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2009 News
Friday, 4 June 2010
A little Obama steps into big shoes 4:00 AM Saturday May 22, 2010  Hasan Faruq Ali, 12, plays Barack Obama in a new film Little Obama, which will premiere to coincide with the President's visit to Indonesia. Photo / AP Young Barry Obama is struggling with his pingpong shot. Or rather, 12-year-old Hasan Faruq Ali is struggling to play left-handed in imitation of the character he is portraying in a new Indonesian film, Little Obama. "Hasan has the walk, he has the posture of Barry," said Slamet Djanuadi, a consultant on the film and a childhood friend of President Barack Obama when he lived in Indonesia from 1967 to 1971. "But Barry was a better pingpong player," he laughed, watching Hasan hit the ball off the table. The movie, produced by Multivision Plus, Indonesia's largest production company, will premiere in Indonesia on June 17, the week of Obama's anticipated visit to the country.... The film tells the story of Obama's childhood in Jakarta, where he lived with his mother and Indonesian stepfather from age 6 to 10. "It's about his friendships, his hobbies, just a childhood story," said screenwriter and co-director Damien Dematra. "It's not about politics, it's just the story of a boy." Hasan, who was born in America in Questa, New Mexico, but has lived in Indonesia since he was about 2 years old, was an obvious casting choice to play the young Obama. Fluent in English and the Indonesian language, and the son of a white mother and African American father, Hasan fit the bill. Improving his pingpong game was his focus during breaks on the fifth day of filming, earlier this week. Day four's challenge was boxing, a childhood pursuit the President has said he learned from his stepfather and one that Hasan, with three years of karate training, felt more comfortable with. "It feels great to play Obama," the novice actor said with a grin. "I was shy about it at first and there are some new difficulties that you have to work to get over, with intense practice, like this" - gesturing toward the pingpong table on the lawn - "and just learning the lines, practicing the scenes. "But then it became easy and fun, especially acting as a very important character who left here to become President," Hasan said. <...>The directors hope to finish shooting on June 3 in time for its scheduled premiere. Everyone hopes Obama will watch it, including the directors, actors and the childhood neighbours he spent hours playing pingpong with. As for Hasan, he said he carries two things from the movie: the inspiration to follow his dreams and Obama's smile. "Before, I was a guy that kept to myself. But in acting, I'm trying to be like the guy in the pictures, who looks like he likes to be around friends and is always smiling," Hasan said. "And now, even when I'm not acting, I can't help it but I definitely notice I smile a lot more." - AP <abridged here: full article @ http://www.nzherald.co.nz/front-page-top-stories/news/article.cfm?c_id=698&objectid=10646663&pnum=0 > Copyright ©2010, APN Holdings NZ Limited
Posted by netta_ct
at 6:11 PM EDT
Updated: Tuesday, 22 June 2010 3:11 AM EDT
Monday, 24 May 2010
Middletown Play suspended in late May. Due to recent and previously unforeseen developements involving the West School Gym that we have used at Riverview Hospital since 1993, our play has been halted as of May 21st 'until further notice'. Club director Dave Strang is working on resolving this, and will update the website homepage and phone messages, and communicate the news as widely as possible when we can resume play there (or elsewhere). This is only the second interuption of Middletown play in 17 years, and we hope it can be resolved as positively as the other one, a statewide issue over recreational activity liability that occured likely about 10 years ago. If you'd like to be kept on a special updated Middletown TT contact list , please send me an e-mail to nettadave(remove this)@gmail.com with your contact information including full name, work/and or hometown location information and best afternoon and/or evening contact phone numbers. Also feel welcome to leave me a similar message at any of my listed voicemail numbers if that is convienient for you. (include 'Middletown 2010' in the subject line. of e-mails) You might also include, or send me a separate e-mail note addressed To: 'Facility Administrator' describing your interest in continued participation in our table tennis club activty along with any appropriate background like your age, general occupation, when you first joined with us and what our sport and Connecticut Table Tennis program like Middletown TTC has meant to you, your health etc.. That might help convince them that I, with your support, am providing CT. citizens a unique recreational sports opportunity you and many others value beyond basement ping-pong or the other more commonly available recreational sports like Basketball or Soccer that with appeal more limited to only the young, super-competitive or perfectly fit. At the appropriate time I may print and mail, or forward these 'TT Testimonials' to the Riverview administration, and/or any potential alternative host facilities I can identify - if that seem appropriate at a later date. Or I may post edited versions online with your private information removed and with last names abreviated (like Dave S. - Prospect, CT) for your privacy. A friendly petition drive - perhaps an online one - might also be announced here - and via phone calls or e-mails to this new list - in the near future. Thanks for your many prior messages of support and your patience while I work to resolve this situation positively. Sorry for the interuption of our weekly activity in Middletown. Please Note that Fairfield play on Saturday afternoons and Thursday nights is NOT affected and you are invited to join us there in the meantime if you can. (Saturday afternoon Roadtrip ?!) If enough of you do that on Saturdays, we might investigate a temporary Sunday session in Fairfield or elsewhere as well, to better accomidate more of you in this - hopefully - temporary situation.
