Class News
Jerry Flannelly ’64 convenes biggest Boston-area Zoom call yet
March 16, 2022
On the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, Jerry Flannelly convened the biggest and most lively Boston-area Zoom call yet. It was attended by seventeen classmates (see the Zoom Gallery below) from both sides of the Atlantic, plus two spouses: Karen Carmean (Doane Perry’s spouse) and Nancy Upper (the spouse of deceased classmate Dennis Upper).
Conversation was wide-ranging and at times intense:
- Yale men’s basketball in March Madness
- Yale women’s hockey in Frozen Four
- Ukraine invasion
- U.S. relations with China and India
- U.S. relations with Europe
- Upcoming Zoom event on China with Chas Freeman (April 28)
- Climate change: Tony Leiserowitz and YSE Students
- Water resources
- Ocean desalinization
- Hairless legs (not kidding)
Perhaps, the most poignant and challenging question of the day was asked by Al Rossiter: “Do the problems we faced in the 1960s pale in comparison to the problems we face today?”
Bob Rands welcomed all classmates and spouses to his June 25 party.
Later, Neil Hoffmann circulated a commentary that impressed him, by Professor John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago. See Mearsheimer’s presentation here. Neil commented: “His thesis seems contrarian and is not pleasant listening for Western ears. But if startingly accurate long-range global geopolitical predictions whet your interest, you will find this talk provocative at the very least — if not prescient.”
Jerry Flannelly followed up: “Further to our conversation yesterday is an excellent webinar my wife and I watched from the Yale Alumni Academy. (See it here.)
