RIP Susan Mills, former United Nations CFO

http://www.peckandpeck.net/feenstra.htm

1990, February photo at surprise party for a friend. Susan Mills, then UN CFO, one of the most powerful women in the world at the time, with husband.

RIP Susan Aug 2011. A year has now passed (sept 2012) and I could write a book about Susan Mills. She axed my optioning for a job at the UN in 1993. I knew all about her personal life and def she protected herself. The UN is an arena! I met with HR people, discussed salary and posting. I then got the fastest rejection letter. I later found out she had visited with the interviewers. Anyhow, She always argued with me and of course she always had to be da boss. Well, I could be posted in a malaria infested place or dead in one of the ambushes against UN people.

I am just surprised that there were no real memorials for her in her passing considering her power. I can only think what is a life. Perhaps her husband will leave more of a living legacy in her name in lieu of the huge rural mansion she erected and now almost empty. She did leave funds for several organizations. She was quite a dynamic lady so it is weird to know she is now dead. She was such a booster for the ideals of the United Nations at least! da stories of life!

50something jahre birthday 2 October 2012

The highlight of my 2011 birthday is probably my phone convo with Dad (who will be age 85 in December)! Talking, I thought whoa I have a whole lifetime until I reach his age. I have my history, his, as well as ideas on the future! Dad and I chatted about him being my age today! He was thinking of retirement and of course living with his wife, my Mom. He has survived her almost 5 years now! He is alert, asked me good questions, sounds great!

A sister cellphoned me from their lunch on her visit to him in rural NJ. thank you! I am grateful to the universe to hear Dad tell me he loves me, the first of his nine children. Photo of him holding me some 50something years ago!

Rosh Hashanah 5772/2011 events!

"God Hates Fags" poster carrying ChristianDominionist"Jews"/rapturers going to LGBT events in South Carolina, I read in an rss feed, today. Oy! Four of my building ones looking all determined today! Their plan was to pass out anti-christ and jews for jesus pamphlets today, start of rosh hashana. Of course, to pass out in NJ. Security will not allow them to pass out at Temple Emmanuel, Central, in NYC! Interesting they dont pass out anti- Muslim tracts in the building. No surprise when it happens! My sister had a book on the faiths of our Founding Fathers for Dad. I took it as her attempt to make our Dad think beyond the Catholic Church is futile at his age 85.Whoa atheists among them! Who wrote the text in my link.

As ever my ex-Dean pal reminded me of her RoshHashanah story. Her most despised administrator (him only with a state college BA running grad school programs) married a very wealthy professor. The academic would cry to her about having to hide being a lesbian, find a husband or lose her wealth! oy. another "expert" on trafficked women and domestic abuse! Dunno his real story but dumping his wife and kids meant a big pew at a power synagogue where the publically "so in love couple" walk hand-in-hand! True Marcus Bachmann! "Pray the Gay away" or "Pay the Gay away" or just too big sadistic liars? Small minded selfish petty people actually albeit they got big budgets to work with! I always say.. compassion is oft so lacking in social work with the at all costs careerism.

My friend's Rosh Hashanah story so bothers me. Not the duplicitness or lack of morals but the behavior is so discordant with 90% of Jews I have known. I went to social work school because I had such admiration for two of my mentors, both Brooklyn Jewish kids! And I initially forgot my third, a former CPUSA activist, orphaned and raised in New Mexico! Of course I have also known so many remarkable Muslims in a Western world of Islamphobia! (Of course da Catholic and Buddhist nuns rule! So many admired West Indian Anglican preachers, Dutch humanists.....)

OMG, I forgot my favorite Hunter College SSocial Work grad, former CPUSA member, stalwart of the Jane Addams founded International Women's League for Peace and Freedom, who worked in a Jewish Child Care program. An orphan raised in New Mexico! My demonstration going pal!

