(This reunion stuff is getting crazy. Just before my 50th high school reunion, I got an E-mail from
Classmates.com, a reunion web site which allows people to find each other from the past. About 20 years ago I was remembering my bandmates from a rockandroll foursome we had in 1968 while in the Air Force, in Lubbock, Texas, of all places. I began an Internet search in all the usual places, but finding Billy Martin (lead guitar) and Ken Watts (bass) who were both from somewhere in New York, turned out to be ridiculous. My only good lead was Paul Bessette, our drummer, who I remembered was from Plainfield, Connecticut. Well, there were quite a few Paul Bessettes in Plainfield, but none fit the right age group. Then I remembered that Paul went to the same base in Vietnam where I was about a year earlier, so I went to Classmates and found the Bein Hoa AB, 1968-69 site, and there was his name. I left him a message to contact me, and heard nothing from him for another 15 years. Apparently Paul never got back on Classmates, a web site that requires yearly dues to stay current. Until a couple weeks ago. Within 24 hours after receiving the E-mail, Paul and I were on the phone for the first time in 46 years, talking for over two hours one night, reliving many wonderful memories. A few days later Paul, now living in Las Vegas, Nevada, called and said he had found Ken Watts, living in Queens, New York, and he set up a three-way phone link which led to another couple hours of reminiscing. We have yet to find the elusive Billy Martin, but Ken said he would try to track him down. Billy, are you out there? By the way, the band's name was The Second Storymen, and we were damn good, rock-and-roll-wise. We were so popular that one night, at a venue we were performing at in Clovis, New Mexico, the place was so packed the fire marshall had decreed that no more people were to be allowed inside. Unfortunately we had just arrived, and it took us several minutes before we finally were able to convince the authorities that we were the band. Some day I'll tell you some more stories of the Storymen. But for now, I digress ...)
- Remember the American Family Association? We've talked about these idiots before, it's one of those terribly conservative anally religious Christian groups, dedicated to opposing most everything - abortion, gay rights, evolution, global warming, intellectuals, etc. Well, it seems the demented people at the AFA have their collective panties in a bunch over a new postage stamp just issued by the U.S. Postal Department. Yep, a stamp. You see the stamp has a picture of Harvey Milk on it. Harvey Milk, if you remember, was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California in 1977. He and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone were shot and killed by former city supervisor Dan White, a year later. And of course, the tiny minded bible-thumpers at the AFA can't allow something like a picture of a dead gay person on a postage stamp! Mark Morford explains the rest of this incredible story in "How To Live Wretched and Small."
- And speaking of the religious right, I just love it when they start trying to explain that sex is bad. Particularly when it comes to those horrible satanists at Planned Parenthood. For example, did you know that Planned Parenthood is trying to get your kids "hooked" on sex? Yes indeedy. Oh, and there's more. Check out "5 Crazy Myths About Sex From the Religious Right."
- So what's going on here in these old United States? Is it me, or does it seem like police officers are getting trigger happy? I watched a video the other day of an obviously mentally disturbed young black man, who had just shoplifted two cans of soda from a convenience store, being approached by two police officers on a sidewalk. The unarmed young man walked directly toward the officers, ignoring their commands to halt, and the officers suddenly opened fire, shooting the man five times. As he then lay on the sidewalk bleeding to death, the officers handcuffed him. Justified? Were their tasers in for repair? Then there's this Michael Brown case. Brown's funeral was yesterday, in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, attended by the rich, famous, and talkative. At first glance it appeared that Brown was murdered by white officer Darren Wilson on August 9th. Again, Brown was unarmed at the time, and by some witnesses accounts, had his hands raised in surrender. But then a video was produced by the police department showing Brown stealing a box of cigars and bullying a shopkeeper, just minutes before the confrontation that led to his death. The New York Times even suggested that Brown "was no angel." Well, who is? I can only imagine what someone could dig up on me out of my past if I were to be shot dead by a policeman. What does that have to do with anything? What the hell's going on?
- The price of California wine will probably be going up after Sunday's 6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck the Napa area north of San Francisco. Apparently one could hear glass bottles shattering all the way down to Marin County. Of course we, and those crazy Californians especially, are wondering if this was a precursor to "The Big One," the 8.0+ quake that's been promised for a hundred years or more. No one knows for sure, but if I was living down around the San Francisco area right now I think I'd take the hint and pack up and move back to Oregon. I'm just sayin' ...
- And Texas Governor Rick Perry was recently indicted for some silliness regarding politics, and although it brings big grins to Liberals everywhere, we're afraid it may actually help this idiot to get his name back in the spotlight. The charges sound flimsy at best, and Perry's lawyers will undoubtedly beat the charges, which will also make him look good. Governor Perry, actually slightly dumber than George W. Bush, still would love to be president, in spite of his disastrously embarrassing previous campaign.
- Four more days until the first Duck Football game of the year. It's been a terribly long summer. Go Ducks!
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