Watermelon Flavored Toothpaste
Some time it just doesn’t pay to look at twitter. PG was downloading pictures from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”, the source of the pictures that go with this report. This requires being connected to the internet. This also means temptation, in the form of facebook, twitter, tv listings, weather radar, and the growing collection of sites where PG is banned.
So this man, The Field Negro, likes to tweet. Field is a Philadelphia lawyer, who likes to “call out” racism. Like in this tweet. @fieldnegro Maybe Boston Herald Cartoonist’s Dumb Watermelon Joke Was Just a Mistake via @intelligencer Or maybe it was racism.
There was a cartoon in a Boston newspaper. A man is taking a bath, while BHO brushes his teeth. The man says “Have you tried the new watermelon flavored toothpaste? The cartoonist was thinking of a brand of watermelon flavored toothpaste from Colgate.
PG gets whatever is cheapest to rub against his teeth. He asked Mr. Google about watermelon flavored toothpaste. Some of the related searches were scotch flavored toothpaste, coffee flavored toothpaste, flavored toothpaste for kids, flavored toothpaste for dogs, and weird flavored toothpaste.
As some have noted, BHO is a dark skinned man, with an African father. There is a stereotype about African Americans and watermelon. The fact that millions of PWOC also enjoy watermelon is not important. What is important is an opportunity to call out racism. Twitter is up to the task.
@tanehisicoates Get it? It’s funny because of the original, and informative, insight that only black people like watermelon.
@tanehisicoatesSorry, cartoonist claiming the “racial element” was nowhere in his head is lying. Lying is a thing that humans do. So is racism.
@CultureInStereo That is outrageous. My GOD. Where is the decency…
@Freefree0Bobbie Jesus, can we as a country sink any lower?
@keylimepolitic @CharlesMBlow @Greg_Reibman @bostonherald This is THE most messed up cartoon ever! ARE YOU SERIOUS? #NoRespect!
@GregT2U2 @CharlesMBlow @Greg_Reibman @bostonherald Boston Herald read Julia Pierson and follow suggestions offered. FIRE THE Cartoonist! Watermelon
@clapifyoulikeme You say unfortunate, I say racist…let’s call the whole thing off.
@clapifyoulikeme @Greg_Reibman @bostonherald By “whole thing” I mean, “systemic racism”.
@twitfe @CharlesMBlow @Greg_Reibman @bostonherald I have nvr seen so much disrespect in terms of a POTUS who just happens to be black. ridiculous!
@abs_tellthetale @baublelauble @Greg_Reibman @bostonherald Is there ANY PERSON in the USA that doesn’t know how racist that is?!
.
Who Does The Killing?
PG used to work with someone, who we will call Fred. This person contracted some sort of cancer, and died nine days after nine eleven. Fred, the son of Holocaust Survivors, was probably the most Jewish person that PG has known. Fred was generous with his opinions. While no claim is made to having access to secret information, these opinions gave an insight into a certain pattern of thought. Some of these attitudes continue to this day, with other situations.
The employment related association took place between 1985 and 1989. This was during the Iran Iraq war. It was felt by many that those were two evil countries, that should be allowed to fight each other as long as possible. When they were fighting each other, they were not a threat to Israel. Fred enthusiastically endorsed this idea. “Yes they should. It is for your benefit. It will prevent terrorism”.
Hundreds of thousands of young men died in that war. Iraq got worn out by the fighting, and resorted to the use of chemical weapons. Iraq also ran up a large debt to Kuwait. In an effort to cancel that debt, Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. That set in motion a cycle of violence and revenge that still plagues the United States.
Today, there is much fighting in Syria. There are some who say that with Hezbollah fighting Al Queda, they are both bad actors. Let them kill each other as much as they want. Again, when they fight each other, they will leave Israel alone.
The carnage in Syria, with the government killing thousands of it’s citizens, brings to mind another Fred story. In 1989, China brutally repressed demonstrators asking for more rights. On the monday after the massacre, Fred commented that the Soviet Union was sorry. They wanted to do this killing themselves. Could this be how Israel feels about the killing in Syria? This is a repost. Pictures are from “The Special Collections and Archives,Georgia State University Library”.
