9VEB6NKI9ydDG38LycuAplz/w337-h356/image.png" width="337" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-23550684399439367332021-01-10T18:10:00.004-05:002021-01-10T18:10:55.435-05:00Will You Shut Up, Man<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So tired of hearing about how so many Republicans believe the election was stolen from Trump. Let's have a 2016 flashback to compare:</span></p><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"> *Number of Democrats who believed the election was stolen from Hillary Clinton: Many.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"> *When Clinton conceded the election to Trump: The day after the election</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"> *Number of Clinton lawsuits filed to have votes thrown out: None</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"> *Number of post-election rallies Clinton held proclaiming voter fraud: None</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"> *Number of times Clinton demanded Vice President Joe Biden throw out the Electoral College votes from states she "should" have won: None</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"> *Number of Clinton supporters who stormed the Capitol, threatening lives and destroying property: None</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"> *Number of deaths as a result of Clinton's post-election actions: None</div>Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-11798107327700765012020-12-27T17:22:00.002-05:002020-12-27T17:22:15.949-05:00History From the Future<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">From <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A History of U.S.
Elections</i>, © 2057 by Amazon Putnam Doubleday, Inc. :<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In 2016, there was massive interference by the Russian
government in the Presidential elections. Though the public was only told that
it was limited to influencing and bogus postings on social media, further
investigation showed that malware had been planted in the voting machines of a
number of states. Primary targets were Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan,
and Wisconsin, identified as “swing states” because their electoral votes would
most likely determine the winner of the election. The purpose of the malware
was, quite simply, to change votes. Every tenth vote recorded for Hillary
Clinton was changed to a vote for Donald Trump, resulting in a Trump victory in
each of the swing states. It was this change that resulted in all the polls and
predictions of the outcome turning out so wrong.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Investigations after the election revealed the existence of
the malware, but the discovery was kept at a top secret security level, the
fear being that disclosure would shake the faith of the American public in the
electoral process. President Trump, after being advised of the situation, chose
to take no action against the Russians. He also took no steps and gave no
orders to have the malware removed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As the 2020 election approached, Trump began a campaign designed
to destroy Americans’ faith in the security of the elections, the very
situation that keeping the Russian interference a secret was intended to avoid.
However, Trump claimed that it was the Democratic Party that would use tricks
and fraudulent voting to steal the election from him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Trump’s major concern about his reelection was mail-in
voting. While the Russian malware would continue to change votes in his favor,
nothing could be done with paper ballots that had to be processed and counted
by human beings. Over the course of the year leading up to the election, he
made numerous statements about counterfeit ballots and ballots being sent on
behalf of deceased people and illegal immigrants, as well as other baseless
claims. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The situation grew more serious for Trump with the outbreak
of Covid-19. With the country locked down by the pandemic, many states
instituted or eased restrictions on the use of mail-in or absentee ballots.
This was of particular concern in the so-called “swing states,” which again
would most likely determine the winner of the Presidency. Trump installed a
staunch supporter as Postmaster General, giving him the specific task of
crippling the Postal Service so that ballots would not be delivered to the
voters or returned in a timely manner.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The impact of the Russian malware was evident early on
Election Day as tallies from the swing states showed Trump with substantial
leads. Trump, thinking his reelection was assured, declared himself the victor.
What he had failed to take into account were the millions of mail-in ballots
that still had to be counted, votes that were overwhelmingly for his opponent,
Joe Biden. As those ballots were tallied, it became evident that Biden was, in
fact, the winner of the election. Trump, handcuffed because he could not focus
attention on the voting machines and the Russian interference which had enabled
his 2016 victory (and was intended to reassure his reelection), instead pursued
baseless litigation to have all the mail-in ballots thrown out. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Despite his refusal to concede defeat, Trump’s tenure as
President ended with the inauguration of Joe Biden in 2021. He went to his
grave claiming that the election had been stolen from him. He never publicly
acknowledged the Russian interference, though a postmortem investigation of his
private papers revealed a number of questionable communications with Russian
leader Vladimir Putin. (The exact contents of those communications remain
sealed until 2080.) <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Further investigation during the Biden Presidency discovered
that the Russian malware’s use had been expanded in 2020 and utilized in a
number of races for the United States Senate and House of Representatives. As
with the Trump votes, votes cast for Democratic candidates in a number of
states were changed to votes for their opponents, resulting in a number of
illegitimate Republican victories. It was not until 2027 that this became
public knowledge when two Senators who had benefited from the cheating
acknowledged that their unwavering support for Trump had been in exchange for
the “help” with their campaigns. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Following the 2020 election, the movement to eliminate the
Electoral College from the process of electing the President grew more fervent.
