"Just because you are different does not mean that you have to be rejected. "

"Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind."

Merry Christmas everybody, some of my "New Classic" Christmas favorites(no covers), I hope they will be for you too.

"He didn't take nothing from nobody,"

I just heard today that Doc Ellis passed. Doc Ellis was a pitcher in the Major leagues for 12 seasons from 68-79. Despite winning the comeback player of the year with the Yankees in 1976, a year in which he won 17 games, Doc Ellis’s best years were with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1968-1975 playing along side Willie Stargell, and the great Roberto Clemente. As a member of the 1971 Pirates, The first “all black” starting lineup in The Major Leagues, Doc Ellis won 19 games, was a starting pitcher in the 1971 All-Star game , and the Pirates subsequently won the World Series that year.
In an era that was struggling to identify its social norms and come to terms with its bigotry and racism. Doc Ellis was renowned among all that knew him as being uncompromising and outspoken. In 1972 he was maced by a security guard at Riverfront Stadium who said he "made threatening gestures with a closed fist"; Ellis said he was showing his World Series ring to prove he was member of the Pirates(some reports cite him as also carrying a half empty bottle of wine).
He was a hard nosed and fearless pitcher who prided himself on being able to intimidate batters;

“All hitters know they're gonna get hit. They just don't know when. The kicker for the truly good hitters is, you cannot hit me as many times as I'm gonna hit you. They take that hit to get six hits. But you gotta pop their ass so you can get an 0 for 4 on them one day. Don't get cocky now, motherfucker. The challenge is on. So let's get it on. Other guys might explain it differently, have different reasons, but that was mine. "

Doc`s loyalty and compassion were as equally uncompromising, committing his post baseball career to sobriety, and helping to counsel young baseball players, convicts, and the homeless. In 1990 he was essentially shunned by the Yankees organization for helping aspiring pitcher Pascual Perez.
Doc`s most infamous exploit was in the 1970 season a year that he won 13 games in a row, he pitched a “no hitter” (only 195 players in MLB have ever done this) in San Diego on acid. After some off days in Los Angeles, Doc woke up, dropped some tabs and went back to sleep. He was woken by his girlfriend who showed him the newspaper telling him he had to pitch that day. Doc took a shuttle down to San Diego and pitched a twilight game. Doc was diving off the mound and jumping up and down after each inning; he allowed 8 base on balls including hit batsmen, but was completely fixated on the strike zone.
Doc headed an alcoholism treatment center in the South Central Los Angeles community where he was raised. He succumbed to cirrhosis of the liver.
In the Los Angele Times Obit it was asked that all flowers and cards be sent to his sister; Elizabeth Grider, at 121 E. 139th St., Los Angeles, CA 90061.

"Until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death."

Today is the Anniversary of the day that Nick Drake met his demise. If you don’t know you need to make this part of your musical Cannon. Despite his limited commercial success during his life, since his passing his music has been extremely influential to other musicians such as; Paul Weller, The Cure, The Black Crows, R.E.M. among others. What I find to be the most amazing quality about his music is how timeless it sounds, the depth and structure are completely independent and do little to indicate his influences. His music seems to be more relevant now then in context of the music that was being played when it was recorded in the 70`s, and it will probably continue to preserve that quality for generations to come. None of Nick Drake`s albums ever sold more then five thousand copies while he was alive. In recent years there has been a documentary, exposure on a Volkswagen commercial, and he was voted among one of the 50 most influential English songwriters of all time (BBC.COM), therefore his music has regularly reentered the charts over the last ten years. I don’t usually like to highlight these days especially since it was never clear if his death was accidental or intentional, however I have always believed that even if someone meets their demise in what started out as "intentional", in light of the horrible consequences, it always ends up being a tragic accident, its especially true in this case Nick Drake was 26.(19 June 1948 – 25 November 1974)



In kind of a related way I heard this while watching TV last week, I thought you might enjoy it. I am not going to say that I was flipping through the channels, I like this show. Dont get me wrong I am not a biker, I never have been and I never will be. I have never tried to put to much energy in trying to portray myself as something I am not, Hell! It takes to much energy trying not to be the things that I know I am. But anyway, the show reminds me of a day when bikers were the crazy guys that made me nervous, lived in the cul de sac at the end of the block, no shirts on a Saturday night racing suicide shift, short pipe bikes down the street all night long, no grass in their yard, mean old dogs, flat black trucks, three piece patch, and you knew they were up to some crazy crooked shit! this was long before we passed the tipping point of every cube jockey and commercial sellout wanting to buy back part of their character and self esteem by blowing their tax return on a Harley. I am sure there are still bikers out there, somewhere, but I dont know any. It might have been a novelty at one time for a biker to have a “straight” job, but now it’s a farce, the mainstream and the flock have gutted the ideal.

"If we do not hang together, we shall surely hang separately. "

On this day in 1963 the then adolescent media circus had been working overtime for the last 48 hours covering the events surrounding the Kennedy assassination. Around noon the live coverage of the preparations to have the former president lie in state at the capitol rotunda were interrupted. Millions of TV viewers were shown live the transfer of Lee Harvey Oswald from the Police Station in downtown Dallas to the County Jail.

On this day in 1971 D.B Cooper parachuted out of the cargo hold of a 727. He had departed Sea-Tac airport at 7PM where he collected $200,000.00 and released all the passengers, who stated he "seemed rather nice," he ordered the flight crew meals and sat on the plane drinking bourbon and soda. Once over the forest of southern Washington he had the crew slow the plane to 200mph and drop to 10,000 feet, he then plunged into the dense cloud cover of the cold Washington night and into the imagination of a nation. His name is actually fictitious borrowed from an early suspect. D.B. Coopers`s actual name identity and whereabouts are still a mystery. There have been several suspects since, some with plausible credibility however, a partial DNA profile acquired by the FBI in 2007 from a ‘clip on’ tie that was left on the plane has since cleared all suspects furthering the mystery.