Trolliness
A couple of tweeters were helping Psychology Today harvest eyeballs. @chescaleigh according to @PsychToday “Internet Trolls Are Narcissists, Psychopaths, and Sadists” & water is wet.” @pourmecoffee “Internet Trolls Are Narcissists, Psychopaths, and Sadists”
The tweets linked to a post, Internet Trolls Are Narcissists, Psychopaths, and Sadists. Sponsors include the FREE U.S.-Israel Flag Pin, and “These foods Kill your Brain.”
PG has been called a troll before. The people who say that usually argue with you, and then cry troll when you fight back. It is a passive aggressive game. There are probably more extreme examples, but the sense is that people ask for it. No, this is not rape. These is internet comments from people who do not praise you enough. The emperor’s tailor considered the little boy a troll.
PT has a different perspective. “In this month’s issue of Personality and Individual Differences, a study was published that confirms what we all suspected: internet trolls are horrible people. Let’s start by getting our definitions straight. An internet troll is someone who comes into a discussion and posts comments designed to upset or disrupt the conversation. Often, it seems like there is no real purpose behind their comments except to upset everyone else involved. Trolls will lie, exaggerate, and offend to get a response. What kind of person would do this?
Canadian researchers decided to find out. They conducted two internet studies with over 1,200 people. They gave personality tests to each subject along with a survey about their internet commenting behavior. They were looking for evidence that linked trolling with the Dark Tetrad of personality: narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadistic personality.”
OK, so they were looking for evidence to confirm a previously held opinion. Is that how the scientific method works these days? Define your villain to fit the characteristics you have picked out for him. When you are a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
The supporting study is from the University of Manitoba, and has the racy title Trolls just want to have fun. The link shows you an abstract, and a chance to buy the complete study for $35.95. The last line of the abstract: “Thus cyber-trolling appears to be an Internet manifestation of everyday sadism.”
By now, you may be worried that you, too, are a troll. Do you live under a bridge? Are you glamor challenged? Or maybe you are the troll king, and write trilogies in your spare time.
PT is aware of your concerns. Fun loving correspondent Jennifer Golbeck, Ph.D., comes through with Are You an Internet Troll? This peace of mind reassurance is sponsored by the 3 minute Chakra test, and YOU MAY BE INFECTED.
“… A lot of people commented about their own internet behavior, wondering if their provocative comments count as “trolling.” …. Fortunately, there is a technical answer to those questions! … In the same study from yesterday, the authors introduced a measure of someone’s trolliness (that’s my term, not theirs).(Spell check suggestions: woolliness, jolliness, solitariness) They call it the Global Assessment of Internet Trolling (GAIT). Subjects in their study were shown these four statements:
1 – I have sent people to shock websites for the lulz.
2 – I like to troll people in forums or the comments section of websites.
3 – I enjoy griefing other players in multiplayer games.
4 – The more beautiful and pure a thing is, the more satisfying it is to corrupt.”
Your agreement, or disagreement, with these statements is an indication of your trolliness. PG definitely feels better after seeing this test. He does not know what a shock website is, and does not indulge in multiplayer games. The idea of someone like Matt Walsh being “beautiful and pure” is ridiculous. PG will rest easy tonight, knowing that he probably is not an internet troll. Pictures are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”.
The Prodigal Son
Luke 15 1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. 3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of G-d over one sinner that repenteth. 11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. Text for today’s story is from Bible Gateway. Pictures are from “The Special Collections and Archives,Georgia State University Library”. Here is a commentary on The Power of Parable . This is a repost. Here is a discussion about this parable.
Yesterday, this facility published the text of Luke 15, also known as The Prodigal Son. The titular phrase does not appear in the King Jimmy text. The story is a parable, that is, a made up story to teach a lesson. Those who say every word of the Bible is true somehow miss this.
The Prodigal Son is a popular story. It is well known, and speaks of forgiveness. Some unkind people say that Jesus worshipers like to be forgiven, and do not like to forgive. There is plenty of evidence for this observation. Lets just say that lots of people don’t want to take responsibility for their actions. If your pie in the sky hero to forgives you, then you can have a cleaner conscience.