The battle, almost totally partisan, went on for more than a decade until an
agreement was reached. In 2035, the 30th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified
by 40 states, determined that Electoral College votes would be prorated in each
state based on the popular vote. This effectively eliminated the concept of
“swing states” and gave the Presidency to the person who won the popular vote.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-36115089974636884162020-10-15T13:20:00.000-04:002020-10-15T13:20:49.872-04:00Swimsover 2020<p> Another pool season comes to a close. My last dip was yesterday afternoon with the air temp in the low 70s and the water down at about 64 degrees. Laurie calls this photo "Proof of Life in Frigid Water."</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXBzOmCOjOW-x6YnLvp20wQGyO75u7QO8qe7lsM9rhZXAmKjipHleK9EFRveziHtI10LYJsq3dxPoUPJJBsSjMPYOTqt__6VJ4xjdGFEr8h-53nHdvjZzdg5iqXNesve5PImY9E5aOvjT/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1808" height="433" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXBzOmCOjOW-x6YnLvp20wQGyO75u7QO8qe7lsM9rhZXAmKjipHleK9EFRveziHtI10LYJsq3dxPoUPJJBsSjMPYOTqt__6VJ4xjdGFEr8h-53nHdvjZzdg5iqXNesve5PImY9E5aOvjT/w383-h433/image.png" width="383" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This morning, our friends from Carr Pools arrived and the 2020 swim season is officially ended.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjVPGj9D79oDYJzFQrGsmOW2JJY_FI8I9uRmTozvJgD7GadmP6wM8-ZWJREymmKtnkOSKP1wfnYAjIZ2ZXeiO1K8lHAu1fE8golDqsKwc1mBZDuJexKjUCQg-BoOfGSDtIqYTvSFzpxSW/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjVPGj9D79oDYJzFQrGsmOW2JJY_FI8I9uRmTozvJgD7GadmP6wM8-ZWJREymmKtnkOSKP1wfnYAjIZ2ZXeiO1K8lHAu1fE8golDqsKwc1mBZDuJexKjUCQg-BoOfGSDtIqYTvSFzpxSW/w387-h290/image.png" width="387" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Only about 28 weeks till First Dunk 2021.</div><br /><p></p>Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-70797178289460771952020-05-16T18:36:00.000-04:002020-05-16T18:36:04.529-04:00First Dunk 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17f0GGk-COgssm1WbJ_4Ghauoqa17jgMe4prripCm3izVYfnf7pCtTrEE3UMrP2pouddfMDbllpR5CirnvY_xFjIWEGfYZetw40KQPWxgdiGYqIcNdH-umtXTUNMXv6VcXj-UkhRQahS5/s1600/IMG_2894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17f0GGk-COgssm1WbJ_4Ghauoqa17jgMe4prripCm3izVYfnf7pCtTrEE3UMrP2pouddfMDbllpR5CirnvY_xFjIWEGfYZetw40KQPWxgdiGYqIcNdH-umtXTUNMXv6VcXj-UkhRQahS5/s640/IMG_2894.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
The pool was opened last Saturday morning. On Saturday afternoon, we had a couple of snow squalls -- yes, on May 9th! A week later, here I am for First Dunk 2020. (Granted, the water was only 69 degrees, but it's a start!)Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-84255252331291591232019-10-14T18:25:00.000-04:002019-10-14T18:25:16.452-04:00Swimsover 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKoTzXn4SFYli4C95t8_D7rlIIrTsGIv7K9HNRN3BoGf62DZ2EO5eWdzUjKqJ4a4fD_vINMo3bHkCPi8mDiL9wS7l9WgXjUNfXTNtgr5tQxDZqqfgsmT2jaz2Cic7fcN9i643QU6zrAIVG/s1600/IMG_2859+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="411" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKoTzXn4SFYli4C95t8_D7rlIIrTsGIv7K9HNRN3BoGf62DZ2EO5eWdzUjKqJ4a4fD_vINMo3bHkCPi8mDiL9wS7l9WgXjUNfXTNtgr5tQxDZqqfgsmT2jaz2Cic7fcN9i643QU6zrAIVG/s640/IMG_2859+%25283%2529.jpg" width="456" /></a></div>
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I wasn't sure when I was going to get my last swim in, but the weather cooperated today (mid-70s) and, after turning over the tomato beds (<i>that </i>season is over too), I was warm enough to jump in. The water was 66 degrees -- too cold for Laurie but okay for my own version of the Polar Bear Club. Tomorrow, the pool gets closed for the winter and I'll start looking forward to First Dunk 2020.Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-37672859192934186422019-05-18T17:36:00.003-04:002019-05-18T17:36:28.287-04:00First Dunk 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I was starting to wonder if it would ever stick in "late spring" mode long enough for the pool to stay warm. (We had a night in the 40s earlier this week.) Well, today the temperature team agreed the pool was at 70 degrees, so in I went. Summer's here!