"Mark Lipton" > wrote in message
...
> On 4/19/10 11:19 AM, Ed Rasimus wrote:
>> the annual reunion of the
>> Red River Valley Fighter Pilot Assoc. (River Rats) which took place
>> this year in Orlando FL...[SNIP] are not
>> known for good taste and sophisticated palates with regard to wine.
>>
>> That's why I was stunned on Saturday night at the formal banquet when
>> seated at a table of eight fighter pilots and their ladies awaiting
>> the distribution of gray, dry beef or rubber chicken in glutinous
>> white sauce which is traditional hotel banquet fare, I scanned the
>> setting noting a 1.75l of red wine and white. Things would be bleak
>> apparently.
>>
>> Then across from me one of the bemedalled aviators put forth a bottle
>> of wine which he had brought in to the hall with him. It was a
>> unpretentious little California offering labeled as "red wine"--a 2002
>> Opus One!
>
> Hey, Ed!
> It's no great surprise to me that aviator reunions get the same
> treatment as scientific conventions: bland institutional food and even
> more indifferent wine. It's good to hear that one of your compatriots
> showed the foresight and the taste to bring a good bottle of wine with
> him. He sounds like someone to cultivate for future get-togethers.
>
> Mark Lipton
> (veteran of too many of those banquets)

I once went to a function put on by a Belgian Govt. dept (coal science) and
we ALL got the trots that night. There was a constant stream of people
ducking out of the oral sessions the following morning. Very embarassing
for our hosts.
Graham
Also a veteran of rubber chicken banquets!