PG was at a memorial service once. The guest of honor was a leather wearing pagan. The minister, who had met the deceased one time, told the story of the Prodigal Son. It made PG feel better.
The forgotten character in this story is the older brother. He was faithful to his father, stayed at home and helped out, only to see his wayward brother welcomed back with joy. The father never killed a fatted calf for the elder brother. Maybe the elder brother deserved it more. Sometimes, life is not fair. Some say this is more than a parable. Maybe it is three units of bull.
Pictures are from The Library of Congress. These men were Union soldiers during the War Between the States. It was a long time before the two sides forgave one another.
I Have A Dream
PG stumbled onto a blog post about a speech. It was delivered August 28, 1963, by Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. You have probably heard the money quote many times, but how many have heard the entire 881 words. PG had not, and decided to take a look.
The speech is really a sermon. It is delivered with the cadence, and rhetorical flourishes, of the church. Dr. King was a minister. The Jesus worship church is a huge player in African America. The fact that slaves were introduced to this religion by their owners seems to be forgotten.
The term used is Negro. This was the polite word in 1963. The custom of saying Black started in the late sixties, at least partially inspired by James Brown. Negro began to be seen as an insult, along with the infamous N-word … which is really just a lazy way of saying Negro.
As the speech is working up to the climax, there is a line “But not only there; let freedom ring from the Stone Mountain of Georgia!” Today, Stone Mountain is a middle class black community. DeKalb County is mostly black, and the political leadership is African American. This was a long way from happening in 1963.
Twelve weeks after Dr. King gave his speech, President John Kennedy was killed. Part of the reaction to this tragedy was the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The next year saw the Voting Rights Act, and escalation of the war in Vietnam. It seemed that for every step forward, there was a half step back. People lost patience with non violence. America did not implode, but somehow survived. It is now fifty one years later. Pictures today are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”.
Walk Into A Bar
How many South Americans does it take to screw in a lightbulb? A Brazillian. ~ My grandpa has the heart of a lion, and a lifetime ban from the zoo. ~ What do you get when you cross the Atlantic with the Titanic? About half way ~ So a squirrel living in a pine tree one day feels a shaking, looks down, and sees an elephant climbing the tree. The squirrel asks: “What are you doing climbing my tree?” ” Well, I’m coming up here to eat some pears” “You idiot, this is a pine tree, there are no pears.” “Well I brought my own pears.” ~ Why can’t Ray Charles see his friends? Cause he’s married. ~ If you ever get cold, just stand in a corner for a bit. They’re usually around 90 degrees. ~ When my Grandad was 65 he started running a mile a day to keep fit. He’s 70 now and we have no idea where he is. ~ Why do you never see elephants hiding in trees? …….because they’re really good at it. ~ I think I want a job cleaning mirrors. it’s just something I could really see myself doing. ~ There are two monkeys in a bath tub. One says to another: oohoohahah! The other says: Maybe add a little more cold water. ~ Did you hear about the two guys that stole a calendar? They each got six months. ~ Whats the difference between a dirty bus stop, and a lobster with breast implants? Ones a crusty bus station the other is a busty crustacean ~ So this guy walks into his bedroom with a chicken under his arm. His wife is laying in bed. The guy says, “This is the pig I fuck when you are not in the mood.” ” You fucking idiot. That’s not a pig!” “I was talking to the chicken.” ~ Two fish are in a tank. One is driving and the other one is operating the gun. ~ Two soldiers are in a tank. They both drown. ~ A priest, a rabbi, and a whale walk into a bar. The priest says, “Well I believe Jesus Christ is the only begotten son of God and my lord and savior, so I’ll have some wine.” The rabbi says, “Well I don’t believe the messiah has yet walked the earth, so I’ll have Manischewitz wine.” The whale says “EEOONNHH” ~ what do you call a chicken coop with 4 doors? a chicken sedan. ~ Why aren’t there any knock knock jokes about freedom? Because freedom rings ~ What’s a hillbilly’s favorite thing to do on Halloween? pumpkin ~ What happened to the cow that jumped over the barbed wire fence? Udder destruction. ~ Where do animals go when their tails fall off? The retail store ~ What time does Sean Connery get to Wimbledon? Tennish. ~ What did the doctor say to the midget waiting in the lobby? You’re just going to have to be a little patient. ~ A magician was driving down the road when he turned into a driveway. ~ What do you call a fish with no eyes? Fsh! ~ “I went to a zoo the other day. It was completely empty, except for a single dog. It was a Shih Tzu.” ~ “Dad, I’m hungry.” “Hi, Hungry. I’m Dad.” ~ “I’m thirsty.” “Hi, Thursday, I’m Friday, let’s go out on a Saturday and have a Sunday.” ~ The only joke my dad ever told me was that he’d quit beating me. I was in stitches. ~ My all-time favorite: A man with carrots in his ears walks onto a bus, the bus driver says “Sir, why do you have carrots in your ears?” The man says “WHAT? I CAN’T HEAR YOU, I HAVE CARROTS IN MY EARS!” ~ Did you hear about the Mexican train killer? They say he had locomotives. ~ Pictures are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”. ~ selah
Moral Superiority Comedy
As facebook memes remind us, Jon Stewart recently delivered a speech about racism. It is embedded above, in case you missed it. The closing line is “And that shit happens all the time. All the time. Race is there, and it is a constant. You’re tired of hearing about it? Imagine how fucking exhausting it is living it.” The crowd went into hysterics.
Our media culture is strange. On the “conservative” side, buffoons like Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly present news as entertainment. On the “liberal” side, comedians like Jon Stewart and Bill Maher present comedy routines as political commentary. America becomes more cynical every day.
There is another video embedded above. In this one, the former Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz says something critical about Israel. He is gleefully shouted down. Eventually, he gives up.
This video could have been made about race relations. If a white person says anything except the party line, he can expect to be called racist, and shouted down. Two wrongs become one right.
So the choice becomes not wanting to be yelled at, or not wanting to live a black life. You can yell at white people as long as you like about racism, and it will not change the way black people live. This yelling will accomplish little, except giving the dubious feeling of moral superiority. Pictures today are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”.
Paul Krassner
Paul Krassner is alive at eighty two. He survives Lenny Bruce, Abbie Hoffman, Groucho Marx, and Lyndon Johnson. His magazine, The The Realist, is now available as an online archive.
PG was recently looking for background noise to compliment his photomongering. Somewhere along the way, he found episodes of WTF podcast to be available on Youtube. He made a list of shows he wanted to see, including Paul Krassner. When Mr. Google was recruited to find the show, other things floated to the surface. This is how Mr. Google operates.
An onion is more than an internet namesake. It lends a lively flavor, both cooked and raw. The onion consists of many layers of thin skin. These can be peeled off, as you get deeper and deeper into the root. A thin skinned root that gives you bad breath…. an aromatic symbol for the sixties.
When you go looking for WTF/Krassner, you are directed to issue 74 of The Realist. The feature story is the missing segments of a John Kennedy biography. On page 18, Jackie Kennedy saw more of Lyndon Johnson than she needed to see.
“That man was crouching over the corpse, no longer chuckling but breathing hard and moving his body rhythmically. … And then I realized – there is only one way to say this – he was literally fucking my husband in the throat. In the bullet wound in front of the throat. He reached a climax, and dismounted. I froze. The next thing I remember, he was being sworn in as the new President.”
Page two of issue 74 is the letters to the editor. The featured scribe is John L. Timmons, Secretary, Mattachine Society of N.Y. He wrote “Letter From A Homosexual,” in response to a cartoon page in issue 69, fag battalion. Using KY to lubricate a rifle is not a good idea.
At the time, America was fighting a war in Vietnam. Young men were given the choice of go in the army, or go to prison. It was ugly. There was a group, “The committee to fight the exclusion of homosexuals from the armed forces.”