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqBoTzs1BBF4VuTJ4N6BLvV2vG9fwaWwubYO0ubxXsqEofsCR0Hd4Fr25Lki5R6_k-SmBm2ZYpy2x9sLdPq2B70qfayKpCSdbH_7OQjZQQvg-A9JQgvfcOBubuSBmC3mjLqhbKu7a0OFP/s1600/First+Dunk+2019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="807" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqBoTzs1BBF4VuTJ4N6BLvV2vG9fwaWwubYO0ubxXsqEofsCR0Hd4Fr25Lki5R6_k-SmBm2ZYpy2x9sLdPq2B70qfayKpCSdbH_7OQjZQQvg-A9JQgvfcOBubuSBmC3mjLqhbKu7a0OFP/s1600/First+Dunk+2019.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-38149378252366420362018-11-25T14:17:00.004-05:002018-11-25T14:17:48.731-05:00Papa & Alex "Photo Booth"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyqH5f4wgexmLaPNi6_NQN4nsNOuWAKlMnlOgpksrqlaAR61Ods7OUk4PCFnURNq0fqKZKFah4FKOs8XVbEiPj9l1kj0EF_sCcBwovoT2kNGYgumM75TxJv5riVcHRKT9DSBjXQGmLy-n/s1600/Smiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyqH5f4wgexmLaPNi6_NQN4nsNOuWAKlMnlOgpksrqlaAR61Ods7OUk4PCFnURNq0fqKZKFah4FKOs8XVbEiPj9l1kj0EF_sCcBwovoT2kNGYgumM75TxJv5riVcHRKT9DSBjXQGmLy-n/s400/Smiles.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Posing</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCS3CkeEFHvVDspu60HjnrlLr8XVDAeBGb3LnscQpO1n1pdR1JslbYdloy7LAofu0v-ZTyqAWe0oyQuXTMQLXZMZW9d59sZajVs91-6KAhKaJq5ab3munxaWQOpXPvxagkhJ2syK43X53R/s1600/Heroes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCS3CkeEFHvVDspu60HjnrlLr8XVDAeBGb3LnscQpO1n1pdR1JslbYdloy7LAofu0v-ZTyqAWe0oyQuXTMQLXZMZW9d59sZajVs91-6KAhKaJq5ab3munxaWQOpXPvxagkhJ2syK43X53R/s400/Heroes.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Superheroes</div>
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Dinosaurs</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLnOxl5TiwSOCF7Qd2xqtpDfCQCd4oryK0O-aToSoHRdPQDqHQm5q_2siCxqbB-SowIYWfQ1PVxqKm9Vzad6_KAnmTe92P_1UbSXX-T47hThhW7u1VUICQYP2oOvYptT6ZoBionsCSZtW/s1600/Silly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLnOxl5TiwSOCF7Qd2xqtpDfCQCd4oryK0O-aToSoHRdPQDqHQm5q_2siCxqbB-SowIYWfQ1PVxqKm9Vzad6_KAnmTe92P_1UbSXX-T47hThhW7u1VUICQYP2oOvYptT6ZoBionsCSZtW/s400/Silly.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Silly</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgbgZVoWcq9SAEwWZnsawoKS1qdFPEIlW-DFga7sAySW0t-ZKYId5CcvBsbvYh2n1HkqMkECfXnLJz5EoTKtsRSFtUV2ofTgI5nfCDLGpyRo0ZyLbXnNG-FIqGG0_aLAtVFqGTpR4GsJX/s1600/Sleepy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgbgZVoWcq9SAEwWZnsawoKS1qdFPEIlW-DFga7sAySW0t-ZKYId5CcvBsbvYh2n1HkqMkECfXnLJz5EoTKtsRSFtUV2ofTgI5nfCDLGpyRo0ZyLbXnNG-FIqGG0_aLAtVFqGTpR4GsJX/s400/Sleepy.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Worn Out</div>
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<br />Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-54333675257851293202018-10-13T01:11:00.002-04:002018-10-13T01:11:59.933-04:00Swimsover 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJTc8yqD2igL3_b2csU5QgnZQ3cTetsdDStCRvnVV9SeuQfWBfGtmRT_FY6HR1sxwPq4f3o8piEeZisVnbQzY4HoS7YBdqAyoyOJ0hLE6QiFdFvyePAMihYvl1cN9-i5OP2hCb90CnV_a/s1600/IMG_2408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1454" data-original-width="1086" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJTc8yqD2igL3_b2csU5QgnZQ3cTetsdDStCRvnVV9SeuQfWBfGtmRT_FY6HR1sxwPq4f3o8piEeZisVnbQzY4HoS7YBdqAyoyOJ0hLE6QiFdFvyePAMihYvl1cN9-i5OP2hCb90CnV_a/s400/IMG_2408.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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Summer blew out of town sometime Thursday night as we appear to have seen the last of weather in the mid-70s (with temps not much cooler overnight). Friday night is forecast to drop into the 40s.<br />
With the pool closing scheduled, Swimsover 2018 was going to happen sometime in the next few days. Though I usually wait till the day before (or the day of) the closing, I decided to take advantage of the water still being in the low 70s -- and about ten degrees warmer than the air -- and take the last swim this afternoon.<br />
One extra note for this pool season, my last "midnight swim" -- a dip after an evening of volleyball or when it's just a really hot night -- took place on Wednesday, far later in the season than I've ever done before.<br />