On this day in 1986 Abbie Hoffman along with 15 others including Amy Carter (the Daughter of former president Jimmy Carter) are arrested for occupying an administration building on the UMass Amherst campus. The occupation was in protest of the illegal recruitment of students on campus by the CIA. During the trial Abbie Hoffman called witnesses including former American military analyst for the RAND Corporation Daniel Ellsberg, former United States Attorney General William Ramsey Clark, and former Contra leader Edgar Chamorro, detailing the CIA's illegal and inhumane activities, all sixteen were acquitted. During the closing argument Hoffman quoted Thomas Paine; "Every age and generation must be as free to act for itself, in all cases, as the ages and generations which preceded it. Man has no property in man; neither has any generation a property in the generations which are to follow."

"Art is knowledge at the service of emotion"

Today is the Birthday of José Clemente Orozco born November 23, 1883 – September 7, 1949. He was a radical Marxist Mexican muralist whose artwork still exists from Mexico City, Orizaba, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Jiquilpan, Michoacán. To Claremont, California, in what is now the New School in New York and Dartmouth College in Hannover New Hampshire. His socialist ideals were just “provincial” enough to not be threatening to the American Government and his style was just symbolic enough to poignant and satirical. I have always found fascinating his interpretation of intellect and the value intellectual esteem in what was one of among 24 panels painted at Dartmouth College. Known as the “Gods of the Modern World” this panel warned of intellect that was static and outdated and was not opened to being emergent and continually redefined.

"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. "

Fort Worth, Nov. 22, 1963

For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.

We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike. that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans--born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage. And unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This much we pledge--and more.

, Inaugural Address, 1961 John F. Kennedy (May 29^th 1917–November the 22^nd 1963)

"Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil. "

Hello
I wanted to say Hi its been awhile since my last post, however I have been a little preoccupied with a few things, my family seems to suffer from cirrhosis of the liver like its contagious and we are all living in a fishbowl.
Its been kind of a slow month for news, I am trying to think if there is any thing new?...? OH yeah!! A BLACK PRESIDENT!!, I remember how happy I was when Morgan Freeman played the President in the movie; Deep Impact (1998) and this is real! I know everything has already been written about the whole election process, but there is one recent development that is starting to annoy me. The obnoxious Liberal Haute Bourgeoisie is running around patting themselves on the back for their benevolence in saving this nation. There are so smarmy and so condescendingly proud of a nation that had the foresight to look past their hang-ups to usher in the dawn of a "brave new world". There is only one thing worse then someone that is going to limit your civil liberties for their profit, that is someone that is going to limit your civil libeties for "your own good". However I did not see the lanslide that they are all discussing over cups of " Kool Aid with the funny aftertaste" that's not the case the popular vote was still split 52% and 46%. I heard in the news Wolf Blitzer asking some talking head if; 'this was the end of racism?' ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! Do you think the LAPD is going to stop kicking my ass!! Or maybe my white middle class neighbor will invite me over for tea and crumpets (whatever those are). Maybe when I walk to the bodega the Haitian clerk will stop following me around. These people are idiots! I still want my 40 acres and a mule!! I want some justice up in this piece!! Attica!! Attica!! Attica!! … okay I’m calm now … bye the way, I had a strange premonition that occured to me while watching Obama`s victory speech, tell me if you had the same one... Oprah is the anti-christ! ... But really! Let’s not jump up and down and start throwing candy at each other just yet. I want to say this election was about two alternate ideologies not black and white, eventhough the Hillary campaign couldn't seem to stop pulling out some racial slander every other week, I really want to commend Obama and McCain for attempting to run somewhat civil campaigns, even though they did have their moments, like the Obama being a Muslim?, that's just over the top, who cares? Or who should? What religion was McCain? Or Hillary? Hell!! Malcolm X was Muslim! and I definitely would have voted for that guy!! …again I digress … the point is that the agent of the alternate ideology was John McCain a man who has forgotten more about intestinal fortitude then I will ever know! most people have forgotten that in Mid 06 Bush’s disapproval rating had started to slide from 50 to 60% and at that point we all knew that the next president was going to be a democrat, if it would not have been for two factors it would not have even been close, one; Hillary and "What’s his Chops`s?" tasteless campaigning, and two; McCain striking such a deep chord in the American psyche. The media is trying to pull apart his decision making process and second guess his running mate choice, however the fact that he got as close he did was amazing. Don't get me wrong Obama deserves every praise, but more for what 'he did' then what 'we did'. The country voted almost exactly the way it had 4 years ago when both candidates were middle aged white guys. The South, including Texas, some Midwest, and the Plains States, went to the Republicans. And the Northeast, some Midwest, the West Coast, and Pacific Northwest, went to the Democrats. However there were a few notable exceptions; Florida, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, New Mexico, Colorado, Iowa, Indiana, and Illinois (where Obama is from) all went Democrat. However some of these states were so close they were not counted as democrat until after California had reported. These states were primarily won due to two factors; expanding demographic of the average voter being younger then ever and, the sheer number of first time voters. And this is what Barack Obama did; he was logistically and motivationally brilliant. However the credit should really go to the young and first time voters. and not the Liberal aristocracy, why are they taking credit for single handedly dragging this nation to the mountain top when most black people that I have spoke with still cant believe it, had the electoral college process stole the election again or had the incumbency somehow in the 11th hour wrangled victory from the face of defeat it would have been par for the course. I think the end of racism is true equality. If somebody beats you up for two hundred years and comes over and says “its over, lets be friends now” what are you going to do (personally I would want some payback) but ultimately you need time to purge that ingrained victim mentality that becomes part of the individual identity. I find it sad that as an appendix to every conversation I have had about Obama (with black people, white people wouldn’t say this) There has been glee, tears, and a general censure of disbelief at this moment in history, and at the very end, at the very end … “you know they are going to shoot him don’t cha?” “Yeah… yeah I know.” “Hey but its pretty amazing isn’t it?” “yeah… have a nice day” “okay you too”

"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus."