Posted by netta_ct
at 5:39 PM EDT
Monday, 17 May 2010
2010 CT. Senior Games held May 16th A field of 15 players , from just barely 50, to a returning 84 years young player, came to Middletown on a sunny Sunday in mid-May for the 2010 Connecticut Senior Games Table Tennis Championships. 
More photos @ http://members.tripod.com/netta_ct/SeniorsTTnews.htm As usual, Players were grouped by age and gender, including 4 ladies competing for senior women's titles, and a group of 4 'barely' Seniors, including John Guzze of Kensington and Middletown regulars Rene, Cesare and Chris, most competing for the first time in these games in the men's 50 to 54 category, 'vacated' this year by Previous champ Dave Strang moving up to the 55-59 category where he was joined by Steve Knotts.  Fairfield TTC was also well represented by players including Michael Lazerev, Lauren Olin and Jeff Von Kohorn. More Veteran participants included Richard Castiglione who, now in the 70-74 group hasn't missed a Senior Games TT event in over 15 years, joined by John McCray and Trevor Prescod. Francis Grimaldi was the most senior of the Seniors , in the 80-84 group. Medal Results will be listed ASAP linked at : http://www.seniorgamesct.org/2010results.htm More photos are posted at: http://members.tripod.com/netta_ct/SeniorsTTnews.htm
Posted by netta_ct
at 4:48 PM EDT
Updated: Friday, 4 June 2010 6:46 PM EDT
Saturday, 20 March 2010
2010 Senior Games scheduled
 The 2010 Ct. senior Games Table Tennis events have been scheduled for Sunday May 16th at our regular Middletown playing site, with doors opening at 5:30pm for practice and check-in with play starting 15 to 30 minutes afterward. (please arrive by 5:45pm)
Tournament play will continue on at least 4 of the clubs 12 tables during our regularly scheduled Sunday night playing session from 6:30 to 10pm. Advanced registration is strongly encouraged if at all possible to ensure your spot. But walk-in registration may also be possible on a space available basis. Players who are 50 or older - as of Dec 31st 2010 - are eligible, including out-of-state guests, who may also qualify for nationals here. This event qualifies top finishers in each 5 year age bracket (50-54, 55-59, 60-64 etc) to the 2011 Senior Games Nationals in Houston. While competition may include some of our area's best players, especially in the youngest divisions, it is also a fun and friendly event for all ages with group play in singles and additional dbls events enduring multiple matches for every participant, regardless of outcome. There are NO USATT fees, and results won't affect your rating. More info available at: http://www.seniorgamesct.org/sports.htm
Posted by netta_ct
at 2:06 AM EDT
Updated: Friday, 4 June 2010 6:48 PM EDT
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
CT.TTA Players do Demo/Clinic Youth Clinic
Three of the state's top players demonstrated Modern Table Tennis through exhibition matches and a mini-clinic early in 2010 for an enthusiastic group of kids in southern Connecticut. The Greenwich Boys and Girls club hosted CT.TTA coach Dave Strang and his assistant coaches Adis Medunjanin and Mark Mosher on a cold Thursday afternoon. Mark and Adis began by demonstrating offensive and defensive strokes with commentary by Dave. Then they played an exhibition game with each other, followed by challenge games with the kids and staff.  The demonstration portion ended with coach Dave and Adis playing a challenge game, and the afternoon ended with a min-clinic on 4 tables involving dozens of kids, the 3 coaches and the Newgy robot, a special hit with the youngest kids.