So that's it for 2018, but we're only about six months away from First Dunk 2019.<br />
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Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-55397378666776225252018-09-23T23:39:00.000-04:002018-09-23T23:39:18.873-04:00UticonHad a fun time at Uticon today, joined by my son Chuck.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJLpY1CSNVUtu6OoaFYWx0M3wGdsVvof4Amp4rnWNgnd1AhjLtdAt8i8YdqWlten_iJ1tg_g9ntycZK8r_janqSKEhmYNpp0ryfzQ3ZR1-yg8fRlGLgK66KVoJVjiZX8p93A9lb22AY-R/s1600/20180923_140810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJLpY1CSNVUtu6OoaFYWx0M3wGdsVvof4Amp4rnWNgnd1AhjLtdAt8i8YdqWlten_iJ1tg_g9ntycZK8r_janqSKEhmYNpp0ryfzQ3ZR1-yg8fRlGLgK66KVoJVjiZX8p93A9lb22AY-R/s640/20180923_140810.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-61411716853843363972018-09-17T20:03:00.000-04:002018-09-17T20:03:03.517-04:00Going to Uticon<img src="https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/c0.114.475.250/38207494_1004352596393582_4453136317148037120_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=b9c4affed203490f34b7f751eda4a306&oe=5C1DAF30" /><br />
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I'll be a guest at Uticon on Sunday, September 23rd from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.<br />
Check out the info at <span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: 12.8px;"> </span><a href="http://www.uticoncomicshow.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="background-color: white; color: blue; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">www.uticoncomicshow.com</a><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;"> and stop by to say hello if you're in the area.</span></span>Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-89715430525289320812018-08-09T16:20:00.001-04:002018-08-09T16:20:09.121-04:00Another Hofstra Recognition<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjTS9ZQaNZCuhTyxugRjDN9_rHSzjDuPgu0t16cHdFfORcasiyCwaMHLmDHFFyoOAtBEjavee4gCOf8v5uwzghtx_wiOuNBJfDdTjlawSjejwPymCXNrZ5gNk96Z7jkZ-LTs9nK6iRY9M/s1600/Hofstra+Library.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjTS9ZQaNZCuhTyxugRjDN9_rHSzjDuPgu0t16cHdFfORcasiyCwaMHLmDHFFyoOAtBEjavee4gCOf8v5uwzghtx_wiOuNBJfDdTjlawSjejwPymCXNrZ5gNk96Z7jkZ-LTs9nK6iRY9M/s640/Hofstra+Library.JPG" width="640" /></a>Amid an array of photos on display in the Hofstra Library is a page from a Robin story I wrote forty years ago. In it, Dick Grayson and his girl friend Lori are doing work in the "Hudson University" library. Sammi and Bill found this last month -- no one at HU let me know it was there -- and we went to see it (and do the photo op) today.<br />
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Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-68616119304195452872018-07-28T21:37:00.002-04:002018-07-28T21:37:45.602-04:00Teen Titans Go to the Movies<img alt="Image may contain: text" height="480" src="https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/37950439_10156824241143217_2275121928484159488_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=8a554375c08a84ef40813ee30792f03c&oe=5C095773" width="640" /><br />
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In the closing credits for the new <i>Teen Titans Go to the Movies</i>, there I am among an all-star list of comic book creators, many of whom I worked with over the years.Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-35776111628552181252018-05-08T19:37:00.002-04:002018-05-08T19:37:36.463-04:00First Dunk 2018A week ago, we were still enduring "endless March" with high temperatures only in the mid-50s. As I mentioned to a number of people at the time, we would wake up one morning soon and every day would be in the 70s. Sure enough, that is what has happened and this afternoon, with the pool already at 71 degrees, it was time for First Dunk 2018. Not the earliest First Dunk ever; that was May 4, 2016. Not the latest either; that was May 20th last year.<br />
Anyway, summer has begun...at least for me.<br />