I had moved slowly from the middle of the room to the back row of warm desks exposed to the sun pouring in from the large open awning windows that ran along the side of the ancient hardwood classroom. The 5th and 6th year seniors; facial hair, neck tattoos, kids, and prison records, that usually sat there weren’t in class today, probably drunk in the park after sharing bottles at lunch. They would light the back of your hair on fire in class and when you finally smelled it and turned around, they would just stare ahead expressionless or, look at you and say "what!!" then laugh hysterically after you turned back around.
My friend Ronnie was already sitting in the sun hunched over his desk intently scribbling, stopping only to blankly stare out the window for a second, envisioning some random thought floating past, then intently scribble again, stoned.
Ronnie always sat there, Ronnie was a small and wiry freshman but his brother had been one of the veteranos, one of the few that made out good. Ronnie’s brother was a PE teacher at the Jr. High and all the kids in the neighborhood loved him. Ronnie’s Brother still drank in the park on Sunday afternoons, listening to the oldies with the older men. He was married to a woman he met in college, some banker or, accountant or something. Ronnie's father and uncles had been in the gangs as well, so nobody ever touched him and every body wanted to be his friend, the cool thing about Ronnie was that he didn't see it, but I did.
Ms. Meyers was at the front of the room spouting something about "the bards eternal solace of wisdom, blah, blah," something about "two paths diverging, blah, blah" on and on " Blah , Blah, Blah".
I could see Maricel and Victoria slowly moving down the hill that ran up behind the football field; everything else began to fade out. The hill was a safe place to get stoned because by the time any of the fat ass! Security guards dragged their fat asses! Up the hill no matter what you were doing before, by the time they got to the top, you were ‘straight’. I could tell who it was because; there were only a hand full of girls that wore those immaculate full length creamy white knit sweaters. The sweaters swinging as they laughed and screamed, trying to hold themselves up, and make the other one fall as they made their way down the hill, baby blue ribbons in the temple of their large curly Mexican hair, perfectly cuffed 501s and immaculate white converse with the fat blue laces. Maricel was pretty but she was tough, we had 2nd hour together and I think she liked me at the beginning of the year but, after awhile I just felt like she wanted to sock me in the eye every time she saw me. Victoria was immaculate, and she would probably have a baby that way years later, she moved in and out of circles that I could not touch, writing for the school paper and yearbook. Victoria was on the Varsity cheer squad, but she still walked home with all the kids from the Coronado Street neighborhood. Maricel and Victoria stopped and talked to the freshman JV cheer squad as they were sitting around being stupid and self important in the corner of the track field. I watched as they slowly made their way down the fenceline to the back of the school. Victoria was larger than life to me but we had talked directly only once, at the park on a 'finals' half-day. I try to remember that she was speaking to me, but I was smoking and she was laughing in my group of friends. I don’t remember a word she said, but it’s hard when your trying to act casual and at the same time straining to hear every word. I remember I was struck by how small and delicate her warm brown features were, her eyes were large and her smile was perfect. She had gotten her braces off during the summer but she still tilted her head and looked down when she couldn't control her laughter. Her voice was soft, and delicate and floated in the air, it caused people to lean forward when she spoke and created an intimacy like there was no one else around.
Ronnie took his pencil and hit my knuckles hard! Ms. Myers had been calling my name but had moved on. She was old and at first it had been a test of wills to get me to speak to her, but half way through the year we had not said one word to each other. She would call roll and I wouldn't answer, but after a few weeks no one in the class would answer so she just gave up. I had felt insulted after the first day of class she sent me to the office thinking that I didn’t belong because my name wasn’t on the roll. I think it had more to do with the white t-shirt and cuffed and creased dickies. It was an honors English class for the freshmen so most of us showed up anyway, Ronnie had a bunch of these honors classes but, this English class was my only one.
Then it happened, Maricel and Victoria moved by the window smiling, Maricel was speaking in this beautiful staccato Spanish talking with her hands and oblivious to the class. Victoria was looking in the windows and I felt that she looked at me and waved. I was leaning back in my chair trying hard to look bored without falling back, because that would have been the stupidest thing any kid could do. But when I felt she waved at me I tried hard not to show my surprise. I would have waved backed but she and Ronnie were friends and she might have been waving to him. And the second stupidest thing a kid can do is wave to somebody that is waving at someone other than you, so I kind of smiled and nodded a little. Then it happened, as Victoria walked by the open window I could hear her voice clear and distinct from the teachers blah blah blahing, and the sound of Maricel in the background, she looked at Ronnie flashed him the A hand sign for the Coronado street Aztecas "Oye! Chavalo?" and then before she moved past the window said "Hey Ronnie whose your friend? He’s cute"

…who’s your friend he’s cute?

Angel, Victoria, swinging warm brown, laughing, shiny Immaculate, ditching class and probably stoned.

The bell rang and my stunned silence was shaken by a world roared to life, just as it was about to fade away gray. Ms. Myers screamed out assignments struggling to be heard over the sudden chaos, but this new world was quickly fading and discernable to me. It filled with a haze that muted the colors and pushed me cold and suddenly self conscious spilling into the angry hallway. I pushed my chin into my chest, my legs seemed long and my feet very small. Forcing the chaos to move slow and slide away from me, the whole world began to tilt and I had to walk with my arms straight at my side fists pushed tight into my pockets leaning way over, just so I wouldn't fall.

“Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion.”