Posted by netta_ct
at 2:37 AM EST
Updated: Saturday, 20 March 2010 3:21 AM EDT
Monday, 8 February 2010
Explosion rocks Middletown
The tragic recent gas explosion at the Electrical generation plant in Middletown made national news on Superbowl Sunday. For TT players in Central Connecticut, it was also just around the corner past our twice weekly playing site in the school-west Gym at Riverview Hospital. Club director Dave Strang heard and felt the explosion almost 30 miles aways in his home west of Cheshire. "It shook me slightly, and sounded like someone had slapped something against the side of my bedroom." On arrival to Middletown that evening, we were confronted with TV satelite trucks and a police roadblock at the bend in the road near 'Rushford Center' where Silver Street continues as River Road just before WMRD radio staion and is followed by the main, front entrance drive to Riverview Hospital. A detour to the right up Silvermine road, and then a left turn towards the Hospital grounds rear entrance got about 10 players, into the Sunday session (during the Superbowl) but some had to explain where they were headed, and show ID to another policeman stationed at that back road before getting to the Gym. Since occasionally high water blocks River road just past this spot, Middletown club players are encouraged to go to the dedicated M-T TTC page, and print the alternate map there, for use in case of flooding.
Posted by netta_ct
at 6:46 PM EST
Updated: Saturday, 20 March 2010 2:05 AM EDT
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Middletown player remembered
I recieved this e-mail recently: Dear Dave, My name is Kathy Schubert and I am the wife of Owen Schubert. I am writing to tell you the very sad news that my husband passed away at the end of January. We will miss him very much. He always enjoyed playing table tennis. Thank you for everything to you and all the members of the Connecticut Table Tennis Club. Sincerely, Kathleen Schubert Owens sense of humor and joyous spirit will be missed by those of us who knew him from playing in Middletown previous to 2009. The guestbook with tributes from friend and family is available at: http://www.legacy.com/gb2/default.aspx?bookid=532715200744 A tribute in his hometime newspaper is available at: Owen D. Schubert - The Bristol Press (bristolpress.com)
Posted by netta_ct
at 2:08 AM EST
Updated: Wednesday, 10 February 2010 2:28 AM EST
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
New 15 yr old US Champ on CBS
The Today Show recently did a story on Michael Landers (Friday, 1/29/10): see the video at: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/35142696#35142696  Fifteen year-old Michael Landers beat 26 year old Samson Dubina of Ohio in the US Nationals Finals held this December in Las Vegas to become the youngest US Men's champion since fellow New Yorker Eric Boggan's championship in the 1980's. Boggan went on to reach the top 20 in the World and had wins over a variety of world champions and other Top 10 players from China, Europe and Asia after stints training in Europe and competing in the German Bundesliga, then the world's top professional TT league. Landers isn't looking that far ahead though, hoping that his achievements in our sport, combined with the good High School grades his parents insist on, will get him into a good college. Landers has also been featured in other media including the New York Times where the headline read "The Ping-Pong Prodigy" http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/sports/30pingpong.html
Posted by netta_ct
at 10:32 PM EST
Updated: Friday, 29 January 2010 11:13 PM EST
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Susan Sarandon to meet Swedish table tennis idol
Susan Sarandon to meet Swedish table tennis idol STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - American actress Susan Sarandon, due in Stockholm to receive an award next week, has no plans to meet journalists but she will set aside time to meet one person -- table tennis legend Jan-Ove Waldner. The Oscar-winning actress, a keen player herself, put in a request to meet with Olympic gold medalist and former world champion Waldner, the director of the Stockholm Film Festival told Reuters on Wednesday. "It was on her initiative, we just made the effort to find him," Git Scheynius, director of the Stockholm Film Festival, said. "She's actually involved in a table tennis club in New York -- that's one of her greatest hobbies." Waldner is to his sport what Michael Jordan is to basketball or Tiger Woods is to golf. He won the World Championship twice in singles and took home an Olympic gold medal during a career that spanned more than two decades. His longevity earned him the nickname "The Evergreen Tree" in China, where he is particularly revered. Scheynius said Waldner was surprised at the invitation but gladly accepted. He and Sarandon will sit next to each other at the dinner, she added, but will not be alone. Sarandon, who won an Oscar for the 1995 film "Dead Man Walking," is due to receive a lifetime achievement award at the festival. Any chance Sarandon might square off with Waldner across a table tennis table during her time in the Swedish capital? A festival official said that if they did it would be a surprise. © Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved
Posted by netta_ct
at 8:46 PM EST
Updated: Thursday, 26 November 2009 8:48 PM EST
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Posted by netta_ct
at 12:00 AM EST
Updated: Wednesday, 11 November 2009 2:59 AM EST
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