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Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-42099888029334363462017-11-05T15:56:00.002-05:002017-11-05T15:56:23.649-05:00MoCABs Since summer does to want to seem to give up this year, I have been continuing to take afternoon bicycle rides. Virtually all of the routes I follow take me on some portion of the nearby Greenbelt bike path.<br />
Most of the people I encounter on the path during the early afternoon are other bicyclists and I've started referring to them as MoCABs (for Men of a Certain Age Bicycling)," that age being about the same as mine. (I presume, as we are all out biking in the afternoon, that we are also all retired.)<br />
There are two basic types of MoCABs and they are pretty much in equal numbers. The old school guys wear shorts and tee-shirts, ride bicycles they have probably owned for thirty years, and are out to enjoy the fresh air.<br />
Then there are the gents with their shiny new bikes, who are decked out with their helmets, elbow pads and knee pads, water bottles and backpacks. None of them appear to be training for the Senior Olympics, though they are certainly equipped for it. More than likely, they decided to take up bicycling for exercise, went to buy a bike and got sucked into getting all the safety equipment and gear necessary for the <i>Tour de France</i>. I applaud these guys for getting out for some exercise, but I have to ask, "Are you having fun?"<br />
Since we encounter one another going in opposite directions, there is no conversation among MoCABs. Some nod or smile, but many just stay focused on the path ahead. Some take a leisurely pace (as I do), others are pedaling furiously. One guy I passed, riding a new multi-speed bicycle, was pedaling away, but not moving at a speed that justified his efforts; clearly, he was not quite sure how to switch gears.<br />
Perhaps there is a secret meeting place for MoCABs where, after an afternoon of riding, they gather for a beer or a cup of coffee. If there is, I haven't yet been invited to join. Maybe because they are all going in the opposite direction...Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-69348487971644272122017-10-15T18:06:00.001-04:002017-10-15T18:06:21.120-04:00Swimsover 2017 It has remained warm enough over the past couple of weeks that I've been able go in the pool almost every day. In fact, last Tuesday evening, I was able to take a post-volleyball "midnight swim" (the latest in the year I've ever had one). But the calendar has reached mid-October and the "seasonable" weather is finally catching up to it, so it is once again time for Swimsover.<br />
This afternoon, with the air temperature in the mid-70s and the water at just about 70 degrees, I took my last swim of the season. Tomorrow, the cover goes on and we begin the countdown to First Dunk 2018.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Come on, Froggy, can this really be the end!"</td></tr>
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<br />Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-1665715859741521732017-09-11T23:01:00.001-04:002017-09-23T23:42:36.790-04:00The Hofstra Unispan Way back in <i>Batman Family</i> #6 in 1976, I wrote a story about Robin battling the Joker's Daughter on top of the Hudson University Unispan, an enclosed bridge that spanned Interstate 24, connecting the north and south campuses.<br />
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Said structure was modeled on the Unispan at Hofstra University, my alma mater. Not coincidentally, it also spans Interstate 24 and connects the north and south campuses.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7BV6o55NZICbaMBULfJDIbH8fnpS7nyNn2BV7RdsUimELGSpUjIR5uJ4qn0eStmCXf2YIM0ve_XRTipjaDXv4YoPruLDNnkFHDZP8xx6pWBryIZAZ_FUgohe78dtoEm7JKpVYHp8gEIp/s1600/unispan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="975" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7BV6o55NZICbaMBULfJDIbH8fnpS7nyNn2BV7RdsUimELGSpUjIR5uJ4qn0eStmCXf2YIM0ve_XRTipjaDXv4YoPruLDNnkFHDZP8xx6pWBryIZAZ_FUgohe78dtoEm7JKpVYHp8gEIp/s400/unispan.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Every dozen years or so, someone at Hofstra would stumble across the comic, decide it was newsworthy, and would get in touch with me for a story. On one occasion, I was asked if the use of the Unispan was a coincidence. When I replied that I was an alumnus, his response was, "Really?"<br />