The Mattachine Society was neutral. Some members supported the war, and some were opposed. It distracted from the overall agenda to take sides in other disputes. The editors at The Realist agreed. “… homosexuals who don’t want to be drafted will no longer be able to exploit their deviation rather than face the consequences of conscientious objection.”
When issue 74 was published, Walt Disney was still alive. This may account for the action on page 12. Maybe Uncle Walt did not want his animated actors to be drafted for active duty. The activities on page 12 might not be sufficient to have the players excused from active duty, however. By this stage of the war, the local draft boards were not accepting excuses.
Getting back to Paul Krassner… he founded the YIPPIES with Abbie Hoffman, took LSD with Groucho Marx, and published a satiric magazine without advertising. Only the last part can be confirmed. After the description of Lyndon Johnson’s post mortem dentistry, who knows what is real, and what is fake. Pictures today are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”.
Awaiting Moderation
Evidently, there was an argument at a new years eve party, which means everyone was drunk. I suspect Mr. O’Donovan is not an innocent victim. Also, why did he take a knife to the party? ~ Suki Divine, a few minutes ago you said ” by my guess the klans legacy is alive and well in georgia still”. Do you stand behind that comment? ~ I can neither confirm, nor deny, listening to that program. ~ anniversary number thirteen of nine eleven – the end of innocence, possibly engineered/enabled by a war profit happy government – maintaining peace of mind in the midst of madness ~ I saw your comment, and thought you were mad at Mr. Brannon. I flashed to people burning their Beatle records, and the Nazi book burnings. Then I realized that burning a cd is 180 degrees different than burning a book. ~ @fieldnegro there are plenty of white people who try to ignore jesse jackson fox news does not speak for me ~ is #Ferguson a way of shutting your eyes, sticking your fingers in your ears, and pretending #Gaza isn’t happening? ~ @steveroggenbuck yesterday i drank 2 huge fruit smoothies (72+ ounces each) and i pooped 4 times.. EFFORTLESSLY.. and it smelled way better than usual poop 5:43 PM – 10 Aug 2014 ~ Lizzie Borden was so upset when her brother got to run the Cheese factory. Changing her name to Estelle did not fool the authorities. It was an unfortunate situation all the way around. ~ Your comment is awaiting moderation. ~ I wonder how people living under drought conditions feel about that ice and water being wasted. ~ If you trust G-d to take care of you when you die, there is no need to make noise about Jesus. People who talk endlessly about salvation are saying that they don’t have faith in G-d, that they need a gimmick. Trust G-d. Quit worrying about Jesus. ~ Comments here are under moderation. That means that when you hit “Publish,” we take it under advisement. If your comment is on-topic, inside the bounds of the rules, and in any way useful, we’ll also hit publish. All other comments are filed for reference. ~ One word about Lyndon Johnson: Vietnam. ~ This type of entertainment has a problem. With all the serious crime going on, these guys should not put on a fake crime to illustrate their social commentary. ~ You’ve reached the bandwidth limit for viewing or downloading files that aren’t in Google Docs format. Please try again later. You can also try to download the original document by clicking here. ~ Restaurant Manifesto @restofesto We’d gladly donate our tips to ALS research if we could dump buckets of ice on some of the douchebags we have to wait on. 4:37 PM – 17 Aug 2014 ~ Father, economist, counselor, cocktologist, amusing douche, StL enthusiast, eater, conspicious consumer.~ No claims to the accuracy of this information are made. The information and photos presented on this site have been collected from the websites of County Sheriff’s Offices or Clerk of Courts. The people featured on this site may not of been convicted of the charges or crimes listed and are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Do not rely on this site to determine factual criminal records. Contact the respective county clerk of State Attorney’s Office for more information. All comments and opinions are submitted by Internet users, and in no way reflect the views or opinions of this site’s operators. ~ thanks for the heads up the comments at the blog post are good especially the mug shot of mr. schorsch ~ The tank needs whitewall tires and mag wheels ~ @suey_park @steveroggenbuck beware of those who like to point fingers and scream racist @JohnLuce @suey_park beware of those who are so committed to their ego they will stretch the truth and don’t care about the harm they do. ~ Was wise used to describe your whole being, or your ass? ~ @mbsycamore Why are gay men obsessed with white sheets? @mbsycamore they can’t find shoes to go with the pointy hats ~ is it a good idea for you to visit Dangerous Minds? ~ Pictures for this collection of notes are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”. ~ selah
English Vocabulary Quiz
A recent internet quiz is How Good Is Your English Vocabulary? This was a blow to the pride. I have always thought I was pretty good with words, and yet, with a few educated guesses, I only got 80.
