Sam Perone (Chemistry & Materials Science, 1989) has published his third novel, Einstein's Tunnel. A reading celebrating this event has been scheduled at Altamont Books in Livermore (1601 Railroad Ave.), 7:30 pm, Thursday, March 3. Refreshments will be served, and the author will discuss his books and welcome questions.

Einstein's Tunnel is the third book in a trilogy that includes The StarSight Project (2002) and Crisis on Flight 101 (2003). The first book was set in the Livermore valley, Livermore Lab, and San Francisco. The novels are futuristic psychological thrillers, describing the adventures of Tony Shane—a computer science professor secretly involved in radical CIA counter-terrorism activities. There are tantalizing technological elements like artificial intelligence and time travel, as well as historical fiction, political intrigue, and a healthy dash of romance. (For reviews, excerpts, biographical and other information see: www.samperone.com). Sam's books are available on-line, at Altamont Books in Livermore, and at other independent bookstores in the Gold Country where Sam and his wife Sylvia live.

After returning from a cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula early last year, Larry Moon (Director's Office, 2001) had to see more so went recently on another cruise to the islands of South Georgia, and also the Falklands.  South Georgia in particular is very scenic and a rich home for wildlife.  The island is about 100 miles long and up to 25 miles wide, rising steeply like a Himalayan mountain range from the South Atlantic Ocean.  It is considered to be part of Antarctica, although still some distance from the continent.  The wildlife includes penguins, birds, seals, and whales.  Highlights were landing on beaches with up to half a million penguins, and visiting nesting sites for albatrosses.  Both the penguins and albatrosses are so tame you could literally walk right up to and touch them but of course you don't. Seals are a different matter as the fur seals in particular are very mean and aggressive, and do not let a person pass by them. Whaling station ruins were also of interest.  The Falkland Islands were much better than expected.  They were low, barren, and windblown but there are areas in the Falklands that are rich in wildlife also.  Nesting sites of albatrosses and penguins atop a sheer, wave sweep cliff was a highlight.  An interesting sidelight was the continuing existence of uncleared minefields near the main town of Stanley, dating from the conflict with Argentina in the early 1980's.  If you are interested in wildlife and don't mind a little adventure, these are all wonderful places to visit. 

A little more than half a century after his high school peers donned their caps and gowns, Ronald Ray Hill (Mechanical Engineering, 1991) finally received his high school diploma. In a ceremony at the Alameda County Board of Education's meeting, Ron, now 71, got the diploma he missed while serving on a warship during the Korean War in 1950. His education at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Fresno was interrupted during his senior year for a two-year tour aboard the cruiser Toledo off the Korean coast. Although he requested his diploma upon his return home, counselors advised him to finish his schooling at Fresno Junior College. He earned a college degree and went to work in 1956 as a mechanical technician at the Lab, where he spent 32 years. He is one of many war veterans statewide who are finally getting their high school diplomas since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a law last fall allowing county offices of education to grant diplomas to those who missed them because of World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars. (From SF Chronicle, Feb.  9, 2005)

Pat (G Div. l991) and Jane (Eng. l993) Ellis took their first Grand Circle Tour called the Jewels of Thailand. They highly recommend it as the price is reasonable and the tour is excellent.  Their first week in Bangkok they spent most of their evenings with their son, Erich and his wife Am, as they both work there and are building a new house.  Since this was their third visit to Thailand, they didn't do some of the tours that were offered, however, they did enjoy the tour of the Bridge over the River Kwai.  The drive through pastoral scenery and sugarcane fields framed by the Tanowsri Hills was beautiful.  Then they visited the War Museum and the cemetery where thousands of POW's were buried.  On another day they traveled up the Chao Phraya River by canal boat and saw the summer palace in Ayutthaya, capital of Thailand from l350 to l767.  They visited some magnificent ruins, houses and temples.  The second week they took the plane to ChiangMai which is one of their favorite parts of Thailand because the weather here is so nice, compared to Bangkok, which is very hot.  They took almost every tour that was offered and enjoyed them all.  The visit to the elephant camp in Chiang Dao district (where they are being trained to work in the teak forest) was great.  Another trip was to a Buffalo Village and Lisu Hill Tribe Village.  At the Buffalo Village they got to see the buffalo at work in the paddy field, and the process of husking and sieving of rice.  A couple of the other highlights were going to private homes for dinner where they were so gracious and they had two wonderful evenings, enjoying their company and food.  One thing they have noticed in their trips to Thailand is the warm and friendly nature of all the Thai people.  They then returned to Bangkok to spend the Christmas Holidays where their other son, Skip, joined them and it was wonderful to all be together.   They were in Bangkok when the tsunami hit, however, they were on their way to the beach on the Gulf of Thailand and not the Indian Ocean side.  The place they stayed on the ocean side about l l/2 years before when they were over for Erich's wedding was totally destroyed, and it was an absolutely beautiful resort. When they flew out the airport was packed and they talked with several people that were there when the tsunami hit, and there were some pretty sad stories. 

  The Travel Group will be on Tuesday, March 22nd, at 2:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the Livermore Police building, 1110 South Livermore Avenue. The topic is “Touring the Scandinavian Capitals and Iceland” by John Stroud.

The Retiree luncheon for March will be held at noon on Wednesday, March 16th at the Elks Lodge in Livermore, 940 Larkspur Drive. Our speaker will be Dennis Barrett, from the Safety and Environmental Protection Directorate. He will discuss traffic safety at the Laboratory and how it is much like that of any city.

Please send any news or input (please include the date and department from which you retired) to Jane or Gus Olson. E-Mail: Jane@LLNLRetirees.org or Gus@LLNLRetirees.org.

This column appeared in the March 4th edition of Newsline.