Fortunately always compassionate wise people living in our midsts

Christian Dominionists and AIDS

oy today my building's Christian Dominionist rapture wannabees leaving pamphlets on "what would you do if Jesus knocked on the door?" No doubt, I would go on psych meds as I would be hallucinating! I have been blessed! I always remember sitting with over a thousand AIDS patients as they died. At times, the nun, a nurse and I oft only there. Many of the deserted had lovely "Christian" families too embarrassed, bourg, or caught up in their own salvation. Who would really want to spend eternity with people like that? The universe allowed me to have glimpses into the meaning of others. I have zero doubt these "sinners" had angels cradling them!

Remembering response to AIDS 1983 to 2011

November 1983. The first conference in "meeting the challenge of AIDS" sponsors included Hunter College School of Social Work. Year 2 of the epidemic. TY Hunter for being the first social work school to be involved in the professional and community response. (My alum school was in major "homosexual panic" and denial). Love the paradigm shifts I have seen in 30 years although always endless need to advocate, organize and respond. Sadly, I see so many of the sponsors are now dead from the virus. RIP

Names Project AIDS quilt at today's San Diego AIDS Walk, 23 September 2011! Quilts displayed at several AIDS Walks around the world today! The most amazing textile art movement in the late 20th century, and a major community organizing project in our world to remember.

Thirty years social work.. September 1981

1981, September. From 1981-82, was elected the Columbia University School of Social Work Student "Newsletter Editor". This month I have been emailing with another grad who was the best collaborator 30 years ago! She is now a social work professor. I am sending her duplicate originals that I still have. So happy to have her to send along!!

Thirty years ago! Such paradigm shifts but I also see longstanding social work interests. Each month sections such as: legislative alerts, viewpoints, student caucus news, job info, resources, calendar! These are nuts/bolts in student life today. Legislative alerts, viewpoints, resources are critical in social work practice. Case to cause!

Thirty years ago, I see we were writing about Reagan... ugh, and "return to the Dark Ages". Very perceptive in light of the 30 years to that ideology resulting in the GOP nihilists of today.

Wow a lifetime of social work, Columbia, knowing wonderful committed people! I am grateful!

review Sophie Scholl: the Final Days

The film continues the ouevre of revisionist films that fantasize the Deutsch Volk opposition in National Socialist Germany. The story is real but the manipulation of images is to make Germans feel good about a horrific past. I kept thinking of the dissonance with the diaries of Walter Klemperer, the Nazi fanaticism in his university, his jail time, and recording the daily solidarity of Germans with Hitler into 1945.

The history of the White Rose could be brilliant with the critical thinking of say a Fassbinder, Edgar Reitz, or Wim Wenders. The film makes history feel good for those in Triberg, Flensburg, Passau who reconcile the kindly opa who did his duty in the Gestapo and genocide in the heimat.

On a petty level, Sophie's jam on da bread in jail looks better than what I am eating today in 2011 USA. Her bed is so fluffy! No rats, no filthy toilet. In reality, Sophie went to court with a broken leg from the torture. The film makes the polite Gestapo make NYC police officers look even thuggier. I felt the memory of Anne Frank betrayed with those longing looks at the sky! The film is kitschy but complete revisionism in its work. Amazing that Germany submitted this for an Oscar!

I have been to every Lander. It is amazing to see white German reactions when 2 or more Black folks get together! The film does not fit with my lenses. Perhaps I have known too many Jewish refugees, contemporary German exiles, Turks living in Germany, or Americans who have lived in Germany. I am an Auslander, and really do not value normative Deutsch mentalite. I love Munich but it is not Paris, London nor New York with a vibrant diversity of peoples as well as histories.

Is the film good for domestic German TV.. yes! Is it art or critical thinking.. no. The gemeinshaft was suffocating! Forgive the filmmaker Sophie! I think the filmmaker would make a great story of the lives of Marianne Hoppe and Gustav Grundgens, perhaps the ultimate Deutsch film couple!