The test has ten questions. Six times the definition is given, with two words to choose from. Four words are given, with two possible definitions.
The four words, leading to a binary definition decision, are abusion, bombilate, jargogle, and lubritorium. I have never used any of these words, even while performing the actions of the three verbs. I also make regular use of a lubritorium. It is a place adjacent to where you pay at the pump.
The first question is the definition “Fond of company, a social individual. gregarious, perceptive” This is obvious. In fact, perceptive might be the opposite of social, unless you can keep your uncomplimentary observations to yourself.
The second question was “Able to be manipulated without breaking. malleable milieunous” When I looked up mileunous later, I could not find an english definition. It appears to be French.
Pedantic is an option for two definitions. “Wicked to an extreme, malicious. nefarious pedantic” “Characterized by a narrow, often ostentatious concern for book learning and formal rules. pedantic pediatric” And yet, pedantry is seen by some as nefarious. In the age of obamacare, pediatric billing can be both pedantic and nefarious.
The quiz does not give correct answers. One possible mistake was with syntax. This is a word which I have seen used, and sort of know the meaning. However, when asked to choose between “The study of the origins of separate languages vis interchangeable root words” and “The study of the rules whereby words … are combined to form grammatical sentences”, I drew a blank. Syntax is not spelled sin tax, and is not a government levy on alcohol and gambling.
This quiz seems to be collecting eyeballs for the sponsor. Rooms to go, Target, and AT&T, among others, are paying per view. When you take the test over and over, to try and move your score up, these sponsors ante up for the clicks. Pictures today are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”.
Richards
A comment at a recent post mentioned “Jenning’s Rose Room, a classic poor white juke and dance hall … where Trader Joes now sits.” PG had been in that building when it was called Richards. Pictures are from ” The Special Collections and Archives,Georgia State University Library”.
There is no telling what the original use of the building at 931 Monroe Drive was. It was across the street from Grady Stadium, and adjacent to Piedmont Park. The railroad tracks that became the beltline ran behind it. The parking lot was primitive, with a marquee sign built at some point. (PG drove by that sign several nights and saw that Lynyrd Skynyrd was playing.)
There was another nightclub building on the hill behind JRR. One night, PG went to see a jazz band there, accompanied by someone who lived in a nearby house. After seeing the band, PG was led to a horse stable behind the bar. The horses were not well maintained … you could see the ribs sticking out. There is a story of a goat getting loose from the stable, and being chased out of the jazz bar during happy hour.
Jennings Rose Room was before PG’s time. There is a story that some men had lunch there, and made a bet. The idea was to hit a golf ball from the JRR parking lot, and putt it into a hole at Piedmont Park. A biscuit was used as a tee. The first shot went across the street, onto the field at the stadium. Eventually, the ball was hit across Tenth Street, onto a green, and into the cup.
At some point, Jennings Rose Room closed. A gay club called Chuck’s Rathskeller was opened in that location. A rock and roll club or two did business there. Then Richards opened.
The first time PG was in the house was after a Johnny Winter concert at the Fox. There were rumors of visiting musicians dropping by Richards to play after their shows. Mr. Winter was only onstage for a couple of minutes after PG got there.
The most memorable trip to Richards was during the summer of 1973. The headliner was Rory Gallagher, who was ok but not spectacular. The opening act was Sopwith Camel, one of the forgotten bands of the seventies. They performed a novelty hit, “Hello Hello”. Someone in the audience liked it, and paid them to do it again. The band wound up doing “Hello Hello” five times, and said that was the most money they made in a long time.