Today is the anniversary of the publishing of Jack Kerouac’s 'On The Road' the book was written in three weeks on a continuous scroll of paper taped together by Jack to avoid stopping his typewriter. The original text had no structure, no page breaks, no paragraphs, and all the characters were the names of the original participants. Jack used notes that he had made in small pocket notebooks that he had carried over a period of seven years as he had travelled throughout the country. He travelled between New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Mexico. The Book describes Jack`s, experiences of, jazz, poetry, and friendships with the modern Beat Poets through visual snapshots of an America that has long since vanished. If any of you know me you know that this book (as it was for a generation) was a major influence in my life. I am intentionally understating this event; this book should be part of the cannon of required reading for every grade school child (minus the drug use, and sex scenes, of course!)

I love this quote;

“I like too many things and get all confused and hung-up running from one falling star to another till I drop. This is the night, what it does to you. I had nothing to offer anybody except my own confusion.”

Today is the birthday of John Cage he was a, composer, writer, and social anarchist. John Cage was born in Los Angeles, and distinguished himself as a classically trained musician. He travelled to Europe to study classic composition and architecture then moved back to the states to study composition under Arnold Schoenberg first at the New School in New York then to USC and UCLA. He joined the staff of the Cornish School of the Arts in Seattle, The Chicago School of Design, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the legendary and experimentally progressive Black Mountain College. John Cage was a prolific composer and writer throughout his career however he is best known for his most avant garde works the “4′33″” (which is comprised of three movements of total silence) and the “As Slow As Possible” [the 6th cord of which is currently being played at the Church of St. Burchard in Halberstadt Germany, and the final cord of which will be played in the year 2639].

His most influential work took place while he was at The University of Illinois “HPSCHD” (1969), is a 5 hour piece of computer generated sounds that ran with a slide show that highlighted the power of technology and the need to promote social change This experiment was not only the first piece of music comprised completely of computer generated sound but also the foundation of modern Electronic Dance Music that would rise out of Chicago, Detroit, and St.Louis.

"I will return in stone"

Today is the Anniversary of the passing of Oglala War Chief Crazy Horse (Thašuŋka Witko) {Native Americans traditionally do not like to speak of the dead, however there are few records that can confirm the birth of this last pristine generation of Native Americans therefore I will deign to the overwhelming importance of the influence.}He was born into a world that was completely different at the time of his death. He distinguished himself as a young warrior and even though he was not a peacetime chief his bravery and daring helped to distinguish him as a great war chief. Throughout his life he was also considered to be a spiritual healer and medicine man who was prone to see vision, this fact helped to solidify a following of devoted “Dogsoldiers”[the dogsoldiers were a radical spiritual warrior sect that was devoted to self sacrifice to ensure the safety of the tribe] that would follow him into battle at the Battle of Red Buttes, the Platte River Bridge Station Battle, Wagon Box Fight, Red Cloud's War, on the Boseman trail, Battle of the Rosebud, And of course the great Sioux Wars culminating in the Battle of Little Big Horn. After his people were forced into starvation Crazy horse made a choice to live in a camp near the Red Cloud Agency, located near Camp Robinson, Nebraska. In protest to the mistreatment of his people Crazy horse left many times however he was arrested and put into jail at the news of Chief Joseph leaving a reservation with his people in Washington. At one point in the middle of the night he was dragged from his cell and pulled into the front of the jail and bayoneted in his back while his arms were being held his body was turned over to his parents and taken to an undisclosed location on the Sioux reservation. He was reported to have been around 37years old, there are no known and verifiable photos of him in existence.

"Destroy yourselves, you who are desperate, and you who are tortured in body and soul, abandon all hope."

Antonin Artaud born on this day in1896 he was an Actor, director, writer, artist, poet, He traveled the world under random surnames, doing peyote with the Tarahumaras of South America and being arrested for posing as St. Patrick in Ireland. He was tormented by fits of depression and nervous breakdowns stemming from a prescription drug habit that developed after a childhood bout of meningitis he was committed for a total of 15 years of his life, and despite his difficulties he was a voracious reader and a prolific writer throughout his life.
Antonin Artaud established the "Theatre of Cruelty" school of drama. This was a break from the conservative traditional melodrama of morality plays that were the norm of the day. Antonin envisioned theatre as a ritual that used ancient primal themes to invoke deep recessed fears and desires. Antonin believed that we were unaware of the things that truly kept us in bondage, our self deprecating egos masked our external difficulties as “the devil”, and labeled internal forces as “good” when in reality both forces separated us from our true selves and kept us in bondage. To enable the individual to overcome these forces Antonin believed that they needed to be circumvented by traumatic upheavals using ancient themes, finally leaving the individual free.
Even if the true meaning of his theatre was ultimately watered down and lost. I think it’s important to see the influence of Antonin Artaud as being pervasive in our society. Jim Morrison and the Doors, The Matrix, Nine Inch Nails, Industrial, Death Metal, Black Metal, Emo, Death Rockers and Goth, all draw from the traditional “Theatre of Cruelty” as influence.

"I was no chief and never had been, but because I had been more deeply wronged than others, this honor was conferred upon me, and I resolved to prove"

On this day in 1886 Geronimo became the last Native American to capitulate a major military campaign by Native Americans against the U.S.Government. During the last few months of the campaign one quarter of the American Army 5,000troops, 500 scouts and 3,000 Mexican soldiers were searching the Chiracaua Mountains of eastern Arizona for Geronimo and his remaining force of 16 warriors, 12 women, and 6 children.
The Chiracauas were the traditional home of the Geronimo’s people. Geronimo had actually surrendered prior and traveled to the San Carlos and White Mountain Apache reservations however drunken threats of hanging by US soldiers, the mistreatment of his people and, the ultimate murder of an apache holy man had caused him gather members of his tribe and flee back to his homeland
Geronimo was not a chief however the traditional Apache ethos of enduring great hardship, and taking what is needed, plus years of guerilla actions in the harshest conditions against overwhelming odds. Had contributed to Sensationalized press reports exaggerating Geronimo's activities, making him the most feared and infamous Apache.

