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Crises and Compassion: From Russia to the Golden Gate (Footprints Series)

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Crisis & Compassion – From Russia to the Golden Gate

John M. Letiche started life as Ianik Letichevsky, a citizen of the newly constituted Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The son of a brilliant but dictatorial father and a loving, cultivated mother, he went on to a remarkable career as an accomplished scholar, professor of economics, and adviser to governments. Letiche, now in his nineties, provides an intriguing look at the changes that have occurred during his lifetime. Following his Kiev childhood and formative years in Depression-era Montreal, he completed a doctorate at the University of Chicago and took up a Rockefeller fellowship at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City. As a technical advisor to the Economic Commission for Africa he conducted trade talks with both gifted and corrupt heads of state in sub-Saharan Africa, and later shared a working White House dinner with an infamous American president. His half-century-long teaching career at Berkeley included a front row seat for the Free Speech Movement and the most documented student revolt in popular history. Told with humour, insight, and humility, Crises and Compassion moves nimbly among weighty events and meaningful personal history, showing how “civility in intellectual exchange” came to be the guiding principle of a life of monumental experiences (Amazon)

Professors’ Rags To Riches

Climb from Anti-Semitic Russia

Crisis & Compassion – From Russia to the Golden Gate

5.0 out of 5 stars Comment by Jeremy Kinsman, February 11, 2011

“Dr. Jack Letiche’s twentieth century journey instructs, entertains, and inspires the reader who will finish the book better off on any account, but above all for the time spent with the life and mind of a great thinker and global citizen.”

Jeremy Kinsman, Canadian Ambassador or High Commissioner in Moscow, Rome, London, and Brussels, and Regents’ Lecturer 2009-10, University of California, Berkeley
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5.0 out of 5 stars More than Economics – Professor’s Memoir A Real Life Rags to Riches Adventure, March 19, 2011
By Burt Kaufman

What a read! What a Life – and it seems a long way from over for renown Berkeley Economics Professor John Letiche! Now in his early 90s, Letiche has written his fourteenth book, his fascinating memoir recounting an almost unbelievable journey from a childhood in Russia, rife with anti-semitism, to adviser to world leaders. The book reads almost like an adventure story in its real life drama, including a serendipitous marriage proposal, an eye-opening meeting with President Nixon and, later, historic conferences with the Council on Foreign Relations.
One might expect a book written by an economics professor to be very technical but this book, written sans ghostwriter, is easily readable for all ages and education levels. Letiche has a very colorful, yet concise writing style.
This is less a tome on economics than a real life story one must read to appreciate. It might even affect your own life.
Crisis & Compassion – From Russia to the Golden Gate

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From Anti-Semitic Russia to World Advisor

HEALTH  GURU JACK LALANNE

WAS MUCH MORE THAN HIS JUICER MACHINE he frequently promoted

Jack LaLanne was/is my hero, for several reasons . For one, there was the local interest as he grew up near my home, in Berkeley, CA and had one of the first health clubs in Oakland . I remember, as a kid, watching his TV program in living black and white. He was older but I loved his spirit and self-assured attitude, something perhaps lacking in myself. He would sing ‘There’s No Tomorrow’ to the melody of “o Solo Mio,’ more familiar to me then as Elvis Presley’s ‘It’s Now or Never.’

Before exercising was popular, Lalanne was perhaps the one guy one could believe in. He was certainly laughed at, by some, in the beginning, though he must have had enough believers like me, as he stayed on the air for 34 years from the fifties thru the seventies and has continued to spread his gospel until now thru his spectacles like pulling boats on his birthday, local appearances and special events. I even bought not one, but two of his juicing machines just because they were his. (Actually, I had forgotten I bought the first one when I bought the second.) Unlike more recent, trendy, younger, fitness gurus , many of whom LaLanne has outlived, Jack was all about simple, common sense exercising. It was pushups, sit ups and the like. `Most of the other gurus faded fast, and passed on at younger ages, as LaLanne continued to spread his message. There was Pritikin, of the Pritikin diet and Atkins of the high card diet. Jim Fixx wrote the book how running could keep you fit, only to pass on while he was jogging, at a young age.. Then there was the Power Bar guy who passed at age 51. LaLanne even outlived his local protégé, Norman Marks, who LaLanne helped put in busines with one of the first health clubs, in Oakland, on Harrison and 14th Street, not far from some property my parents owned; though Marks passed a couple years ago at 86, the club lives on.