Average White Band was making the rounds that fall, and had a show at Richards. A lot of the audience was black, and they hit the dance floor in unison when “Pick up the Pieces” was played. Fellow Scotsman Alex Harvey was in town, and joined AWB to sing “I heard it through the grapevine”.
Muddy Waters played at Richards one night. The band did most of the playing, with Mr. Waters tossing in a few licks on bottleneck guitar. He might have sang a couple of times.
About this time, Iggy Pop played a few shows at Richards. One night, someone snuck up on him, and gave him a hug. It was Elton John, wearing a gorilla suit.
PG saw three more shows (that he can remember) at Richards. Richie Havens was worth the two dollar admission. Soft Machine played in the winter of 1974. Larry Coryell played a show that summer, with the Mike Greene Band opening. PG got to talk to Mike Greene that night. The National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (who do the Grammy Awards) had a President named C. Michael Greene at one time. PG thinks this is the person he talked to that night.
Two friends of PG went, as their first date, to see Spirit at Richards. They were married a few years later. Towards the end of 1974, Richards was running out of steam. They advertised a New Years Eve show starring B.B. King, and sold high priced tickets. When the crowd showed up for the show, they found the doors locked. Richards had closed.
The next tenant for 931 Monroe Drive was going to be Cabaret After Dark, a gay club. There was a fire the night before the grand opening. The building was never used again. Eventually, a shopping center was built on the site.
UPDATE: Here is an article, from the Great Speckled Bird, about Richards. This is a repost.
Wild Tales: A Rock & Roll Life
The recent book by Graham Nash, Wild Tales: A Rock & Roll Life, begins in the same place as “Songs for Beginners.” England is at war, and the luftwaffe is visiting Manchester regularly. Young mothers go to a safe place in North England to have their babies. One turned out different.
The Nash family lived in what was called a “council home.” In America, it would be called a project. Things did not get better when father went to prison. Years later, when Graham came home for a visit, he saw his mother making out with another man.
Now, in stories like this, it is music that saves the young man. He meets Allan Clarke in school, and the two sing well together. Various singing groups follow, more musicians are recruited, and they name a band after Buddy Holly.
Mr. Nash spoke an event to promote this book. At seventy two, he has a full head of snow white hair. Many of the stories in the book were told here, some with details added. One of these tales is the time the Everly Brothers came to Manchester. Graham and Allan were determined to meet their heroes, and hung out on the steps of a hotel until late at night. Finally, the Everly Brothers arrived. They spent a half hour talking to the star struck young men. This story is on Page 43.
So the Hollies make it big, and go to America. Graham Nash meets Mama Cass, who introduces him to David Crosby and Steohen Stills. Somehow, he meets Joni Mitchell. Graham makes beautiful music with all three, not always playing the same instrument. Joni is well known for her open tuning.
Grahams mind is expanding, with a little help from his friends. The decision to leave the Hollies is made. Atlantic records trades Richie Furay to Epic records for Graham Nash. A music publishing contract is torn up. Don’t try this at home.
One day, Joni and Graham go into a thrift store. Joni buys a vase. They go home. Graham says “I’ll light the fire, while you put the flowers in the vase that you bought today.”
Crosby Stills & Nash become superstars. Neil Young, bless his heart, joins the band. They go to Woodstock, and get scared shitless. Joni Mitchell stays in New York City, because her manager does not want her to miss the Dick Cavett Show on Monday. (Listen to Grace at 10:05) Joni writes a song about the event she missed.
Time marches on. The various relationships, both musical and romantic, come and go. A man makes a bet with Graham that he cannot write a song in a half hour. The result is “Just a song before I go.”
No story involving David Crosby is complete without a drug lecture. One story was so explosive, the legal department called Graham before the book was published, just to confirm the story. It is on page 263. David sold his Mercedes for crack. The man who bought it od’d. David broke into his house, stole the bill of sale and car keys, took the car, and sold it again.
Somehow, David Crosby is still alive today. So is Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell. This might be surprising to some. Even if Graham were to fall over dead today, he leaves a fine body of work behind him. This book is just another part. Pictures today are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”. .
Chamblee54 
1 comment