Howdy,

West is best, I guess, (and apparently now more ethnically mixed?)

Trip to Washington sounds great.  Once when I was there, maybe 5 or 6 years
ago, I had the opportunity to visit a congresswomen's office, as I knew an
intern there.  Was, among other things, escorted to the Capital
building(through tunnels that lead under the Mall from the various office
buildings to the Capital building) where I saw a few hours of a
Congressional debate on one of the many campaign reform bills that have
passed through those (not so hallowed?) halls.  The debate very interesting,
not the least reason being that it was made before only a couple dozen of
the 500 or so congresspeople (the rest, I was told, were monitoring the
debate on TVs in their offices).  At the few times that a quorum of the
members actually have to be present (for, say, an impeachment vote), a bell
rings and congresspeople hustle through the above mentioned tunnels to
register their vote, after which they hustle back.  It's something to see.
Good luck with the application.

YOU MUST, while in DC, see the Holocaust Museum.  I Mean MUST.  Should make
reservation (probably can use the Internet), as I understand it's booked up
far in advance.  The museum's right off the Mall so is conveniently located.
  The most powerful museum I've ever been too.

Turkish course finishes in two weeks.  Then to Israel during first week of
April, to Italy during second week.

Bursa was very impressive.  Not nearly as dilapidated as (most of) Istanbul.
  Was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, so there are important
historical buildings from, among other centuries, the 13th.  Now, a bit of a
sprawl, and industrial. The city center sits at the bottom of the slope of a
huge mountain (its ragged, snowcapped peak breaking out of the clouds
periodically), and thus there are fine views in both directions.

More later,

Love,

Mark


>From: TOMSKILLJR@aol.com
>To: markskilling@hotmail.com
>CC: ermak@gte.net, tskilling@tribune.com
>Subject: March Madness
>Date: Sun, 12 Mar 2000 14:39:14 EST
>
>       Hi Mark;   The basketball tournaments are really starting.  The high
>school Class A ended last night with a down state school winning.  I never
>heard of the school (Pleasant Plains 34-2)  Aurora West made the Sweet
>Sixteen and is in the Supersectional against Glenbard South (27-2).   West
>was 28-1.  I overheard some old-timers in the pool at LeBeau's say this is
>the best team ever at West.  They were ranked 4th in the Trib pole of
>Chicago
>teams but as you know anything can happen now.
>      Illinois plays Michigan State this afternoon for the championship in
>the
>Big Ten Tournament.  MS is favored but IS has been strong at the end of the
>season.  The NCAA Tournament Line up will be announced this evening.
>       The temperatures have gone back to below freezing at night but no
>ice
>on the lake and I doubt there will be for the rest of the spring.  The
>grass
>and willow trees on the golf are green but that is a false sign for this
>early.  They did announce this was the warmest winter ever.
>       I read about a seminar in Washington that is 5 days long at the end
>of
>May which is for senior citizens and covers the operation of the Federal
>Government.   The problem is the cost and you need a recommendation from
>your
>congressman.  I can handle the costs and I wrote a letter to Denny Hastert
>requesting his support.  I put in my background and how I would expect to
>use
>what I learned.  These seminars are run by a private foundation covering
>various groups of citizens on many government programs.  This one is for us
>older ones and I am sure heavy on senior citizen interests.  I hand
>delivered
>my letter to Hastert's office in Batavia to see if they needed more from
>me.
>The woman who handles the requests for this seminar will not be in until
>tomorrow.  There isn't a definite limit to this program except the
>participants act as interns and would spend a day in the congressman's
>office
>and they don't usually have more than 2 or 3.  Also paying all your own
>expenses limits the applications.  I probably won't know about acceptance
>until early April.   Since I would be considered an intern do you think I
>might meet Bill's intern Monica?
>       Your E-mail came while I was writing this one.  That will save me
>giving you a little push as it had been a while especially after knowing
>you
>had sick spell.  I gave your note a quick look and it will be interesting
>so
>I will answer after the Illinois game.
>       LOTS of LOVE and KISSES from MOTHER and I         DAD

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