With LaLanne there were no gimmicks, other than a simple simple ‘band’ to give one a deeper strectch or a chair to lean on. Sure, he sold some vitamins and the juicer, hailed by some; even if I could never get behind it I still have the box it came in proudly displayed high on a kitchen shelve with Jack smiling down. I remember his TV program, which aired out of San Francisco, which featured just Jack in his jumpsuit, sometimes accompanied by his dog. Organ music would swell when Jack told viewers to breathe out.

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A few years ago, I purchased a plaque from Jack , himself, that hangs proudly on my wall . It features a young Jack with his dog (pictured here), along with a piece of film from his old TV show and a ‘Certificate of Authenticity,’ showing that my plaque was ‘#57’ of limited edition 1,500. Included is the handwritten note, ‘To Burt, Best of Exercise…’ and also signed by Elaine. I will prize this plaque especially now. I’ve been to Jack’s favorite San Francisco haunt, the legendary John’s Grill, where a salad is named after him. I hear the candles are lit tonight in Jacks honor. I will try to pay tribute, myself , over the weekend. One of the last true hnd colorful characters is gone. He will be missed but remembered by some of us and in pages such as www.OldiesCountry.com and http://www.SeniorCountry.org.

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HEALTH GURU

More HEALTH  GURU

HEALTH  GURU

For  DOC SEVERINSON, Former

Johnny Carson Band  Leader

There’s No Stopping at  83

Doc Severinson is  going stronger than ever.  Now living in Mexico, Severinson still tours heavily , has a new CD and says he ‘is  now working harder than ever.” ,after trying to retire – which is the thing one’s ‘supposed to do’ at age 79′ Severinson couldn’t stand it. He happened upon a couple ‘ world class trumpeters’ playing a small dive near his new Mexico home and asked them if they’d be interested in working with him. They didn’t know who he was at first, but the rest is history, as they say…

‘I want to be remembered as a guy who played way beyond the age when trumpet players are not supposed to be able to play anymore.’                              -Doc Severinson , Johnny Carson’s longtime band leader

Don’t Forget DOC SEVERINSON

(Editor’ s Note:  Before we continue with the rest of this remarkable story of a remarkable, if overlooked man today, let  me just say that this is just another excample of an older person,a Senior, or Senor , in Mexico, who has been neglected, overlooked, forgotten or however you want to say it - by the folks in the US where he was a star for so many years.  Why isn’t this still-talented, interesting and colorful man no longer seen on the Tonight Show, or most other media . Because the media and rest of us have neglected our heros of yesterday. If it weren’t for NPR and the interview you can listen to here,  we wouldn’t have known about Severinson’s new projects.

         It’s funny that , as much as a recluse Johnny Carson became after retiring, the opposite can be said of  Severinson. Ed McMahon, who was the other third of the Tonight Show Gang Leaders also worked until his recent passing at 86.)

Ask Doc about retirement and the answer you will get leaves you with a very clear impression:  he is not ready to hang up his horn or his traveling shoes.

Since moving to Mexico at the end of 2006, Doc has kept a busy performance schedule and made new discoveries in two very talented musicians from Mexico.  Together with these gentlemen, Doc has crafted an innovative and exciting program.

El Ritmo de la Vida” is, of course, “the rhythm of life,” a very apt description of Gil Gutierrez and Pedro Cartas and their music. It is classical Spanish with a jazz flair, gorgeous ballads, both Latino and American, plus some great movie music,and among their best received — gypsy jazz, a la Django Reinhardt. Each are virtuosos and combined are electric. Add to this the soaring trumpet of Doc (not to mention his wardrobe!) and the experience is indescribably brilliant. 

‘Doc’ is now a resident of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and first heard Gil and Pedro playing at an Italian bistro to throngs of admirers, both American and Latino. He later recorded a few tunes with them and then immediately asked to join them.
According to ‘Doc’: “I came to Mexico with retirement on my mind, but when I heard them play I knew that I would be playing with them for some time to come. Latino music, along with the blues, has always been among my favorites, and Gil and Pedro do it along with a European style that I love and so do our audiences.
They are mature, gifted young men who play great, look great, and PLUS, we share a great lifestyle together. Our music is totally organic to us.”

 Collectors Choice Music

Recordings from Doc

A Grammy award winner, Doc has made more than 30 albums–from big band to jazz-fusion to classical. Two critically (more…)