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Now, some four decades after I put the Unispan in a story, Hofstra has put <i>me</i> in the Unispan. A mural running along both interior walls shows highlights of the school's 80+ year history, including a couple of dozen notable staff and alumni. I was astonished to find out that I was among them.<br />
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The caption reads: "Alum Bob Rozakis '73 is the author of more than 400 DC Comics books, including one that paid homage to Hofstra's Unispan connecting North and South campuses by depicting a fight between Robin and the Joker's daughter atop the 'Hudson University' Unispan."Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-47882600140230304712017-06-20T12:07:00.003-04:002017-06-20T12:07:41.582-04:00Another CTY Summer... with a Twist I'm back to my annual stint at the Writing & Imagination instructor for Johns Hopkins' CTY (Center for Talented Youth) program in a couple of days. This year, however, I will not be making the trek down to the Washington College campus in lovely, bucolic Chestertown, Maryland, the site I've been going to since 1996.<br />
Last summer, due to a drop in enrollment, there were not enough students to run a second-session WRIT class at Chestertown, so after three weeks there, I packed everything up and moved to the Lafayette College site in Easton, Pennsylvania. (Overnight, I went from being the wise old sage at Chestertown to the new kid on the block at Easton.) Despite the change in venue, there was little difference in how the class went and the students were just as productive as they would have been in C'town. (An amusing note: One of the girls in my class told me she had wanted to take the course at the Chestertown site, but had to come to Easton. So, she would have been in my class even if there had been one in C'town.)<br />
When it came time to re-up for 2017, I expected that I would again be splitting my time between two campuses, but asked for both sessions in the same place if it was available. Initially, it wasn't an option, but someone else's situation changed and I was offered all six weeks in Easton. So that it where I will be.<br />
It will seem odd not to be at Washington College. (I've spent more time living in their dorms than any of their four-year students do!) There are people I'm used to seeing every summer and I know the campus and town like the back of my hand.<br />
On the flip side, however, Easton is two hours closer to home and the route takes me within four blocks of my son's house, meaning Papa can drop in and visit with Alex on the way back and forth.<br />
I'll do a bit more exploring of Easton and the area this time around and get to know the new set of staffers a bit better. Regardless of the site, I know the class will be creative and productive and a lot of fun. So, as I say every year, "Bring on the kids."Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1845702870928214135.post-83236756789111034912017-05-16T19:17:00.002-04:002017-05-16T19:17:55.320-04:00Teen Titans My entire run on <i>Teen Titans</i> (issues #44 to 53) plus the three issues of <i>Batman Family</i> that introduced Duela Dent (a.k.a. The Joker's Daughter) are a major portion of the soon-to-be-released <i>Teen Titans: The Bronze Age Omnibus</i>.<br />
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The run of stories is also notable for the introduction of The Bumblebee, who has since gotten a prime spot among the DC Superhero Girls.</div>
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And, if that's not enough to entice you, there's even an introduction to the volume written by yours truly. You can check it out on Amazon with this link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Teen-Titans-Bronze-Age-Omnibus/dp/1401270751/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494976244&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=teen+titans+omnibus+volume+2">TT Omnibus</a></div>
Bob Rozakishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02053075963359182633noreply@blogger.com0