THE SENIOR MEN'S CLUB OF NEW CANAAN
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 29, 2008
President Dick DePatie opened meeting with 143 members present. SMC membership is 483. Dick reminded members that the next time SMC will meet during a Leap Year will be February 29, 2036! He also told members that this year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives (assuming we want be here in Year 2228).Membership Assistance Chairman Bob Moylan pleased SMC members keeping healthy. Tucker Scott expected to leave Waveny shortly.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: SMC Board Meeting next Friday/7th at 8:30AM. Paul Stein reported 39 members have not paid Year 2008 SMC Dues. Frank Hydoski rescheduled to speak on 04-25-08. Marv Newman delighted to report the SMC CHEFS are "great success" (Catch their new show on N.C. Channel 79).
ACTIVITIES: Bridge, Paddle, as usual. Racquetball "shut down" due to court repair. 4F's luncheon cancelled last week due to snow. Photographers meet next on Wed/12th/1:30pm. Skyblazers meet next on 3/17th/9am.
COUTH: Michael Flatley's "Lord of the Dance" trip (Mar 14-Fri) booked, but tickets available . . . See Pete Stair. Philip Johnson Glass House Tour booked for both April 23rd and 30th dates.
HUMORIST: Mike Law told two jokes. The first was about a man that was able to get great satisfaction delivering an overdue $800 debt to his next door neighbor's house. The second joke involved a priest and nun in the front seat of a car, and why the priest should have been able to remember Psalm 129!
SPEAKER: VP Roger Rothballer introduced Frank Anderson. Frank was in the CIA for 27 years, serving three tours of duty in the Middle East as an agency station chief, heading the Afghan Task Force('87-'89) and eventually, chief of the Near East and South Asia Division(1991 TO 1994). SMC member and long time friend, Les DeVilliers, said it speaks to Frank's modesty and discretion, that he only found out the extent of Frank's activity in CIA and all that he accomplished, when attending ceremony honoring Frank at Langley. Frank said he got in CIA by accident; he was a Special Forces active reserves member attending college. During meeting with a recruiter regarding Laos "work", Frank said he would be interested in the "spy business". Interestingly enough, good grades and the fact that he had part-time job selling cars really got the recruiters attention. Frank said espionage actually does have something to do with selling cars. The CIA operational side has 3 missions: 1. Collect Intelligence. 2. Do Counter Intelligence 3. Special Activities/Covert Actions (from diplomatic to application of violence). The truth is the CIA business is one of recruiting foreign assets to do it for you. Frank's first assignment was Beirut. Using slides, Frank discussed activities and incidents occurring during his CIA career, including U.S. attempt to rescue hostages in Iran and the U.S. role in the Soviet Union's defeat in Afghanistan. As for the details, including his thoughts on who dropped the ball on "9/11", weapons of mass destruction, current conditions in Iraq, "waterboarding", Palestine - Israel and current presidential elections--, SMC members that did not attend SMC meeting will have to consult with Les DeVilliers, who announced that Frank's speech would be treated just like we were in Vegas or more specifically "What happens here, stays here today".
Bob Williams, Asst. Secretary