In all fairness one of the most pivotal moments in Geronimo’s life was in 1858 when on an excursion to peace talks between the Government and the Apaches he returned to find his wife, his mother and his three young children murdered by troops. Among the tribe he was a changed man and became known for his anger and hatred, soon after this incident he received his power, which came to him in visions. Geronimo was never a chief, but a medicine man, a seer and a spiritual and intellectual leader both in and out of battle. The Apache chiefs depended on his wisdom

Upon their surrender, Geronimo and over 300 of his fellow Apaches were shipped to Fort Marion, Florida. One year later many of them were relocated to the Mt.Vernon barracks in Alabama, where about one quarter died from tuberculosis and other diseases. Geronimo died on Feb. 17, 1909, a prisoner of war, unable to return to his homeland. He was buried in the Apache cemetery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

To this day Geronimo is the embodiment of the apache ethic, and has become an iconic rallying point among the apache tribe as an uncompromising symbol of freedom.

In 1986 the chair of the San Carlos Apache Tribe Ned Anderson was petitioning to have the remains of Geronimo moved from Fort Sill back to Apache land. Anderson received a anonymous letter from someone claiming to be a member of the Yale Skull and Bones Society the writer claimed that the Skull and Bones were in possession of Geronimo’s skull. The writer included a photograph of a skull in a display case and a copy of what is apparently a centennial history of Skull and Bones, written by the literary critic F. O. Matthiessen . In Matthiessen's account and a Skull and Bones log book from 1919, the skull had been unearthed by six Bonesmen, identified by their Bones nicknames, Matthiessen mentions the real names of three of the robbers, all of whom were at Fort Sill in early 1918: Ellery James '17, Henry Neil Mallon '17, and Prescott Bush '17, (the father and grandfather of the U.S. presidents) all of this information was substantiated by Yale historian Gaddis Smith in the Yale Daily News 5/9/06 (George Bush is left of the Clock)

"Majority rule only works if you're also considering individual rights. you can't have five wolves and one sheep voting on what to have for supper"

I have been watching a lot of what’s been going on lately; News, Sports, Entertainment and Politics. I think that I am going to take a page from an influence that is dear to all our hearts, Hustler’s Larry Flint and start a new Gadget on my blog. It will be “the Jackass of the month” the purpose will be to dishonorably mention those members of our society that through their actions distinguish themselves from all the rest as going above and beyond the call of Jackassness

"The only band that matters."

On this day 1982 The US Music Festival opens for three days in San Bernardino, California 400,000 fans hear Fleetwood Mac, the Police, the Cars, the Talking Heads, the Grateful Dead, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson among others. The festival is divided into Four days; New wave, Rock, Heavy Metal, and Country. The festival lost about 20 million dollars for the main festival sponsor Steve Wozniak of the then upstart software company Apple Inc. One of the main headliners VanHalen had secured a $1,500,000. Guarantee and Eddie Van Halen had been quoted in Rolling Stone as saying that “punk rock sounded like something I played in my garage as a kid” During the Van Halen set David Lee Roth was quoted as saying “The only people that put tea in Jack Daniels bottles are The Clash”. The Clash on the other hand had asked that a portion of their guarantee be donated to various charities, and Joe Strummer was quoted backstage as saying “VanHalens music is for idiots” and at one point during the weekend the Clash and Van Halen got into an altercation, by all accounts the Clash kicked ass! I didn’t make it to San Bernardino that weekend, however me and a few friends did make it down to the Tucson convention center a few weeks prior to see The Clash. There are those moments, in retrospect, where you can see what you were like before and how diffrent you were after. even though its been said a hundred times before, may gods love be with you Joe Strummer !!



On September 3, 1997 in Salt Lake City Utah, only eight days after classes began, Jacob Lawrence Orosco hanged himself at his mother's home. Jacob was 17, a senior in high school, incoming President of the East High School Gay/Straight Student Alliance, a student support group brought together by Jacob to deal with issues of persecution. Jacob was openly gay. To stop having to accommodate the Alliance the school board had banned all extracurricular activities at East High. State law forbids Utah's public school teachers from saying anything in the classroom that would imply acceptance or advocacy of homosexuality. This effectively ostracized Jacob in the community blaming him for all extracurricular activities being banned at East High. And opening Jacob up to threats of violence and resentment in the community.

“None of us are free until the weakest of us is free”

"They believe we should be contented like those whose concept of happiness is materialistic and greedy, "

On this day in 1758 the first Indian reservation is established. I wish I could give you a reason as to why this system was established but I can’t, and any researched conclusion sounds thin in light of the injustice, so I won’t even try. What I can say is that there is a myth that Indian reservations are sovereign states and immune to federal authority, this is a fallacy and the reservations are controlled directly by the Government through the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
The Reservations primary purpose has been to contain the native population and to exclude them from land rights. The Office of the BIA was often used as a recompense to people that had done some favor to the government, enabled the lawful reallocation of public funds into private hands, initially intended to help the Indians. If companies or local farmers needed the natural resources of reservation land, then some perceived conflict or arbitrary new law (see; The Native American Reorganization Act 1934) was passed as a pretext to redistribute the land into private hands leaving less or in some cases nothing at all, for Indians. This practice goes on to this day

"Maybe we should not have humored them when they asked to live on reservations. Maybe we should have said, No, come join us. Be citizens along with the rest of us." -Ronald Reagan when asked by a student in Russia about the ethical treatment of Native Americans in the United States

On this day in 1990 the 19 year old (The Kid) (The Natural) Ken Griffey Jr. signs with the Seattle Mariners to join his father Ken Griffey, former member of the “The Big Red Machine”, As the first father son duo in Major League Baseball. Ken Griffey Sr, played for another one and a half years before retiring after 19 seasons in the Majors. Ken Griffey Jr. went on to have a great career but ultimately he is a great guy, a deep respect for the game, humble in victory, and poised in defeat.

On this day in 1970 the Los Angeles Police attack 10,000 Chicano antiwar demonstrators after a march against the Vietnam draft. Chicanos gathered at Laguna Park in East L.A. to protest disproportionate number of deaths of Chicanos in the Vietnam War. Three protesters are killed by police & Chicanos set Los Angeles on fire, occupying many parts of the city for seven days.

Today is the Birthday of Charlie (Bird) Parker he was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1920, and was truly innovative, taking the existing Bebop sound and incorporating it into a unique and complex form of American music that is instantly recognizable and completely independent. If there was an argument as to who was the singularly greatest jazz musician of all time his name would have to be among three others mentioned. Although his music is complex, original, and witty, it was always a little to happy for me, but nonetheless thank you

"Don't gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold..."

Today is the anniversary of the passing of Halie Salasie and just incase you don’t know who this is or you happened to find the nearest Rastafarian and he cannot explain to you who he is and his relevance to us (an experience I have had on several occasion) here it goes.
Halie Salasie was born Tafari Makonnen in 1892 there are three days that are celebrated in the Rastafarian religion his birth, July 23, 1892, his death, August 27, 1975, and the day that he arrived in Jamaica, 21 April 1966,
He was born into royalty and after a Regime change and failed coup attempt, in his country of Ethiopia, Salasie was promoted to a “lord or king” and given the prefix “Ras” in 1916 (thus the name Rastafari.).

Ethiopia enjoyed a time of great prosperity; expanding borders, and rich natural resources, had the royalty holding grand coronations, traveling with live leopards, and giving away gold trinkets. During this time Halie Salasie became known for his great benevolence and compassion for all people, including his enemies (there were several; instances when his political rivals had to bow to his kindness due to public pressure). However Mussolini’s pressure on the weak League of Nations enabled Italy and the Axis powers to drive him from his homeland (he was an actual military commander fighting amongst his troops). He was able to return after the war however in the 70`s Ethiopia suffered a horrible famine and he was deposed on September 12, 1974 and was dead within a year.
Okay this is the really important part so pay attention; Halie Salasie would only be a great guy if for one underlying fact. Ethiopia is actually a Orthodox Christian Monarchy, similar to Judaism, and the royal bloodline can be traced from direct descents of Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, and King Solomon of ancient Israel. Ethiopia over its thousands of years of history has never been subject to religious colonialism (for example; if the national religion of America was Native American). Ethiopia is referenced several times in the Bible and the Quran, and is considered by some Jewish scholars as one of the “Lost Tribes”. There is an actual church in Ethiopia that claims to contain the “Ark of the Covenant” at Tzion Maryam church in Axum Ethiopia (yes! The actual Arc of the Covenant!!). The point is that Halie Salasie is considered by Rastafarians the world over to have been a legitimate King of actual Holy Blood. He is considered to have been a messiah and a child of God. He has become a symbol of black pride and a reminder to the poor and outcast around the world, That the real Jesus and his desciples were all black! But I still have no idea where the whole 'weed smoking thing' came into play??

"Fashions in bigotry come and go. The right thing lasts."

On this the anniversary of women’s suffrage, tonight is also the 2nd night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), Hillary is supposed to address the convention in her attempt to unify the Democratic Party. Before this takes place I want to point out that in the first of the “Real” debates that took place, what seems like an eternity ago, in South Carolina the first words out of Hillary’s Mouth were “Yes We Are Unified”. However Obama has since solidified the nomination and Hillary’s desperate attempts to personally attack and discredit Obama in the last desperate hours of the race, have come back to bite her in the ass and Obama has chosen one of only two nominees in the whole Democratic electoral process that actually appeared to be governed by some sort of palpable intellect (the other being Kucinich). I am serious, watch tapes of the old debates and you will see without the political machines behind them Hillary and Obama both come off either meek or petty. And Biden and Kucinich are spouting philosophy and political insight with all the timing and grace of Walter Sobchak in the Big Lebowski. But anyway that is all behind us now and this is what we are left with. I just want to point out that since the end of the Democratic electoral race Hillary and her husband (what’s-his-chops?) have been sulking around, meekly and backhandedly attempting to bring the party together with thinly veiled appeals of unity. And now I hear that since Obama has chosen Kucinich oh! I mean Biden! as his vice presidential running mate that Hillary supporters are threatening to vote Republican {and Finally the jist of this whole post} Of all the selfish and self centered, tasteless and childish acts ever perpetrated within a political process this has to be up there with; Bush’s ‘No blacks allowed to vote in Florida” and Reagan’s ‘Cocaine for Guns Policy’. I knew there was a reason why I didn’t trust those Hillary People! (What do I mean “You People”) she has all the caring and warmth of that Republican sock puppet Pelosi. It really pissis me off! if they want a Republican world and that is the majority of the American people, then we should let them have it, or let them live in one of Arpaio`s tent cities, it would be the same thing. But anyway she has another chance to bring those morons into the fold, like pulling scared livestock out of a burning barn, Good luck!

"When there is peace, the warlike man attacks himself"

Augustus Walley (top row, 4th from right with the bandana around his neck), a former slave, recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The 24th Infantry (The Buffalo Soldiers) was first commissioned on November 1869. From 1869 to 1898, the 24th Infantry comprised of both free men and former slaves, served throughout the Western United States serving on some of the most dangerous roles; guarding posts, fighting Indians, and protecting roadways against bandits. Their name was given to them by the Indians as a measure of their heart. In 1898 the 24th Infantry was deployed to Cuba and participated in the famed Charge up San Juan Hill, this event is responsible for solidifying the reputation of Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders into national media attention.
On this day in 1917 a riot took place in Houston Texas after the police beat two of the regiment’s soldiers to death. After two hours of violence by soldiers seeking revenge 15 whites including four policemen are killed, 12 more are injured, and four soldiers die. However in one in one of our proudest moments, in court martials held in secret, 19 more soldiers are later executed, no police were ever held accountable for their actions.
The 24th infantry was later highly decorated for its participation in; Guadalcanal, Saipan, Tinian, Bougainville, Okinawa, and Korea.

"Your work is puerile and under-dramatized. You lack any sense of structure, character, or the Aristotelian unities. "

Okay let me first say that I am not some literary bohemian, or an “ugly art” loving, ‘G and D’ elitist, as a matter of fact, I have spent a good part of my life skating by coffee shops flipping those, stagnant, petty, introverts, off. I think the main reason why I hold so much animosity for these black clad, high school shooters, eager for their parents disapproval, is because I have read a few things and I know reading is nothing to toot your own horn about, and its certainly nothing to condescend to anybody about (and I have also been on the receiving end of my parents disapproval, and I know that this is not some consummation devoutly to be wished). Anyway I have read a few things and I think that there a few integral parts of anyone’s literary cannon, so in saying that, I want to urge you to pursue your own literary cannon, and luckily on this day, here are a few suggestion.

B- August 22, 1893 Dorothy Parker; she was a light witty humorist who started to write for magazines then her own books of poetry, and her poetry no matter how funny held insight and sometimes scathing commentary. I always thought her writing was a window into her times, she was at the height of her fame during the roaring twenties, I always thought this time was a sort of American adolescence.

D -August 22, 1904 Kate Chopin; She was from the South and I loved much of her writing for the same reason as Ms. Parkers, however her “window” is that of a rural turn of the century south, colorful and bright, and at times harsh and ugly. I think I love her stories the most for the fact that there is always that small turn at the end of every story, it’s like she built this colorful world (and her writing did just that) then would elbow you in the ribs and laugh.

D – August 22, 1979 James T Farrell; Mr. Farrell was from the industrialized immigrant big cities of the North during the time of the post war industrialization of America. Now this is important, because he doesn’t talk about the prosperity of our nation but he speaks and welcomes you into the lives of those vibrant inner city neighborhoods. And the effect that the suburban utopian dream has had on the fabric of our community and our ideals. Read “Studs Lonnigan”.

B –August 22, 1920 Ray Bradbury; now we all know he wrote “Fahrenheit 451” (extremely important commentary on our society) and of course “I Sing The Body Electric” and “The Illustrated Man”. But I remember reading the “Martian Chronicles” as a child and being completely enthralled Mr. Bradbury humanized the Martians and he parallel their lives with humans creating this desire for a utopian existence, that in the back of your head you know is just never plausible. He also co wrote “The Addams Family” now that world is a consummation devoutly to be wished.

"There is no death, only a change of worlds."

Today would have been the birthday of Isaac Hayes. Isaac was born in The Covington section of Memphis Tennessee in 1942 His parents passed at an early age and he was left to be raised by his Grandparents. His Family was so poor that in High school Isaac attempted to drop out to avoid being embarrassed in front of his peers, However a small group of the High school Faculty got together, donated some clothes and went to his house to speak with Isaac and his grandparents to encourage his return to school, saying that, his potential was to great. Isaac actually spent most of his youth nurturing the dream of being a doctor however a church talent show was influential in changing his mind. Isaac went on to collaborate with David Porter to write For Stax recording artists Sam and Dave. The duo wrote more than 200 songs for Stax, among the most popular “Soul Man,” “I Thank You,” “When Something Is Wrong with My Baby” and "Hold On I'm Comin'". This writing duo is directly responsible for bringing the sound of the black gospel church to pop music. Had Isaac Hayes never gone on to record any music on his own he would have still been one of the most influential songwriters of all time, black or otherwise, but of course we all know he did.

“Because I am the Hall Monitor, it’s my job”

I am addicted to the Olympics! I find myself up all night online watching Badminton, weightlifting, cycling, Table tennis (why don’t that say Ping Pong? Is it not “PC”? Kind of like Black and African American? Will somebody please tell a motherfucker! What the rule is on this before I inadvertently offend my yellow brother, because when it comes to Ping Pong I am Forest Gump!!)
In the opening ceremonies the flag bearer for China was Yao Ming, next to Yao there was a little boy that was walking and as though he had just wandered in.

His name was Lin Hao On May 12, 2008 Lin was at school in Yingxiu China, when hit by the powerful quake that killed 69,181, injured 374,171.
Lin was the designated ‘hall monitor’ for his school when the building collapsed while he was walking down a corridor, trapping him and two of his classmates.
Lin sustained a head injury and a serious arm injury, but managed to free himself before carrying his two friends to safety. He said: "The corridor collapsed as I was walking. Two of my classmates were trapped beside me.
"I tried as hard as I could to climb out, and after I had climbed out I pulled a classmate out." Lin went back in to the collapsed building a second time to help his other friend escape. While waiting for rescue he comforted his trapped classmates by singing to them, unfortunately only 10 out of the 31 kids in his class survived.
After Lin had walked for seven hours to get out of the center of town, he was asked by rescuers why he went back to help his classmates?

"I dont believe in shit till shit happens"

It`s been awhile since my last post. I have been going through a few personnel rough spots, but I am sure you can understand. I have talked to a few of you out there and I know that some of you have crazy people in your families too, and if you can’t think of anyone then it’s probably you. But I am back! And I am here to stay! I am done with all that bullshit! Like that great philosopher Bootsy Collins once said "Free your mind your ass will follow" Now let’s get to the Point of all this foolishness

"Without freedom from the past, there is no freedom"

Pour a little out for the Homies

Iceberg Slim; Born Robert Beck, August 4, 1918, in Chicago, IL; died April 28, 1992, in Los Angeles, CA
At one point in his life he was on of the most successful black author in America, second only to Alex Haley. (If you’re able to leave your judgments and morality at the door you might learn something here)

“I don't want to be remembered as a beaten champion.”

On this day Rocky (The Brockton Blockbuster) Marciano announced his retirement from boxing at the age of 31 he had a professional record of 49 wins, no losses and 43 knockouts. He was the world champion for four years and is the only boxer to ever retire undefeated. After his retirement he invested in failed businesses and nightclubs, he tried standup comedy and public appearances but worked primarily as a referee for boxing and wrestling matches, until his death in a plane crash in 1969.

Marciano is the inspiration for movie Raging Bull this movie was Amazing, I think it was an excellent synopsis for the times when we are our own worst enemy, if we are lucky we can see it, however in the case of the Marciano’s character in the movie, his violence and hostility made him famous and provided for his family, and in the end they are the seeds of his misfortune and lead to his eventual downfall. In Rocky V there is a flashback of Mickey giving Rocky a necklace with a gold cufflink shaped like a boxing glove that he said was given to him by Rocky Marciano. I am often haunted by the same dream.

"We must be cruel to be kind, thus lets begin the bad and leave the worse behind"

There are records that confirm that Shakespeare was baptized on the 26 of April. However it was common practice of the time to wait three days to baptize a newborn, therefore it is commonly held that he was born and died on the same day. April the 23rd.

William Shakespeare was born to Mary Arden (Daughter of a wealthy land owner, Robert Arden). And John Shakespeare (the son of Richard a man who had worked on the Land of Robert Arden) despite their social division a year after the death of Robert Arden in 1557 John and Mary were Married (marriage for love was not very common at the time). Seven years after the marriage William was born. Williams Father rose the rank of Alderman in the community which allowed William a good education (John and Mary were both illiterate), however at the age of 14 he had to be withdrawn from school to work, as his father began to have financial trouble (its believed it was due to religious persecution, the Shakespeare’s were Catholic).

William Married Ann Hathaway at 18 and they had three children. At the age of 21 he moved to London to pursue an acting career and received some notoriety for his skill. However at the age of 28 he quit acting to devote all his time to becoming a playwright, it’s commonly understood that from the years of 1592 to 1608 William wrote the most brilliant plays in the English language “The Tragedies”

Upon his death in 1616 William had only published a few of his plays after his death in 1623, John Heminges and Henry Condell, fellow actors. published most of his works in the “First Folio” as the typesetting for this work took several years the original price was about three hundred dollars (comparatively), only about a thousand were printed, 228 are known to currently exist, The Folger Library in Washington DC has 79 copies, and in 2001 a copy was sold by the Christies auction house in New York for 6.16 Million.

It is commonly understood that Shakespeare invented over 1700 commonly used words. And his phrases are accepted as the fabric of our Language to this day; someone who is “green” as being young. Or struck by the “green eyed monster of jealousy”, or killing someone in “cold blood”, or not understanding some one as “speaking Greek”, or vanishing into “thin air” or being “tongue tied”, having to go to a “shylock”, being “caught in a pickle”, if you’re ever a “laughing stock”, refer to family as “flesh and blood”, if you’ve been “hoodwinked”, or “deader than a door nail”. This is all Shakespeare and more.
There are critics who doubt the authorship of his plays due to the fact that he had a limited education and came from illiterate parents however his childhood education would have far exceeded our modern standards, it would have included Latin ancient Philosophy mythology and history.

When I was a child one of the few books in the house was a complete works of Shakespeare I first began to pick apart and define the language, then reread the plays to understand the imagery. I loved the characters and the timeless concepts; the frustration of Mercutio, the Cowardice of Macbeth, the Nobility of Henry the 5th, the demons of Richard the 3rd, and the Madness of Hamlet.

There is no evidence that Shakespeare ever traveled further then London from his home in Stratford, but his characters conveyed a richness of the time an emersion of the surrounding. For example, the in the Two Gentlemen of Verona the servant Panthino speaks in a cumbersome provincial accent and of his knowledge of traveling and the sea, Shakespeare did this constantly whether he was speaking in the "proper kings English" or the gravediggers drunken drawl in Hamlet, the details are a seamless reflection of the emotional conflict and eternal struggles.

"they can make right look like wrong, and wrong like right

On this day in 1975 after several years of terrorizing the Pine ridge Indian Reservation by members of the BIA, two FBI agents attempt to enter, and initiate a shootout at, an AIM (American Indian Movement) camp at Jumping Bull Ranch within the Reservation

The two FBI agents are killed along with Lakota tribe member Joe Stuntz.

Three American Indian Movement (AIM) Leaders; Bob Robideau, Dino Butler and Leonard Peltier were charged with the murder (on later admitted coerced testimony) Robideau, and Butler were tried and acquitted of the crime on the grounds of “self defense”. However Leonard Peltier who had been fighting extradition in Canada, Once returned to the United States was convicted of the crime in a separate trial.

Despite the self defense verdict no one was ever charged for the murder of Joe Stuntz

Any of the shortcomings of the initial prosecutions of Robideau, Butler were “miraculously” found or testimony fabricated for the trial of Leonard Peltier. And all of the motions that were allowed for the initial defense of Robideau, Butler were not allowed by the judge for the Peltier defense (the judge was changed after the initial not guilty verdict).

The FBI still holds over 6,000 pages on the Leonard Peltier case which they refuse to release for "National Security reasons."

Leonard Peltier has been declared to be a “political prisoner” by Amnesty International, and the U.N. High Commissioner on Human Rights.

"The people, who are trying to make us over into their image, they want us to be what they call "assimilated," bringing the Indians into the mainstream and destroying our own way of life and our own cultural patterns. They believe we should be contented like those whose concept of happiness is materialistic and greedy, which is very different from our way.

We want freedom, rather than to be intergrated. We don't want any part of the establishment, we want to be free to raise our children in our religion, in our ways, to be able to hunt and fish and live in peace. We don't want power, we don't want to be congressmen, or bankers....

we want to be ourselves. We want to have our heritage, because we are the owners of this land and because we belong here.

They say, there is freedom and justice for all. We have had "freedom and justice," and that is why we have been almost exterminated. We shall not forget this."
-Grand Council 1927